Dahham wins Al Rayyan Cup and Sylvine Al Maury wins Doha Cup
21 August, Deauville, France ~ After cantering at the very back of the pack, Dahham ridden by Alexandre Gavilan and owned by HH Sheikh Mansoor Bin Zayed, fought for his win in the backstretch taking the Al Rayyan Cup – Prix Kesberoy (Gr1 PA) on Saturday 13 August at Deauville, France. Azhar, traveling strongly could not get his nose in front of the winner. Dahham by Akbar is trained by Frenchman Didier Guillemin.
Trainer Didier Guillemin said: “We had a little doubt concerning the distance, because it was the first time he ran over 2,000 meters. So I had asked the jockey to take his time. At Chantilly, he had also won by coming from behind, so let’s not change something that works. He is a good colt, but I think that the 2,000m is a bit too long for him. Now, he should run at Saint-Cloud on the Friday of the Qatar Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe, then at Toulouse, for the Breeders’ Cup races, which is the program we had set for Mabrooka last year.”
Azhar, trained by Damien de Watrigant, managed to keep the second place in front of HH Sheikh Mohammed Bin Khalifa Al Thani’s Ebraz. He secured his place on the podium in the last strides by coming up on the inside and taking third place away from Al Shaqab Racing’s Lwsail by a very short nose.
Doha Cup – Prix Manganate (Gr1 PA)
The Royal Cavalry of Oman-owned mare Sylvine Al Maury while making a name for herself in Grade 1 races, now showed her winning form in the Doha Cup – Prix Manganate (Gr1 PA), also run Saturday at Deauville.
After cantering in fourth position in a race led by Reda at a slow pace, Sylvine Al Maury under regular jockey Jean-Bernard Eyquem came up in the middle of the track to easily take the advantage over her rivals. The pack travelled in a line until the start of the home straight, when Majeed accelerated followed by Sylvine Al Maury quickly taking the lead leaving Majeed in second. HH Shiekh Mohammed Bin Khalifa Al Thani’s Gazwan made his finish a third just in front of fourth place Djelamer.
Sylvine Al Maury won her return race in Newbury on the 24th July. The Deauville win is her seventh Group success and fifth win in a row. Trainer Elizabeth Bernard said: “For her return at Newbury after six months without running she showed a sensational performance. We were lucky that the mare went up a level again after this race and today, she was at 100%, which was not the case in Newbury. She won’t run the Prix Dragon and will go directly to the Qatar Arabian World Cup, on agreement of the owner. She is a wonderful mare, it is rare to have such a filly on one’s career.”
Photos by Noelle Derre’
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