In a scintillating twin finale to the three-day His Highness The Amir Sword Festival, Julian Smart saddled his sixth straight Amir Sword winner in HE Sheikha Yasmeen bint Mohamed bin Khalifa al-Thani’s Mon’nia, while Al Wasmiyah Farm’s Noor Al Hawa got the biggest prize in Qatar that was missing from his CV when he won the Amir Trophy for Thoroughbreds at Al Rayyan Park on Saturday.

In the million-dollar finale, all eyes were on Umm Qarn’s Tayf and His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Khalifa al-Thani’s Ebraz, the two top-rated Arabians in the world. Umm Qarn’s Bin General, also saddled by Alban de Mieulle like Tayf, set the pace for most of the mile-and-a-half contest, before Tomas Lukasek gave Mon’nia the go-ahead at the top of the home straight.

The five-year-old mare obliged, and she was off and away. Thomas Fourcy-trained Lady Princess began her pursuit and so did Ebraz under Maxime Guyon. While traffic may have hampered his chances, the three-time winner did eventually manage to edge out Lady Princess for a runner-up finish, completing a one-two for Smart, a little more than a length behind the winner.

Ronan Thomas and his mount Tayf, who had beaten Ebraz in their last two duels, couldn’t get into the game, finishing fourth more than six lengths behind.

“When she kicked for home, I thought it was too early, but she is a super filly, she is very very good. And the old man Ebraz to run them down, he got into a little bit of traffic problems, but once he got out, we saw the Ebraz of the old,” Smart told Gulf Times after the win.

The win elicited characteristic yells of joy and adrenaline-filled fist-pumps from the trainer, but minutes after receiving his ninth Amir Sword trainer’s trophy from His Highness The Amir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani, he had a much calmer persona. “Six in a row, nine in total from 11 seasons, it's pretty good,” he said.

Smart, who had only won once during Qatar’s flagship racing weekend coming into the finale, then added, “Pressure's on for the next season now.”

The handler’s other win on Saturday was with Methgal, ridden by Guyon in the colours of HE Sheikha Reem bint Mohamed bin Khalifa al-Thani, in the Qatar International Cup (Group 1 PA).

In the penultimate race of the Festival, Georges Mikhalides-schooled Noor Al Hawa stayed unbeaten this season entering the winner’s enclosure for the fifth consecutive start, that also included the HE Sheikh Joaan Bin Hamad Al Thani Rifle last time round and the His Highness Sheikh Mohamed Bin Khalifa Al Thani Trophy (QA Group 2) in December.

Once the eight-year-old son of Makfi kicked under Alberto Sanna at the business end of the 2,400m race, there was no looking back, as he won by almost three lengths in front of British raider Berkshire Rocco.

“Noor Al Hawa had been running without a rest for three years. Last year he had to rest and he has come back and shown that he is the best by winning five races in a row,” Mikhalides told Gulf Times.

The moment was a big one for the Italian jockey too, who had ridden two other winners on the big day, including the Al Rayyan Breeders Cup for local Thoroughbreds hero Al Lusail in the colours of Al Jeryan Stud, and Dukhan Sprint (QA Group 3) topper Taxiwala for Osama Omer al-Dafea.

“I am very happy. My last Group 1 victory was with Chopin (in Amir's Trophy in 2017), and the runner-up then was Noor Al Hawa,” Sanna said. The rider then moved to Hong Kong, where in 2019 he faced a suspension. “I was off the game for seven months… to get my mind cleared. Then my wife forced me to get back, because I wanted to retire after Hong Kong. And so I am here, and won the race that was my last Group 1 victory. Noor Al Hawa is the horse you get once in your life. I had Chopin before and now him. He had never won this race, so I thought he was doing more than good. Once I was on top of him, gates opened, it was a different story.”

 

Feature winner Lukasek rode the Silver Sword winner Munir Du Soleil too, handing Thomas Fourcy his only win on Saturday. Abdullah bin Fahad al-Attiyah-owned colt made it two-in-two, having made the trip to Qatar off the back of a win in France in November.

Besides Methgal, Guyon was astride Al Biddah Mile (QA Group 2) topper Devious Company too. The win for Mohamed Ghazali’s ward was first of two for the colours of Khalifa bin Sheail al-Kuwari, who also celebrated a win in the Amir Shalfa with King Pacha under Julien Auge.

