Jockey Olivier Peslier (left) guides Al Doha to victory in the Gr2 PA Qatar Prix de l’Élevage, in Toulouse, France.
Doha, Qatar: Carrying the colours of H H Sheikh Abdullah bin Khalifa Al Thani, the four-year-old purebred Arabian Al Doha (FR) (Al Mourtajez x Topaze Du Croatie), bred by Al Shaqab Racing, continued to climb through the ranks when landing the QREC-sponsored Gr2 PA Qatar Prix de l’Elevage at Toulouse, France.
The 2,000m contest for four-year-old and older purebred Arabian mares is the first Group Arabian race in the French calendar of the year.
Trained by Thomas Fourcy and ridden with extreme confidence by Olivier Peslier, the grey mare was sent off favourite in the eight-runner contest and she duly delivered with authority.
Held up behind the early leader and eventual runner up, the Yas Horse Racing Management-owned Elaf (FR) ((Rabbab De Carrere), Al Doha travelled strongly into the home straight and despite surrendering first run to the leader, she stayed on strongly to take the victory by two and a half lengths ahead of the runner-up, who is trained by X Thomas-Demeaulte and was ridden by Anthony Crastus.
The connection of Al Doha celebrate after the win.
The Ecuries Royales d’ Oman-owned and F Sanchez -trained Fateenah (FR) (Dahess) was always prominent and took third as she was further one and a half lengths behind under jockey Mickael Forest.
Al Doha is now a winner on two of her four lifetime starts, which were all over 2,000m, with the remaining two efforts consisting of an honourable fourth-place finish in the Gr1 PA Qatar Arabian Trophy Des Pouliches (three-year-olds) at Saint Cloud on only her second start and a gallant second place in a Gr2 PA contest at Toulouse just over a month ago.
Impressed by her performance, Al Doha’s trainer Thomas Fourcy did not hide his plans for the mare in his post-race interview.
“She is a wonderful horse who we have always thought a lot of”, Fourcy said.
“She has done well over the winter, and we have been very patient with her as she is more for the backend of the year. She had an excellent comeback run and I was fairly confident today. There are two Gr1’s in June for her, but I haven’t decided which one we will go for just yet.”
