Doha: The Sheikh Mansoor Bin Zayed-owned-colt Dahham produced a slick run to reign supreme at the Al Rayyan Cup – Prix Kesberoy (Gr1 PA) on Saturday in Deauville.
After cantering at the very back of the field led by Azhar at first and then Sabih Alreeh, the horse came back on the outside to impose himself surely in front of Azhar.
The winner is trained by French trainer Didier Guillemin and was ridden by Alexandre Gavilan.
Guillemin explained: “We had a little doubt concerning the distance, because it was the first time he ran over 2,000 meters,” he said.
“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 are 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 Sheikh Mohammed bin Khalifa Al Thani’s Ebraz, who secured his place on the podium at the very end, by coming up on the inside.
He took the advantage for the third place in front of Al Shaqab Racing’s Lwsail, a very short nose behind, in fourth position. Successful for his start at Toulouse, Dahham confirmed his win in the Qatar Coupe de France des Chevaux Arabes for his second run at Chantilly at the end of June.
Meanwhile, the Royal Cavalry of Oman-owned-mare Sylvine Al Maury clinched the Doha Cup – Prix Manganate (Gr1 PA) in Deauville. After cantering in fourth position, in a race led by Reda at a slow pace, Sylvine Al Maury came up in the middle of the track to easily take the advantage over her rivals.
The lot travelled in a line until the start of the home straight, in which Sheikh Abdullah bin Khalifa Al Thani’s Majeed, followed by the future winner in his acceleration, taking the second place of the competition. Shiekh Mohammed Bin Khalifa Al Thani’s Gazwan is third just in front of Djelamer, fourth. Sylvine Al Maury had won for her return race in Newbury on the 24th July.
This 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 had 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.”
The Peninsula
