Jimenez falters in bid to break record for oldest winner page 14 SUNday, JULY 12, 2020 Group and listed stars on show in Gr1 Qatar Prix Jean

Alsaher, a three-year-old Purebred Arabian colt, made a perfect debut Prat at Deauville today at La Teste-de-Buch in France on Saturday winning the Prix Nez d’Or by a short head. (Pic: Robert Polin) Tribune News Network Doha HH Sheikh Mohammed bin As part of the Qatar Racing & Equestrian Club’s (QREC) Khalifa Al Thani’s Alsaher strategy to enhance Qatar’s presence at the world’s top racing events, the QREC- wins Prix Nez d’Or on debut sponsored Qatar Prix Jean Prat will be run at Deauville, Tribune News Network bred Alhareth (FR) (Al Ma- France, on Sunday. Doha mun Monlau x Tameemah) The 2020 renewal of the finished a further nose behind Gr1 race, reserved for three- Alsaher (FR) (Mared Al in third for the winning train- year-olds over a seven-furlong Sahra x Assefa D’Aroco), a er. The bay colt was ridden by trip will be the feature event three-year-old Purebred Arabi- Julien Auge. of the QREC fully sponsored an colt, bred and owned by HH Trained by François Ro- bumper nine-race card, which Sheikh Mohammed bin Khalifa haut, the eventual winner sat includes another group event Al Thani, made a perfect debut up on the pace in third posi- and three listed races. The day at La Teste-de-Buch in France tion, with Alhareth leading will kick off at 2:25 pm and on Saturday winning the Prix the field. Coming together in round off with the last race at Nez d’Or by a short head under the final turn, it was a closely 7:10 pm (Doha time). jockey Valentin Seguy. fought finish between the first The Qatar Prix Jean Prat In second, was Muqla top three, with Alsaher just will start at 5:25 pm. 11 group (FR) (Tabarak x Sarahmina) a coming to snatch the win on and listed winners have been homebred for HH Sheikh Ab- the line. declared in the Gr1 event and dullah bin Khalifa Al Thani. Alsaher is out of Assefa all of them have proved them- The grey filly is trained by D’Aroco (Tidjani). This is the selves over this trip. Didier Guillemin and was rid- family of the blue hen Altesse Al Shaqab Racing will be , winner of Qatar Prix Jean Prat 2019. den by Alexandre Gavilan. D’Aroco, origin of champions represented by the group win- Al Shaqab Racing’s home- Al Tair and Tabarak. ner and placed (IRE). holding the top spot with two Aidan O’Brien will be field- finished runner-up in a Gr3 lat- The Listed Qatar Prix The son of Wootton Bassett group winners. ing two runners. At group er in the same month. He will Kistena will be reserved for will be coming off a well- (GER) (Areion) won level, Lope Y Fernandez (IRE) be ridden by Theo Bachelot. three-year-olds over six fur- earned Gr3 victory, which was a Gr1 last October in his penul- (Lope De Vega) tasted suc- The Ralph Beckett-trained longs with eight runners de- his first black-type success timate start and finished third cess in a Gr3 last August and Kinross (GB) (Kingman) has clared and will start at 3:35 pm when he landed the Prix Tex- in another Gr1 last month. He finished 11th of 16 in a Gr1 last had two attempts at Gr 1 level Doha time. anita seeing off his nearest ri- will have Pierre-Charles Bou- month when he was last seen. and was mid-field in both of The Listed Qatar Prix val by three and a half lengths dot astride. He will be ridden by Ioritz them and was third Amandine will be for three- at Chantilly in May. Tropbesu (GB) (Show- Mendizabal. in the latest one in early June. year-olds over seven furlongs The extra furlong at Deau- casing), who is the only filly Arizona (IRE) (No Nay It is interesting that Qatar Rac- with 12 runners and will ville should not be a concern among the boys, came fourth Never), who will be steered ing Limited’s Kameko (USA) start at 4:50 pm Doha time. for the bay colt as four of his in a Gr1 last month following by Ryan Moore, has a Gr2 win (Kitten’s Joy) was the winner The Listed Qatar Prix De La five career-starts have been a Gr3 win in May. She will be under his