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, which has been extending since 2008 and will continue until 2027.
This sponsorship has contributed to enhancing the standing of the prestigious event and to rating the Gr 1 Qatar Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe the world’s best horse race on five occasions.
The weekend 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 Gr 1 for three-year-old fillies, and the Qatar Arabian Trophy des Poulains, a Gr 1 for three-year-old colts and geldings.
Horses of Qatari owners have had the upper hand in these two races over the years.
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 Gr 1 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 Triomphe is Europe’s most prestigious race with total prize money of €5mn 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 Gr 1 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 a-Nuaimi-owned and Mrs 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 Aal-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 2,000m at the same racecourse, three-year-old colts and geldings contesting in the other feature of the day. A total of 13 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 His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Khalifa al-Thani, winner of the Sheikh Mansoor Festival - Prix TIjdani, while trainer Thomas Fourcy fields three colts, Maarek, Mohtaram and Moujaz for 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, especially the Gr 1 PA Qatar Arabian World Cup and the Gr 1 Qatar Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe.
The Qatar Racing and Equestrian Club (QREC) was established in the early 1960s and was officially made public in 1975. QREC is mandated with representing, promoting and advancing equine and equestrian initiatives from grassroots programmes to the international arena. Focused on equestrian sport and horse welfare, QREC is dedicated on promoting Qatar as a world-class hub for horse racing and a leader in the pure Arabian breed. QREC works in collaboration with local bodies dedicated to achieving excellence in planning, regulating and developing Qatar’s racing industry to reflect the world’s best practices.