FORMULA 1 | Page 5 RUGBY | Page 6 Hamilton Barclay To Advertise here hails new to captain Call: 444 11 300, 444 66 621 Mercedes as Scotland 'awesome' vs Wales Friday, February 24, 2017 Jumada I 27, 1438 AH FOOTBALL GULF TIMES I am staying at United, says Rooney SPORT Page 3 HH THE EMIR’S SWORD FESTIVAL Mixture of relief & disappointment as Budapest gives up Olympic dream Majeed prevails over Reuters Budapest ungarians displayed a mixture of disappointment and relief yester- Hday after the government ended Budapest’s bid to host the 2024 summer AJS Al Rayyan in Day Olympic Games in the face of growing popular opposition. The Momentum Movement (MoMo), a new force in Hungarian politics, last week submitted a petition with 266,000 signa- tures demanding a local referendum on an event seen as symbolically important to Prime Minister Viktor Orban. Many in One feature thriller Budapest were vocal in their opposition. “It would have been a gigantic over- stretch,” 45-year-old Budapest teacher, ‘It was very close and Olivier did well. After the turn the horse was on the outside and was very Lajos Szanto, said. “Now we can all calm down and look at the actual problems we keen to go. Olivier also was keen, and he let Majeed move. So that was a challenge but I am have. Schools, hospitals, the usual perennial problems that someone ought to tackle very happy we won. In my opinion, we should have more easily but he moved ahead too early’ at last. Then we can fool around with an Olympics. That’s the correct order.” By Mikhil Bhat But for some, such as Denes Kemeny, Doha who coached the Hungarian water polo team to three successive Olympic golds, the way the bid ended was a “very sad story”. mm Qarn’s Majeed and Al Jeryan Stud’s “Last fall the majority supported the bid AJS Al Rayyan ensured an exciting start and our chances were improving,” said to the three-day HH The Emir’s Sword Kemeny, one of the faces of the off icial Festival at the Qatar Racing and Eques- Budapest 2024 campaign. Utrian Club (QREC) yesterday. “We could have convinced the public There was very little to set the two Amer colts for a plebiscite but the recent period apart at the post, with trainers Alban de Mieulle ruined our chances... With unity it can and Jassim Ghazali going through some anxious work — but only with unity.” moments after the 2000m Qatar Local Purebred Orban’s ruling right-wing populist Arabian Trophy, yesterday’s feature. Fidesz party laid the blame on opposition Eventually the Umm Qarn’s seven-year-old, politicians who had voted in favour of the ridden by Olivier Peslier, was announced the win- bid but then turned against it. ner by smallest of margins, with a lunging head Fidesz party parliamentary group the diff erence, and in sporting fashion Ghazali leader, Lajos Kosa, told news channel and De Mieulle shook hands on the result. ATV that the petition was motivated by “It was very close and Olivier did well. After Momentum’s political ambitions and said the turn the horse was on the outside and was the movement was “cowardly... using the very keen to go. Olivier also was keen, and he let plebiscite as an excuse to form a party”. Majeed move. So that was a challenge but I am Student, Andrea Szalai, 23, agreed: “(Mo- very happy we won. In my opinion, we should mentum) turned a great sporting oppor- have more easily but he moved ahead too early,” tunity into a political comedy with their De Mieulle told Gulf Times after the race. petition. And then the government puts “The meeting has started on a good note but up no fight and backs out of it instead of this meet is a big challenge with all the quality campaigning to convince naysayers.” horses coming from abroad. We saw some nice AJS Al Rayyan, ridden by Harry Bentley (foreground) finishes Fidesz’s Kosa said whatever the out- horses and races today. second, behind Majeed, ridden by Olivier Peslier (left, back- come of a referendum, holding it so close “I am a little bit disappointed because one of ground), while Reda, helmed by Marco Monteriso (right) finishes to the September decision on the host my horses (Diese) fi nished second but then he is third in the Qatar Local Purebred Arabian Trophy yesterday. city would have scuppered Budapest’s a maiden with very little experience. I do expect chances. Government-friendly media ech- him to do well in the future.” oed that thought with headlines like “We While the Frenchman had only one winner debut in January, and yesterday too the four- World Fegentri Championship — For Lady