The HH The Amir Sword Festival is expected to get a cracker of a climax with the million-dollar Arabian feature in Qatar’s flagship racing event set to witness a smashing contest between two long-time rivals – three-time winner Ebraz and the Qatar Arabian World Cup topper Tayf.
Ebraz is the superstar who has won it all in the world of Arabian racing, including the Doha Triple Crown having lifted the Qatar International Stakes (July 2019) at Goodwood followed by the Qatar Arabian World Cup (October 2019) at ParisLongchamp and the HH The Amir Sword (February 2020) in a single season. The grey son of Amer is going for a straight hat-trick of the feature today under Maxime Guyon, which will give his owner His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Khalifa al-Thani and handler Julian Smart their sixth straight Amir Sword victory.
And while there are 13 other contenders vying for the biggest prize in Qatar horse racing, all eyes are going to be on Umm Qarn’s Tayf, who has come into his own at the age of nine, getting the better of Ebraz on their last two duels.
Alban de Mieulle’s charge won the Goodwood Arabian feature in 2017, and last year landed the big prize in the French capital on a heavy ground ahead of Ebraz and others. At Al Rayyan Park, Tayf landed a Group 2 comfortably ahead of Ebraz last month. Tayf, also sired by the prolific Amer, carries the hopes of De Mieulle’s first Amir Sword victory since Tabarak won back in 2013.
Both were drawn the widest in the 14-strong field on Wednesday, with Ebraz starting from Gate 13, and Tayf in 14 under Ronan Thomas.
“The draw is not too bad. Of course, Tayf is wide but 2400m is plenty of time to take your place. So I am not too worried,” De Mieulle told Gulf Times.
De Mieulle is also well aware of Smart’s penchant for a fast race. “It's going to be a very fast race, I know (Sheikh Mohamed’s) Shahania and some of the other horses would want to go in the front, so a lot of speed. All my horses are doing well, and so I hope we will do a good job,” he said.
De Mieulle has reinforcements in Umm Qarn’s Bin General (Gate 10) and Jabalah (Gate 4), and Al Shaqab Racing’s Gtnah (Gate 3).
Smart’s contingent includes Mon’nia (Gate 1), Maxr (5) and the youngest runner in the field, four-year-old Dawi (Gate 7).
“Not exactly ecstatic with 1 for Mon’nia, but it won’t be a big problem because (it’s) 2400m,” Smart told Gulf Times. “Five is good for Maxr and 7 is good for Dawi, the young horse with 52 kilos.
“13 for Ebraz, lucky 13, right?!
“2400m is a long long way to go. They will all sort themselves out. But I am happy Maxr drew 5, because we will go forward with him, and make sure that it is a strongly run race.”
Smart will also be taking a shot at Thoroughbred feature, HH The Amir Trophy (QA Group 1) with Aspetar and Off He Goes.
“The Thoroughbred draws do not really make a difference with only 10 runners over a mile-and-a-half. For me, personally I am happy with the draws. Two for Off He Goes, we are going to go forward with him, and 8 for Aspetar is nice because he can just jump out and settle in the field and come with a run, hopefully.”
Ebraz is the superstar who has won it all in the world of Arabian racing, including the Doha Triple Crown having lifted the Qatar International Stakes (July 2019) at Goodwood followed by the Qatar Arabian World Cup (October 2019) at ParisLongchamp and the HH The Amir Sword (February 2020) in a single season. The grey son of Amer is going for a straight hat-trick of the feature today under Maxime Guyon, which will give his owner His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Khalifa al-Thani and handler Julian Smart their sixth straight Amir Sword victory.
And while there are 13 other contenders vying for the biggest prize in Qatar horse racing, all eyes are going to be on Umm Qarn’s Tayf, who has come into his own at the age of nine, getting the better of Ebraz on their last two duels.
Alban de Mieulle’s charge won the Goodwood Arabian feature in 2017, and last year landed the big prize in the French capital on a heavy ground ahead of Ebraz and others. At Al Rayyan Park, Tayf landed a Group 2 comfortably ahead of Ebraz last month. Tayf, also sired by the prolific Amer, carries the hopes of De Mieulle’s first Amir Sword victory since Tabarak won back in 2013.
Both were drawn the widest in the 14-strong field on Wednesday, with Ebraz starting from Gate 13, and Tayf in 14 under Ronan Thomas.
“The draw is not too bad. Of course, Tayf is wide but 2400m is plenty of time to take your place. So I am not too worried,” De Mieulle told Gulf Times.
De Mieulle is also well aware of Smart’s penchant for a fast race. “It's going to be a very fast race, I know (Sheikh Mohamed’s) Shahania and some of the other horses would want to go in the front, so a lot of speed. All my horses are doing well, and so I hope we will do a good job,” he said.
De Mieulle has reinforcements in Umm Qarn’s Bin General (Gate 10) and Jabalah (Gate 4), and Al Shaqab Racing’s Gtnah (Gate 3).
Smart’s contingent includes Mon’nia (Gate 1), Maxr (5) and the youngest runner in the field, four-year-old Dawi (Gate 7).
“Not exactly ecstatic with 1 for Mon’nia, but it won’t be a big problem because (it’s) 2400m,” Smart told Gulf Times. “Five is good for Maxr and 7 is good for Dawi, the young horse with 52 kilos.
“13 for Ebraz, lucky 13, right?!
“2400m is a long long way to go. They will all sort themselves out. But I am happy Maxr drew 5, because we will go forward with him, and make sure that it is a strongly run race.”
Smart will also be taking a shot at Thoroughbred feature, HH The Amir Trophy (QA Group 1) with Aspetar and Off He Goes.
“The Thoroughbred draws do not really make a difference with only 10 runners over a mile-and-a-half. For me, personally I am happy with the draws. Two for Off He Goes, we are going to go forward with him, and 8 for Aspetar is nice because he can just jump out and settle in the field and come with a run, hopefully.”
