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The Peninsula

Doha, Qatar: Only a few days to go before the Qatar Racing and Equestrian Club (QREC)-sponsored Qatar Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe weekend kicks off at ParisLongchamp as part of the partnership between QREC and France Galop.

The meeting will take place next Saturday and Sunday. A day earlier, a race meeting will be held at Saint-Cloud. The two feature races on Friday are the Qatar Arabian Trophy des Pouliches, a Gr1 for three-year-old fillies, and the Qatar Arabian Trophy des Poulains, a Gr1 for three-year-old colts and geldings.

The entries of the two races have published recently, reflecting the good representation of Qatari owners, who look forward to winning the two trophies and then continue excellence at ParisLongchamp, especially the Gr1 Qatar Arabian World Cup. The Group one Arabian event has been a major outcome of the Qatari-sponsorship of the weekend and has contributed to fostering Qatar’s role in promoting Arabian racing worldwide and at Europe’s top racecourses.

The Qatar Prix de l’Arc de Triompheis Europe’s most prestigious race with total prize money of €5m on offer, which is the highest in the French racing programme.

Held annually, it attracts the best thoroughbreds from around the world. Some of the most famous winners of the Qatar Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe include Sea-Bird II, Dancing Brave, Enable, Treve and Zarkava. The only horse who has won the Qatar Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe for a Qatari owner was Treve in 2014 and 2015. In 2016, the wonderful mare was not successful in her bid to register a legendary record by winning the same title for the third time in a row and retired to stud.

Qatar Arabian Trophy des Pouliches

There are 20 fillies entered in the Gr.1 PA Qatar Arabian Trophy des Pouliches, race for 3-year-olds fillies over 2,000m. They Include Chdia, a winner on debut for Wathnan Racing and Alban de Mieulle. Al Shaqab Racing is well armed in this race with the Jean de Mieulle-trained Al Jori, third in Al Rayyan Cup Gr1 PA last time out, and the Thomas Fourcy-trained Hajmah who scored on debut. Ihtijaj and Salmah have also been entered by Jean de Mieulle for Al Shaqab Racing.

Amongst the high-class entries are the dual winners the Khalifa Hassan Al Jehani-owned and Francois Rohaut-trained Lambada du Croate and the Mubarak Ali Al Nuaimi-owned and Jean-Francois Bernard-trained Intisar de Monlau. The list also includes the Sheikh Nasser Abdulla Al Thani-owned and Thomas Fourcy-trained Serena Du Loup, the Al Wasmiyah Racing-owned and Xavier Thomas-Demeaulte-trained Ghara, the Abdulghani Al Abdulghani-owned and Xavier Thomas-Demeaulte-trained HM Al Zalmaa, the Abdulla bin Fahad Ah Al Attiyah-owned and Francois Rohaut-trained Geneva, the Mansoor Khalil Al Shahwani-owned and Xavier Thomas-Demeaulte-trained Lacaro Du Croate and the Dhafi Rashid Al Ardhi Al Marri-owned and Charles Gourdain-trained Labwa De Carrere.

Qatar Arabian Trophy des Poulains

On the same day and over the same distance of 2000m at the same racecourse, three-year-old colts and geldings contesting in the other feature of the day. Thirtreen colts and geldings have been entered in the Gr.1 Qatar Arabian Trophy des Poulains including the Qatar Coupe de France des Chevaux Arabes winner Mureb, who now runs for Wathnan Racing.

Francois Rohaut also presents Mukatel Al Shahania, owned by H H Sheikh Mohammed bin Khalifa Al Thani, winner of the Sheikh Mansoor Festival – Prix TIjdani, while trainer Thomas Fourcy fields three colts, Maarek, Mohtaramand Moujazfor owner Al Shaqab Racing as well as Lanvin De Faust for owner Abdulatif Al Emadi. The list also includes the Abdulghani Al Abdulghani-owned and Xavier Thomas-Demeaulte-trained Mouzaffar De Monlau.

The forfeits of the two races will close on Monday and Tuesday and the declarations will be published on Wednesday.

Following the races at Saint Cloud, all eyes will be on ParisLongchamp for the top-class contests on Saturday and Sunday.

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