NEWS
Qatar race worth $500,000 attracts Godolphin
Posted: Friday, February 27, 2009 12:28 PM
The Qatar Racing and Equestrian Club amplified its position on the Thoroughbred map by offering the $500,000 Qatar International Cup on Thursday at Rayyan.
With the purse nearly doubled from $274,431 in 2008, the 1 1/2-mile turf race attracted a field of 15 horses, and Age of Reason prevailed as Godolphin Racing’s first runner in Qatar.
The runner-up was Domestic Fund (Ire), a Group 2-placed winner in Ireland who ran in the 2007 Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf for trainer Dermot Weld. French Group 3 winner Not Just Swing finished off the board.
Age of Reason stopped the clock in 2:29.67 under jockey Ted Durcan. The Halling gelding won a handicap race on January 29 at Nad al Sheba racecourse in his previous start and finished third in the National Express Fairway Stakes at Newbury last May.
“I am delighted that we have won in Qatar with our first runner,” trainer Saeed bin Suroor said. “It was a tough race to win … but Ted gave him a brilliant ride. I am looking forward to having more Godolphin runners in Qatar and hopefully enjoying more success.”
The Qatar Racing and Equestrian Club primarily conducts Arabian racing. A $500,000 Arabian event was the co-feature on the International Cup card.
“Qatar is the pioneer in the breeding of Pure Arabians, and it is also aiming to get the best Thoroughbreds to race here,” trainer Alban de Mieulle told Gulf Times. “This is going to be a reality very soon.”
In 2008, the Qatar Racing and Equestrian Club began sponsoring Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe (Fr-G1) weekend at Longchamp in a five-year deal that boosted the Arc purse from $2,827,000 to $5,222,400.
