The total prize money has been increased by more than the double to nearly $10mn - the highest-ever in the history of the festival.
The mega festival will start on February 16, 2023 with the Sand Championships Day - QREC’s 32nd Race Meeting in the current season’s calendar.
The meeting will involve eight races and each will have a purse of $100,000. On the following day, the Al Zubara Trophy Day will have a nine-race card with a purse of $100,000 for the first seven races and $200,000 for each of the last two races of the day.
The third day and finale of the festival will see the most prestigious and valuable races and, for the first time in QREC’s history, with total prize-money of over $8mn. The day will feature nice races, including three with a purse of $500,000 each and four with a purse of $400,000 each.
The huge increase in prize-money will be in the day’s feature, the HH The Amir Sword (Gr1 PA), and the penultimate race of the meeting, the HH The Amir Trophy (Gr1 QA) as each of them will have $2.5mn on offer respectively.
“Certainly, raising the value of prizes in the most valuable equestrian festivals will bring about a new era in the history of the event, which is expected to be rich excitement contesting among horse owners, trainers and jockeys who have already expressed their great happiness with this development. In fact, this increase will enhance the development of racing and motivate owners to have the best horses and reap such prize money. Naturally, this will lead to raising the standard of racing to match the immense support from the authorities, who spare no effort to this effect and facilitate all requirements for success both at home and overseas,” QREC Chairman Issa bin Mohamed al-Mohannadi said.
Biggest challenge
On his part, QREC Acting CEO Bader Mohamed al-Darwish, stated that this unprecedented increase has been highly welcomed by owners and trainers. He said: “The responsibility has become greater now for the participants in the HH The Amir Sword Festival as we expect top-class racing in line with huge attention paid by the authorities. The three days of the Festival promise to showcase world-class racing, being the biggest challenge for all who involved to win the coveted titles as well as the prize money on offer.”
Raising racing standard
QREC Racing Manager Abdulla Rashid al-Kubaisi said: “The prize money has been allocated to the 26 races of the Festival over the three days. All the races will be significant and valuable as all owners, trainers and jockeys aspire to be present at the winner’s enclosure in this renewal, which which will be marked by a new standard of maximised motivations given the generous increase in the prize money. This will eventually lead to the further development of Qatar’s horseracing.”
World class race
Commenting on the increase of the prize money of the Sword Festival, trainer Martyn Meade said: “It is exciting news that the HH The Amir Trophy (QA Group 1) now has $2.5mn in prize money which confirms it as a top international race. We have been targeting Cresta, owned by Mohamed bin Hamad Khalifa al-Attiyah, for this race. So far, his preparation is going to plan and he will have a prep race mid-January prior to travelling to Doha. He has matured over the winter and we have high hopes. We are sure that the race will attract a very competitive field and we look forward to a really thrilling race.”
