QOC President crowns winners of Qatar Goodwood Festival
London: Khalifa bin Sheail al-Kuwari-owned Lady Princess retained the title of the Group 1 PA Qatar International Stakes for the second consecutive year at the Qatar Goodwood Festival yesterday.
With this victory under her belt at the Goodwood Racecourse, UK, Lady Princess now boasts an incredible record of four consecutive, and a total of eight, group one victories in addition to her other high-profile victories. She also managed to keep the title Qatari for the fourth year in a row.
HE Sheikh Joaan bin Hamad al-Thani, Qatar Olympic Committee (QOC) President, crowned the winners of the Gr1 PA Qatar International Stakes and the Gr1 Qatar Sussex Stakes. Abdulla bin Hezam al-Saaq received the owner’s trophy on behalf of Khalifa bin Sheail al-Kuwari.
The richest Arabian race on the British racing calendar, the Qatar International Stakes worth £400,000 in prize money produced yet another thrilling finish.
The French trained Lady Princess has been masterfully handled by leading Arabian trainer Thomas Fourcy. Lady Princess travelled ominously well throughout the 1,600m contest and was produced to perfection by jockey Jim Crowley, despite a moment of panic just inside the 200m pole.
Set off towards the rear in her habitual fashion, the talented six-year-old kept close tabs with her chief rivals Samlla (Assy), owned by HE Sheikha Reem bint Mohamed bin Khalifa al-Thani, and Hattal (Mahabb). Lady Princess sliced through the field with ease once in the straight but met trouble inside the closing stages.
Trying to pounce between Hattal and Samlla, Lady Princess was briefly sandwiched but once in the clear she cruised to an impressive eighth top-flight success. Hattal took second, while Samlla cracked close home and finished third.
Bred by Earl du Champ Ginioux and Elodie Bellaud, Lady Princess is by multiple Group One winner General (Amer) and is out of Group Three winner Nacre Al Maury (Kesberoy), who also produced Group One winner and stallion Mister Ginoux.
Baaeed takes unbeaten count to nine
The world’s highest-rated racehorse Baaeed (Sea the Stars x Aghareed) remained unbeaten and carried the colours of Shadwell Estate Company Ltd to his ninth successive victory when taking the Gr.1 Qatar Sussex Stakes. HE Sheikh Joaan presented the trophies to the winners after the race.
Trained in Newmarket by William Haggas, the four-year-old entire took his fifth Gr.1 success in the £1,000,000 contest. Ridden by Jim Crowley, who also took the Gr.1 Qatar International Stakes earlier on the same card with Lady Princess (General), Baaeed took on six rivals for the summer showpiece.
Held up in mid-division in the 1,600m race set alight by the Japanese raider Bathrat Leon (Kizuna), Baaeed made a swooping move around the field on the run down the hill. Matching strides with Modern Games (Dubawi), Baaeed moved through to lead inside the closing stages and quickened clear to score by one- and three-quarter lengths. Modern Games took second, while Alcohol Free (No nay Never) last year’s winner, who was unlucky in running, claimed third.
“Baaeed is a fantastic racehorse, and we are lucky to have him,” said the winning trainer William Haggas said after the race. “We have him for two more runs after today and then he is likely to head off to stud. I don’t think we need to go for the Arc with him, but he will certainly step up to ten furlongs (2,000m),” he added.
A Shadwell Estate homebred, the exceptional four-year-old is out of the Listed winner, Aghareed (Kingmambo). He is a brother to two winners, including Hukum (Sea The Stars) winner of the Gr.1 Coronation Cup at Epsom Downs.
The second dam, Lahudood (Singspiel) won both the Gr.1 Breeders Cup Fillies and Mares Turf and the Gr.1 Flower Bowl Stakes at Belmont Park. She was awarded Champion Turf Female in the USA in 2007.
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