H.H. The Amir Sword won by 6-yr-old Abbes
18 February 2023, Al Rayyan Racecourse, Doha, Qatar ~ It was a sea of grey Arabians as the tide surged into the backstretch of the 2400m race with the group of Moshrif, Hoggar De L’Ardus and First Classs all with eyes on the finish in the 8th and last race of the Amir Sword Festival weekend. 
But in the last 500 meters Abbes, guided by Michael Barzalona, swept up from the outside, passing the group and winning going away by two and a half lengths.
The 6-yr-old Abbes (TM Fred Texas x Raquiya), rated 120, is trained by Alban De Mieulle and owned by Wathnan Racing. The Khalifa Bin Sheail KH J Al Kuwari-owned and Francois Rohaut-trained Moshrif was second under jockey Ryan Moore. Hoggar De L’Ardus finished third under jockey Maxime Guyon and is trained by Thomas Fourcy for H.E. Sheikha Reem Bint Mohamed Bin Khalifa Al-Thani. First Classs finished fourth and Lady Princess was in fifth. Win time was 02:36.97.
Abbes had placed 2nd in the 2022 Gr 1 HH The Amir Sword to Lady Princess, and then won the April Qatar Gold Sword Gr 1. He had three wins in a row, 2 of them Group races, from November 2022 through January 2023, at distances of up to 2200 meters.
The $2,500,000 H.H. The Amir Sword is the third leg of the QREC Triple Crown. The first two legs, at Goodwood, UK ,and the Qatar Arabian World Cup at ParisLongchamp, were won by Lady Princess. Ebraz was the latest winner in 2020 of the QREC Triple Crown that carries a $1 Million bonus.
Abdullah Bin Fahad Al Attiyah’s Sky De L’Aigle won the HH The Amir Silver Sword
Abdullah Bin Fahad Al Attiyah’s Ska De L’Aigle (FR) (Al Mourtajez x Sia) won the HH The Amir Silver Sword for 4-yr-old Purebred Arabians by a length and a quarter. The Francois Rohaut-trained colt responded generously when asked, giving jockey Andrea Atzeni a second winner on the big day. The Eng. Osama Omer E Al-Dafea-owned and Charles Henri Gourdain-trained Jenkille Hipolyte was second under jockey Ronan Thomas. Al Riffaa was third under jockey Maxime Guyon and is trained by Francois Rohaut and owned by Mohammed Bin Fahad A H Al Attiya.
Qatar International Cup won by Al Jeryan Stud
The Gr 1 Qatar International Cup for 4YO+ Purebred Arabians was won by homebred AJS Saaeq (QA) (AF Albahar x Sahab Al Zaeem) for Al Jeryan Stud over a strong field in the second race over 1600m. The 5-yr-old, trained by M.H.K. Al Attiyah under jockey Szczepan Mazur, won by over two lengths.
Results – HH The Amir Sword Festival
34th Race Meeting – HH The Amir Sword & Trophy
(Horse, Trainer, Jockey)
1 – HH The Amir Sword (Gr1 Pa) – Purebred Arabian (3rd Leg Of The Triple Crown)
Abbes, Alban Elie De Mieulle, Mickael Barzalona
2 – HH The Amir Trophy (Qa Gr1) – Thoroughbreds (Class 1)
Russian Emperor, Douglas Whyte, Alberto Sanna
3 – HH The Amir Silver Sword – Purebred Arabians (4yo Only)
Ska De L’Aigle, Francois Rohaut, Andrea Atzeni
4 – HH The Amir Shalfa – Thoroughbred Open Handicap (Class 2)
King Pacha, Gassim Ghazali, Mickael Barzalona
5 – Al Rayyan Mile (3yo Only) (Qa Gr2) – Thoroughbreds (Class 1)
Alzahir, John and Thady Gosden, Andrea Atzeni
6 – Dukhan Sprint (Qa Gr3) – Thoroughbreds (Class 1)
Flaming Rib, Hugo Palmer, Oisin Murphy
7 – Qatar International Cup (Gr1 Pa) – Purebred Arabians
AJS Saaeq, MHK al-Attiyah, Szczepan Mazur
8 – Irish Thoroughbred Marketing Cup (Qa Gr2) – Thoroughbreds (Class 1)
Order of Australia, Aidan O’Brien, Ryan Moore
~ end – Photos by Juhaim