Al Ghadeer storms to Qatar International Stakes victory

The second day of the Qatar Goodwood Festival started with a massive Qatari victory when the Al Shaqab Racing-owned Al Ghadeer (Al Mourtajez x Gharraa) landed the title of the Group 1 PA Qatar International Stakes on Wednesday, while Paddington won his 4th Group 1 in the Qatar Sussex Stakes.
HE Sheikh Joaan bin Hamad al-Thani, President of Qatar Olympic Committee, attended the event on Wednesday at the Goodwood Racecourse in UK, and crowned the winners of both the events.
The five-day Festival will continue up to Saturday. Also present on the day were ambassador of Qatar to the United Kingdom Fahad bin Mohamed al-Attiyah, Chairman of Qatar Racing & Equestrian Club (QREC) Issa bin Mohamed al-Mohannadi, QREC Acting CEO Bader Mohamed al-Darwish, QREC Racing Manager Abdulla Rashid al-Kubaisi, QREC Director of Marketing Salem Khejaim al-Adbi, QREC Director of Public Relations and External Communications Dr Nasser Ahmed al-Hamar and Director of the QREC CEO Office Saoud Hamad al-Hababi.
The richest Arabian race on the British racing calendar, the Group 1 (PA) Qatar International Stakes worth £400,000 in prize money produced yet another thrilling finish and went the way of Al Ghadeer in the colours of Al Shaqab Racing.
Al Ghadeer now boasts an incredible record of six consecutive group victories, including four Group 1s and two Group 3s in only seven career starts so far. He also managed to keep the title in Qatar’s kitty for the fifth year in a row.
As was announced by his trainer Francois Rohaut following his Group 1 (PA) success on Prix De Diane day at Chantilly, the four-year-old Arabian Al Ghadeer not only turned up on Day two of the Qatar Goodwood Festival, but also dominated the proceedings to land the Qatar International Stakes.
Partnered by Christophe Soumillon in a select field of eight, of which three quarters were French trained, Al Ghadeer vied for favouritism with his stablemate Moshrif (Dahess) before the off, of the 1600m Group 1 (PA) contest. The only four-year-old in the field and already seeking a fourth success at the highest level, Al Ghadeer travelled strongly in mid-peloton, in a race taken along by Moshrif.
Showing his class on the decent towards home, Soumillon allowed the colt to take closer order and the pair duly put the race to bed in a matter of strides. Al Ghadeer cruised into the lead, passing stablemate Moshrif and passing the post with three and a half lengths to spare over the game, but never-nearer First Classs (Dahess), who finished second for owner Noora Racing, trainer Jean de Mieulle and jockey Ronan Thomas.
The HE Sheikha Reem bint Mohamed bin Khalifa al-Thani-owned Samlla (Assy) ran his usual courageous race and like in the 2022 edition, seized the third place, for the winning trainer Francois Rohaut, late on as he was a further half length behind under jockey Maxime Guyon.
Bred by Mohamed al-Najafi, Al Ghadeer was the leading French three-year-old colt (PA) in 2022 and landed both the Group 1 (PA) Al Rayyan Cup at Deauville and the Group 1 (PA) Qatar Arabian Trophy des Poulains at Saint-Cloud.
The Al Shaqab Racing-owned four-year-old is out of Gharraa (Matador 12), a Group 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.
Paddington wins from pillar to post in Qatar Sussex Stakes
The superstar three-year-old Paddington won his 4th Group 1 in the Qatar Sussex Stakes (Group 1). Trained by Aidan O’Brien for the Coolmore associates, Westerberg and Peter Brant, Paddington was very much the best and won from pillar to post on testing conditions which were a bit of an unknown at this level. However, his jockey, Ryan Moore, just said on that matter: “With him, I wouldn’t care if it was snowing.”
Trained by Jerome Reynier, the French raider Facteur Cheval had proven form on very soft ground and relished the conditions. The 4yo is a very good second one length and a half behind Paddington, despite not having a clear run at the beginning of the home straight. Charyn, the other 3yo in the race, is third three lengths behind.
Paddington has now won four Groups 1 in the space of ten weeks, after the Irish 2,000 Guineas, the St James’s Palace Stakes and the Eclipse Stakes. He had already beaten his elders in the Eclipse but over 10 furlongs. At the Qatar Sussex Stakes, he was coming back on the mile.
Aidan O’Brien, before the race, had already drew some comparisons with the iron horse Giant’s Causeway and said after the race: “He’s much quicker than the Giant was. He’s tactically quick but he can quicken as well. The Giant was tactically quick but he was dour after that. This horse can really turn it on when you have to, in all types of ground – very unique. He can go anywhere, really. He can go any trip, I’d imagine – a mile, a mile and a quarter, he could even go further, I don’t know. He’s handled everything that we’ve put in front of him, whether it’s a mile or ten furlongs, soft ground or quick. He’s a straightforward horse who thrives on his racing and really wants to do it for you. We weren’t expecting the ground to be as tough as it is today but, knowing the horse, he could take it with a smile on his face.”
Ryan Moore was also very impressed: “It’s a hard thing to say but he gives you the feel that he’s as good a horse as I’ve rode, I think he’s exceptional.”
Bred in France at the Ecurie des Monceaux for Dayton Investments, Paddington is a son of Siyouni and was a €420,000 yearling at Arqana in August 2021. He is out of Modern Eagle, a daughter of Montjeu who showed some stamina on the track, winning the Prix Belle de Nuit (L). She had already produced a black type performer in the multiple Listed placed Masterpiece. The second dam, Millionaia, was second in the Prix de Diane (Gr.1) and the third dam, Moonlight Dance, won the Prix Saint-Alary (Gr.1).
Qatar Nassau Stakes on Day 3
The racing action and thrill continues on the third day of the Festival on Thursday, with an eight-race card and the feature is the Group 1 Qatar Nassau Stakes for three-year-old+ fillies and mares.
Six runners will take on each other for the coveted title.
The leading 3-year-old filly in Europe, dual French Classic winner Blue Rose Cen has made the trip from Chantilly to the Sussex Downs where she will look to extend her unbeaten record in her last five outings.
In what is undoubtedly going to be a thrilling showdown, she will be facing last year’s victrix, the 4-year-old Nashwa – also a French Classic winner, having taken the Prix De Diane on route to the Qatar Nassau Stakes in 2022.
Nashwa arrives at the race off a five-length victory on her return to competition. Four rivals take on these two top classes fillies; Al Husn, Above The Curve, Caernarfon and Never Ending Story.