Al Shaqab Showcases Arabian Roots

DOHA, Qatar–On a picture-perfect Friday morning in Qatar, international guests in town for the HH The Emir's Sword Festival gathered at Al Shaqab's Emiri Stable for breakfast, an introduction to Arabian horses and, of course, some good-natured banter ahead of Saturday's featured card of the three-day racing festival.

Readers of this publication will be well-familiar with the name Al Shaqab as it relates to Sheikh Joaan's Thoroughbred operations in Europe, based at Haras de Bouquetot in France, as well as his successful racing stables in America, but the focal point of Al Shaqab in Qatar is the Purebred Arabian. This was literally the case at the breakfast event, with a band of near-white Arabians grazing in the stable courtyard surrounding the tables.

The parade of Al Shaqab's Arabian stallions was certainly an eye-opening event for the Thoroughbred crowd present. Whereas Thoroughbred stallions are, of course, expected to stand and walk calmly during inspection, the Arabians were encouraged to prance, rear, shout, and generally show off their athleticism.

Television presenters Gina Harding and Nick Luck have been in Doha this week providing commentary on the races, and they were on hand to pick the brains of the Al Shaqab team, as well as a few other international visitors. With Sheikh Joaan himself joining the breakfast, Harry Herbert, advisor to Al Shaqab, quipped, “I've already got a bollocking from Sheikh Joaan that we don't have enough runners this week. But it's very exciting, the ones we do have.”

The Al Shaqab colours will be carried by the likes of the Richard Hannon-trained Ghayyar (Ire) (Power {GB}) in Saturday's Al Biddah Mile, a local Group 2 contest, but the most exciting horse in the grey and gold colours this week will be the Purebred Arabian Al Mourtajez (Fr) (Dahess), who goes for the Arabian Triple Crown in Saturday's final race of the festival, the $1-million G1 HH The Emir's Sword. Al Mourtajez won the first two legs, the Qatar International S. at Goodwood and the Qatar Arabian World Cup at Chantilly, last year for trainer Thomas Fourcy.

“Al Mourtajez is a superstar in his own right and we're very much looking forward to seeing him go for the Triple Crown,” Herbert said. Asked about the horse's condition, Herbert added, “I don't speak French very well and Thomas Fourcy doesn't speak English, and at some point someone's got to record us because we think we understand one another very well. But Thomas was telling me yesterday he's delighted with the horse.”

Herbert also provided an update on newly turned 4-year-old Galileo Gold (GB) (Paco Boy {Ire}), who is one of three Al Shaqab Group 1-winning milers to stay in training this year in Europe, along with Qemah (Ire) (Danehill Dancer {Ire}) and Zelzal (Fr) (Sea The Stars {Ire}).

“He's fantastic,” Herbert said. “I saw him the week before last. Seeing a horse out at exercise is one thing, but actually seeing him stripped in his box for the first time in a few months, he has gone unbelievably well. He's stronger, he's filled out, and he'll be aimed at the G1 Al Shaqab Lockinge S. at Newbury in May.”

Hannon was also on hand, and he provided some insight on his Al Biddah Mile runner Ghayyar.

“The middle of last year he sort of lost his way a little bit and didn't run very well so we gave him a break,” the trainer said. “Looking at him a couple months ago he started to look very well, so hopefully he'll run well. He's got a good draw, and I think the tight track will suit him. I don't know if it'll suit Frankie, but it'll suit him.”

Hannon paid credit to the Qatar Racing and Equestrian Club for its staging of the event, saying, “the prizemoney is unbelievable, and it's a lovely place to come at the right time of year. Normally these festivals are tacked on to what is already a very busy time, but this is at the start of the year so you can target it and have a good chance of winning.”

Frankie Dettori will have a busy day on Saturday riding for Al Shaqab and others, and he weighed in on his mount in the featured event for Thoroughbreds, the $1-million HH The Emir's Trophy, the Sir Michael Stoute-trained Arab Spring (Ire) (Monsun {Ger}).