 

RESULTS

Race 1: AL RAYYAN BREEDERS CUP (LOCAL THOROUGHBREDS 4 Year Olds & Older) (2,000m)

1. Al Lusail (Alberto Sanna), 2. Equinoxe (Ronan Thomas), 3. Black Pearl (Soufiane Saadi), 4. Shaman Bu Thaila (Tomas Lukasek). Won by: Hd, 4 ¼, ¾. Time: 2:03.15. Owner: Al Jeryan Stud. Trainer: Hadi al-Ramzani.

Race 2: QATAR INTERNATIONAL CUP (GR1 PA) (Sponsored by Daam) (4 Year Olds & Older) (1,600m)

1. Methgal (Maxime Guyon), 2. Al Naama (Soufiane Saadi), 3. Arguya (Julien Auge), 4. Al Efreeta (Ronan Thomas). Won by: ¾, 1 ¼, ½. Time: 1:42.16. Owner: HE Sheikha Reem bint Mohamed bin Khalifa al-Thani. Trainer: Julian Smart.

Race 3: DUKHAN SPRINT (QA Gr 3) (Sponsored by Breeders' Cup) (THOROUGHBREDS (Class 1) 3 Year Olds & Older) (1,200m)

1. Taxiwala (Alberto Sanna), 2. Zyzzyva (Ryan Curatolo), 3. X Force (Julien Auge), 4. Dark Pursuit (Carlo Fiocchi). Won by: ½, 1 ½, 1 ½. Time: 1:09.50. Owner: Osama Omer al-Dafea. Trainer: Osama Omer al-Dafea.

Race 4: AL BIDDAH MILE (QA Gr 2) (THOROUGHBREDS (Class 1) 3 Year Olds) (1,600m)

1. Devious Company (Maxime Guyon), 2. Pom Malpic (Tomas Lukasek), 3. Thunderstone (Alberto Sanna), 4. US Cliff (Soufiane Saadi). Won by: 1, 2, Hd. Time: 1:34.31. Owner: Khalifa bin Sheail al-Kuwari. Trainer: Mohamed Ghazali.

Race 5: H.H. THE AMIR SHALFA (4 Year Olds & Older Class 1 THOROUGHBREDS - 85 & Above) (2,000m)

1. King Pacha (Julien Auge), 2. Pazeer (Soufiane Saadi), 3. The Blue Eye (Maxime Guyon), 4. Bottom Bay (Marco Casamento). Won by: 2 ½, No, 1. Time: 1:59.69. Owner: Khalifa bin Sheail al-Kuwari. Trainer: Zuhair Mohsen.

Race 6: H.H THE AMIR SILVER SWORD (PUREBRED ARABIANS 4 Year Olds ONLY, Open to Local Individual Owners Only) (1,850m)

1. Munir Du Soleil (Tomas Lukasek), 2. Hidalgo Du Croate (Jason Watson), 3. First Classs (Alberto Sanna), 4. Hadi De Carrere (Julien Auge). Won by: 3, 2 ½, Shd. Time: 2:00.77. Owner: Abdullah bin Fahad al-Attiyah. Trainer: Thomas Fourcy.

Race 7: H.H THE AMIR TROPHY (QA GR 1) (Presented by Longines) (THOROUGHBREDS (Class 1) 4 Year Olds & Older) (2,400m)

1. Noor Al Hawa (Alberto Sanna), 2. Berkshire Rocco (Jason Watson), 3. Hellenistique (Ronan Thomas), 4. Aspetar (Maxime Guyon). Won by: 2 ¾, ¼, ½. Time: 2:30.65. Owner: Al Wasmiyah Farm. Trainer: Georges Mikhalides.

Race 8: H.H THE AMIR SWORD (GR1 PA)(Sponsored by Al Hazm) (PUREBRED ARABIANS 4 Year Olds & Older) (2,400m)

1. Mon'nia (Tomas Lukasek), 2. Ebraz (Maxime Guyon), 3. Lady Princess (Julien Auge), 4. Tayf (Ronan Thomas). Won by: 1 ¼, ¾, 6 ½. Time: 2:36.40. Owner: HE Sheikha Yasmeen bint Mohamed bin Khalifa al-Thani. Trainer: Julian Smart.