Tribune News Network
Doha
Confirming his status as the best of his generation, the Al Shaqab Racing owned four-year-old Arabian Al Ghadeer (FR) (Al Mourtajez x Gharraa) dominated the proceedings to land the Gr.1 (PA) Qatar Derby des Pur Sang Arabes de 4ans, a 2,000m contest for 4YO Purebred Arabians, at Chantilly, France on Sunday.
Trained by Francois Rohaut and partnered by Christophe Soumillon, Al Ghadeer recorded his fifth straight group success and his third at the highest level in his only six career start.
A winner at Gr.1 (PA) level at both Deauville and Saint Cloud last term, Al Ghadeer was making his first start at Chantilly and was coming into the race off the back of an easy return success at Bordeaux last month.
Sent off the short-priced favourite, Al Ghadeer was taken along through the early stages of the race by stablemate Mezown (Al Mamun Monlau) and travelled with zest. Largely in control on the turn for home, the colt confirmed his superiority over the field and pulled away to score by three and a half lengths over.
The race was dominated by Qatari-owned horses with the HH Sheikh Abdullah bin Khalifa Al Thani-owned Al Doha (FR) (Al Mourtajez x Topaze du Croate) finishing runner-up under jockey Olivier Peslier for trainer Thomas Fourcy and the Mohamed bin Fahad A H Al Attiyah owned Al Riffaa (FR) (Al Mourtajez x Saleema) finishing third under jockey Oisin Murphy for the winning trainer as well.
The first three placed runners were not only for Qatari owners, but all three of them were sons of the Champion horse and stallion Al Mourtajez.
Speaking after the race, the winning trainer Francois Rohaut said, "Damien de Watrigant did some excellent work with him early on in his career and I’ve been lucky to have him since. Al Ghadeer is not an ordinary horse and dominates his generation. He will have to step up again once he takes on the older horses. It is a pleasure to train such a champion and he will almost certainly head to Goodwood in August. I would like to congratulate all the team at home who have done excellent work.”
Bred by Mohammad Al Najafi, Al Ghadeer was the leading French three-year-old colt (PA) in 2022 and landed both the Gr.1 (PA) Al Rayyan Cup at Deauville, and the Gr.1 (PA) Qatar Arabian Trophy des Poulains at Saint-Cloud when carrying the silks of Al Wasmiyah Racing Ltd.
The Al Shaqab Racing owned four-year-old is out of Gharraa (Matador 12), a Gr.2 (PA) winner. Al Ghadeer is a brother of Ghurat Al Zaman (Hilal Al Zaman), who was also a winner of the Gr.3 (PA) Prix Damas. The second dam, Wadha Al Thania (Asad Saif), has produced multiple winners, notably Al Harith, who was third in the Gr.1 (PA) Zabeel Stakes at Newbury.