2 August 2024 ~ On day 2 of the Qatar Goodwood Festival, Wednesday, 31 July, HE Sheikh Joaan bin Hamad Al Thani, President of Qatar Olympic Committee, presented the trophy of the Qatar International Stakes to HE Sheikh Hamad bin Joaan Al Thani, representing Al Shaqab Racing, following the victory of the champion, Al Ghadeer, in the Gr1/PA contest for Purebred Arabians for the second straight year, succeeding in the first step towards maintaining the Doha Triple Crown for the second time in a row. Ebraz landed the first win in this legendary series in 2020.
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Al Ghadeer’s winning return
Winner of six Gr.1 (PA), the talented colt Al Ghadeer (Al Mourtajez x Gharra’a) landed the Gr.1 (PA) Qatar International Stakes at the Qatar Goodwood Festival on day two of the meeting.
Sporting the colours of his owner Al Shaqab Racing and trained by Francois Rohaut, the world’s top-rated Arabian at 130, Al Ghadeer, has confirmed once again his champion status with a second win in the Qatar International Stakes at the Qatar Goodwood Festival, breaking the record set by his sire Al Mourtajez in 2016. Christophe Soumillon produced a steady ride on the five-year-old’s European return, settling him in mid-division before smoothly taking the lead over a furlong out for an unchallenged win from Al Wakrah, owned, like the winner, by Al Shaqab. He is now a seven times Gr.1 (PA) winner. Ska De L’Aigle (Al Mourtajez) took third.
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This win in the £400,000 one mile contest, the UK’s most valuable Group 1PA race for Arabians, is the first stage in Doha’s Triple Crown series. The next stage is the October Qatar Arabian World Cup run on Prix de L’Arc de Triomphe day at ParisLongchamp and culminates in the world’s richest Arabian race, the HH The Amir Sword in Doha in February.
Bred by M. Mohammed Al-Najafi, Al Ghadeer he is out of a dual Gr.2 (PA) winner Gharraa (Matador 12) and a half brother to Gr.2 (PA) winner Ghurat Al Zaman (Hilal Al Zaman).
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