belt and that was in of both events! Harry Bentley Calonne – Fonds Europeen De over seven furlongs and he has ridden by Mickael Barzalona. June last year. His last outing will partner Kinross. L’elevage will be for four-year- not finished outside of the top Charlie Appleby will have was in a Gr1 last month when Malotru (GB) (Casamento) olds and older over a mile with three in all of them. Trained two runners. Pinatubo (IRE) he finished 11th of 15. Pinatu- will be seeking his first group eight runners and will start at by Francis-Henri Graffard, () boasts an excel- bo was the runner-up that day. success, for his trainer Marco 6:35 pm Doha time. Wooded will be taken to en- lent strike rate with six wins Molatham (GB) (Night Of Botti, following three attempts The meeting will kick off hance his strike rate to three in eight starts, including two Thunder), who won a Gr3 last at this level rounding off with at 2:25 pm (Doha time) with and gain his first Gr1 success Gr1s and a Gr2. He was the month in his latest start will the second place in a Gr2 in the Qatar Prix des Yearlings for the silver and maroon col- runner-up of a group 1 last be representing Roger Var- early June. Andrea Atzeni will for two-year-olds over six fur- The Prix Tidjani, a Group 3 for three-year-old Purebred Arabians, at La ours. He will be partnered by month in his latest start. He ian and will be partnered by be in the saddle. longs. Seven runners have been Teste de Buch in France on Saturday, was won by Hadi De Carrere in Christophe Soumillon. will have in the James Crowley. In addition, the nine-race declared in the Class 2 race, the colours of Sheail bin Khalifa Al Kuwari by a margin of four and a Andre Fabre shares the ti- saddle. Kenway (FR) (Galiway), card will feature another group including Sheail Bin Khalifa al half lengths. (Pic: Robert Polin) tle of the leading trainer of the Well Of Wisdom (GB) who is trained by Frederic Ros- race and three listed runs. The Kuwari’s Saqr (FR). The son Prix Jean Prat with Francois (Oasis Dream) was placed in si, has won three races so far, Gr3 Qatar Prix de Ris-Orangis of Dutch Art will be taken by Mathet and Francois Boutin a couple of Gr2s last year. He including a listed and Gr 3. He for three-year-old and older trainer Fabrice Chappet and Sheail bin Khalifa Al Kuwari’s with five wins each. The mas- won a handicap last month finished fifth in a Gr1 on 1 June horses over six furlongs will jockey Christophe Soumillon ter French trainer will be look- when he was last seen. He will in his penultimate start and Al- have nine runners and will to stay unbeaten following his Hadi De Carrere wins ing for his sixth success and be ridden by James Doyle. son was third that day. Then, he start at 6:00 pm Doha time. successful debut last month. Gr3 P/A Prix Tidjani Tribune News Network same until the end of the final Doha turn. Hadi De Carrere, who is trained by Thomas Fourcy, Messi tees up win as Barca cling to title hopes The Prix Tidjani, a Group 3 was caught slightly off bal- for three-year-old Purebred ance when Muntasir kicked AFP La Liga Points Tally (Top Six) Arabians took place at La for home, but once Hadi De Madrid Teste de Buch in France on Carrere found his stride, he, Club P W D L GF GA Pts Saturday and saw Hadi De with Julien Auge in the saddle, Lionel Messi made it 20 as- Real Madrid 35 24 8 3 64 21 80 Carrere emerge a winner. fought back to take the lead sists for the season in Barcelo- Barcelona 36 24 7 5 80 36 79 The 1900m race, a pointer and showed nice acceleration na’s stodgy 1-0 win over Real Atletico Madrid 35 16 15 4 47 26 63 towards the season finale – the inside the final 200 meters to Valladolid on Saturday, even Sevilla 35 17 12 6 51 34 63 Gr1 P/A Qatar Arabian Tro- put plenty of distance between as his team’s La Liga challenge Villarreal 35 17 6 12 57 45 57 phee des Poulains in October him and his rivals. appears almost over. Getafe 35 14 11 10 43 34 53 at Saint-Cloud – was won by Alhafar finished in sec- Messi teed up Arturo