“He's a very honest horse,” said Dettori. “It's a very tough race and there are a lot of horses that have a good chance, but Arab Spring seems to like top of the ground and all the signs are good.”

Sir Michael Stoute and Richard Hannon aren't the only international trainers taking part in Qatar this week. The Aidan O'Brien-trained Cougar Mountain (Ire) (Fastnet Rock {Aus}) finished second in Friday evening's Irish Thoroughbred Marketing Cup, a local Group 2 over a mile on the grass. Coolmore representative Kevin Buckley noted the Emir's Sword meeting has long been on the team's radar.

“Aidan and the team at Coolmore have always been focused on this meeting,” he said. “It's my first time to visit here, which I'm very privileged to do so, and what wonderful hospitality. I'm really enjoying it here.”

Two-time GI Kentucky Derby-winning trainer Doug O'Neill is in town to saddle the first-ever American-trained runner at the meeting, Royal Albert Hall (GB) (Royal Applause {GB}) in the HH The Emir's Trophy, and he reflected on his experience thus far, saying, “It's been fantastic. The hospitality has been unbelievable and hopefully this is the first of many trips back here.” Of the 5-year-old gelding Royal Albert Hall, the trainer added, “He looks phenomenal. His coat looks great, his energy level is great. Alan Garcia is here to ride him and he got on him this morning and got along great with him. He's got a really good mind, this horse. He's going the other way than what he's used to but it doesn't seem to bother him at all, and we're expecting a big effort.”

While there will be plenty of differing opinions on the supposed outcomes of the featured races on Saturday, what seems to be a consensus is that the Emir's Sword festival is rapidly growing into a must-attend event for internationally based Thoroughbreds and their human connections. The Qatar Racing and Equestrian Club is the governing body of Thoroughbred and Purebred Arabian racing in the country and that organization's general manager Nasser Sherida Al Kaabi said, “We are focusing on being an international hub for Thoroughbred racing in Doha and the Middle East. I think our timing and the exposure we're giving to this race [the Emir's Trophy] is giving us a good impact in introducing new horses to come to this event. The prizemoney is interesting and we also give good incentives to the trainers and owners that are willing to come over.”

“We love that the Thoroughbred race grows every year to a new standard,” Al Kaabi added. “Our target in the next couple years will be to have more international runners. We have a runner from America for a very famous trainer, Doug O'Neill, and this is big exposure for us as Qataris to have someone like Doug O'Neill run a horse here. We also have Aidan O'Brien, Sir Michael Stoute, Richard Hannon; all these big names. I think in the years to come we'll see this event grow more and more.”

The Qatar Thoroughbred breeding industry is currently small, with a just a couple hundred foals produced each year, but QREC is adding bonuses to races restricted to Qatar-bred Thoroughbreds to encourage their breeding.

“We are trying our best to create good local Thoroughbreds and to encourage owners to breed more locally,” Al Kaabi said. “I personally breed horses and I breed to American stallions. I have a 2-year-old filly by Point Of Entry. We cover them and bring them back here to foal in Qatar.”

Al Shaqab last year stood two Thoroughbred stallions in Qatar, Dubday (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire}) and Toast of New York (Thewayyouare). While Dubday, a two-time winner of the HH The Emir's Trophy as well as the Qatar Derby, remains in Qatar this season, Herbert admitted the local Thoroughbred stallions aren't very busy.

“They haven't bred a lot of mares; there aren't a lot of mares here,” he said. “That's the nature of breeding Thoroughbreds here in Qatar; we need more mares. It's a fledgling business, but it'll happen. Dubday is the sort of horse that isn't going to get a lot of mares here, but he'll have a very happy retirement,” Herbert added, gesturing to a paddock of horses grazing with the sun beating on their backs.

Herbert paid tribute to the work put in by QREC to put the festival on, saying, “It's absolutely fantastic. Nasser Sheriba Al Kaabi has done a wonderful job. I think people love coming here because it's very peaceful, it's very relaxed and a very intimate atmosphere, including the racecourse itself. People that have come here from all over the world can take the chance to catch up. I think that's something that's probably quite unique to this particular race meeting.”