10 August 2019, Deauville, France ~ Akoya guided by Théo Bachelot accelerated into a new gear to decisively win the QREC-sponsored Doha Cup (Gr1 PA) on Saturday 10 August 2019, at the beautiful Deauville track at the northern edge of France.
Doha Cup (Gr1 PA)
Owned by Landgoed Waterland and trained by the Dutch trainer Karin Van den Bos, the son of Muqatil Al Khalidiah held onto second position before storming away in the straight, putting his rivals to bed. Marid, in the colors of HH Sheikh Abdullah bin Khalifa Al Thani finished in second place, while Khataab for Al Shaqab Racing finished well to take third.
Van den Bos was delighted to win her first Gr 1 at Deauville with Akoya.”This horse loves to run! He came here in great form and he isn’t even tired after the race! Théo Bachelot rode him aggressively and he did so well. He should run in the Qatar Arabian World Cup.”
Akoya was coming off a third place in a Gr3 at Ostende. He has won at this level already in Milan.
QREC proudly supports French Jockey’s Association
The nine-race meeting held at Deauville on 10 August 2019, was dedicated to the French Jockey Association, whose mission is to inform, support, represent and defend jockeys. Each race was in favor of the Association, which is also supported by France Galop. The sponsorship contributions of the races, including the QREC-sponsored Prix Qatar National Stud race, a Class 2 mile-long contest for thoroughbreds, are to the benefit of the French Jockey Association.
Al Rayyan Cup
A Qatari treble in the Al Rayyan Cup Thomas Fourcy’s runners took the first three places in the next race, the Qatar Racing & Equestrian Club (QREC)-sponsored Al Rayyan Cup (Gr1 PA) where the filly Lady Princess, in the colors of Sheail bin Khalifa Al Kuwari, finished in front of the two Al Shaqab Racing runners, Um Taj and Mounjared Al Cham. In the hands of jockey Christophe Soumillon, she showed a smart turn of foot to pull clear.
Thomas Fourcy commented: “I wasn’t sure who would be in front of who. Mounjared Al Cham is making up into a very good horse, but Lady Princess is also very classy, as her early races showed. This race hadn’t be on her program originally, and she hadn’t had much work coming into the race.”
Lady Princess, a daughter of the champion General, won on her racing debut at Toulouse at the end of April this year.
Khalifa bin Mohammed Al Attiyah, QREC Board Member, was present and presented the trophies to the winning connections of all three races sponsored by QREC.