Vid- Hadi De Carrere (FR) (Nie- ond for Al Shaqab Racing and al’s winner at Jose Zorilla to be- Setien’s position as coach has shan x Viki De Carrere) in the trainer Mme JF. Bernard. He come the first player to provide come under scrutiny too, de- colours of Sheail bin Khalifa was ridden by Jean-Bernard 20 assists in Spain’s top flight spite him only taking over in Al Kuwari by a margin of four Eyquem. since Xavi Hernandez in 2009. January. But Setien was bold and a half lengths. Muntasir was a further Victory for Barca means against Valladolid, deploying Only four, of the six ex- short head in third under Real Madrid cannot clinch the a 3-5-2 formation, with Nel- pected, runners started in Mickael Forest for trainer F. title on Monday by beating son Semedo and Jordi Alba as this race reserved for colts, Sanchez. The pacesetter Hi- Granada but only an incred- wing-backs and the versatile with HH Sheikh Abdullah bin dalgo Du Coate weakened ible collapse will prevent them Sergi Roberto dropping into Khalifa Al Thani’s homebred in the straight, finishing 7 putting their name on the tro- the back three. Sir Monlau (FR) (Al Mamun lengths back. phy later in the week. Luis Suarez started on Monlau x Al Anqa) and HH Fourcy commented after If they beat Granada, Ma- the bench but replaced An- Sheikh Mohammed bin Khali- the race, “Sir Monlau”, who drid will win La Liga by pre- toine Griezmann at half-time, fa Al Thani’s homebred Fara’aj was a non-runner, is a top vailing at home to Villarreal on the Frenchman miskicking (FR) (Amer x Massamarie) de- class colt, and Hadi De Car- Thursday, regardless of Barce- Real Valladolid’s Spanish defender Kiko Olivas (left) vies with Barcelona’s Argentinian forward Lionel Messi an excellent chance from a clared non-runners. rere, though not quite his lona’s results. during their Spanish league match at the Jose Zorrilla stadium in Valladolid on Saturday. (AFP) close range. Hidalgo Du Croate (FR) (Al class, is not far off. He’s won Overall, Madrid need only After playing Messi be- Mamun Monlau x Beanie Du well here to prove that. He five points from their remaining markable milestones. second player in the 21st cen- sisted 24 of their last 31 goals hind Suarez and Griezmann Croate) set off in the lead with should continue to improve. three matches to secure their As well as matching the tury from the five major Eu- in La Liga. against Villarreal on Sunday, Hadi De Carrere in second, I’m delighted with his behav- third La Liga title in eight years. best La Liga total for assists by ropean leagues to hit 20 goals The 33-year-old has halted Setien appears to be experi- followed by Al Shaqab Rac- iour and he has a nice future Yet even as Barca’s turbu- one player in 11 years, which and 20 assists in the same negotiations to extend his cur- menting, perhaps with an eye ing’s homebred Alhafar (FR) ahead of him. We will look at lent domestic campaign draws he will surely break with two season, after Thierry Henry rent contract, which expires in on the Champions League’s (Al Mamun Monlau x Farh) the Gr1 at Deauville and then to a close, Messi continues to games still left to play, Messi scored 24 goals and laid on 20 2021, perhaps to express his resumption next month. and Ecuries Royales D’oman’s Saint-Cloud.” shine. His delightful pass for extends his own career-best assists in 2002-03 for Arsenal. frustration with the running of Results: Valladolid 0 Barcelo- Muntasir (FR) (Josco Du Cay- Hadi De Carrere is by Nie- Vidal in the 15th minute, a number of assists in a single Perhaps most impressive- the club. na 1 (Arturo Vidal 15’); Osasuna rou x Emeria Du Cayrou) clos- shan out of the Dormane mare scoop between two Valladolid league season. ly, and worryingly for Barca, As Barcelona’s title chal- 2 (Gallego 23, Arnaiz 90+1) ing the rear. Viki De Carrere. He is the first defenders, triggered more re- He also becomes only the Messi has either scored or as- lenge has wilted, Quique Celta Vigo 1 (Lorenzo 10). The order remained the winner for his dam.