Staff Writer
The four-year-old purebred Arabian Al Doha (FR) (Al Mourtajez x Topaze Du Croatie), bred by Al Shaqab Racing, represented H H Sheikh Abdullah bin Khalifa Al Thani and continued to advance by winning the QREC-sponsored Gr2 PA Qatar Prix de l’Elevage in Toulouse, France.
The first Group Arabian event of the year on the French calendar is a 2,000-meter race for purebred Arabian mares four years old and older.
The grey mare, ridden with great assurance by Olivier Peslier and trained by Thomas Fourcy, was the pre-race favorite in the eight-horse race, and she dutifully won.
Doha earns a Gr. 1 ticket after winning the Qatar Prix de l’Elevage in France.
Held up behind the early leader and eventual runner-up, Elaf (FR) ((Rabbab De Carrere), owned by Yas Horse Racing Management, travelled strongly into the home straight. Despite giving up first run to the leader, she stayed on strongly to win by two and a half lengths over the runner-up, who is trained by X Thomas-Demeaulte and was ridden by Anthony Crastus.
Fateenah (FR) (Dahess), who was ridden by Mickael Forest and was owned by Ecuries Royales d’ Oman, finished third despite being further one and a half lengths back.
Al Doha has now won on two of her four career starts, all of which were longer than 2,000 meters. Her other two outings included a valiant second place in a Gr2 PA race at Toulouse less than a month ago and an honorable fourth place in the Gr1 PA Qatar Arabian Trophy Des Pouliches (three-year-olds) at Saint Cloud on her debut.
Thomas Fourcy, the trainer of Al Doha, was impressed with the mare’s performance and revealed his intentions for the mare in his post-race interview.
Fourcy remarked, “She is a great horse about whom we have always thought a lot.
She did well during the winter, and we were very patient with her because she is more suited to the second half of the year. She had a fantastic comeback run, and I felt really good about today. I haven’t chosen which of the two Grade 1 openings in June we’ll apply for yet.
She is a great horse about whom we have always given much thought, Fourcy stated.
She did well over the winter, and as she is more suited to the second half of the year, we have been very patient with her. I felt fairly secure today because she had a strong comeback run. There are two Grade 1 openings in June for her, but I haven’t chosen which one we’ll apply for yet.