Rid- Trainer: Jassim Ghazali. had a dream”, “The opposition smashed on the day, Ghazali had two, including Caid De year-old fi lly won comfortably, fi nishing a little ers, saw Umm Qarn’s Taima take the lead early Race 3: 1. Thorndyke (Harry Bentley), 2. Moueen our Olympic dreams” and “Leftists once L’Ardus and Hillside Dream, both ridden by Har- under two lengths ahead of Substantiate, under on with Namroud right behind. Coming off the (Saleem Golam), 3. Poet’s Song (Faleh Bughanaim), again betrayed the nation”. ry Bentley to victory. Bentley’s third win on the Almotasem al-Balushi’s ride. fi nal bend, Namroud stepped out and eased past 4. Middawi (JP Guillambert). Won by: Shd, ½, 2. Other media welcomed the news. The day was with Thorndyke, schooled by Ghazali’s Adnan Hawa guided Red Connect to third for Larissa Biess’ mount with 100m to go. Time: 1:11.28. Owner: Khalifa bin Sheail al-Kuwari. news website Index.hu wrote in an opin- son, Mohamed. trainer Hadi al-Ramzani. Falot Del Falot, ridden by Bethany Baumgard- Trainer: Mohamed Jassim Ghazali. ion piece that the decision was “the end Ibrahim al-Malki’s only winner of the day was The top owner-trainer-jockey from last year ner of the USA, was third for Hassan al-Matwi. Race 4: 1. Al Mirzem (Andrew Elliot), 2. Diese (Jean of a nightmare driven by irrationality”. Adham, ridden by Eduardo Pedroza to the colt’s came together to pick up their fi rst win of the In the two maiden races, Bentley rode Mo- Baptiste Hamel), 3. Mohssn (Alberto Sanna), 4. The chief of Budapest’s bid committee fi fth career victory in the Class 3 Thoroughbred three-day festival when Bentley, in the silks of hamed Jassim Ghazali-saddled Thorndyke to the Waqaar (Gaetan Faucon). Won by: Hd, 1, ¾. Time: deplored the capital’s withdrawal from Handicap event for horses rated 76-90. Khalifa bin Sheail al-Kuwari, guided Ghazali- three-year-old gelding’s fi rst victory in the Class 1:32.45. Owner: Nasser Abdullah Khalifa al-Attiyah. the 2024 race. The decision leaves Paris Al-Malki’s other ward in the race, Shaka Zulu, schooled Caid De L’Ardus to his second straight 6 Thoroughbred Maiden Plate, while Andrew El- Trainer: Hussein Aashoor. and Los Angeles to fight a neck-and-neck took the early lead in the six furlong sprint but victory in Qatar yesterday. liot guided Hussein Aashoor-trained Al Mirzem Race 5: 1. Hillside Dream (Harry Bentley), 2. Substanti- battle for 2024. The International Olympic was passed by Adham and Deborah Moun- In the seven furlong Purebred Arabian Cup, to a victory in the Purebred Arabian Maiden Plate. ate (Almotasem Al Balushi), 3. Red Connect (Adnan Committee (IOC) is due to vote for the tain-trained Palmetto Dunes, ridden by Marco the fi ve-year-old colt moved into the lead early Hawa), 4. Ras Abrouq (Marco Monteriso). Won by: 1 host city on September 13. Monteriso, two furlongs from the post. on and had little trouble in keeping a clean pair ¾, Shd, 1 ½. Time: 1:24.55. Owner: Shaheen bin Khalid Boston, Hamburg and Rome had Adham got to the post fi rst, even as a fast ap- of heels, winning by three and a half lengths. Ju- RESULTS Shaheen al-Ghanim. Trainer: Jassim Ghazali. already pulled out of the contest to follow proaching Hope Cove, a Ghazali ward ridden by lian Smart’s duo She’ris and Hagwa fi nished sec- Race 1: 1. Namroud (Elisabetta Marcialis), 2. Taima Race 6: 1. Adham (Eduardo Pedroza), 2. Hope 2020 hosts Tokyo, all because of pressure Bentley, edged out Monteriso’s ride for the sec- ond and third respectively. “He has some natural (Larissa Biess), 3. Falot Del Falot (Bethany Baumgard- Cove (Harry Bentley), 3. Palmetto Dunes (Marco over the cost. ond spot. speed going for him. Just a few fl icks and he was ner), 4. Bouhour (Sara Vermeersch). Won by: 1 ¼, 5, 1 Monteriso), 4. Perigee (Almotasem Al Balushi). Won “It frustrates me because we have Shaheen bin Khalid Shaheen al-Ghanim- off ,” Bentley said after the race. ¼. Time: 1:48.42. Owner: Sheikh Khalifa bin Mohamed by: ¾, Nk, ½. Time: 1:11.37. Owner: Abdulatif Hussain never been so close... We dropped out owned Hillside Dream led a one-two for trainer In the fi rst race of the day, Italian jockey Elisa- bin Khalifa al-Thani. Trainer: Pierre Deymonaz. al-Emadi. Trainer: Ibrahim al-Malki. in front of the finish line,” Balazs Furjes, Ghazali in the Class 5 Thoroughbred Handicap betta Marcialis picked up the maximum number Race 2: 1. Caid De L’Ardus (Harry Bentley), 2. She’ris Race 7: 1. Majeed (Olivier Peslier), 2. AJS Al Rayyan chairman of Budapest 2024, said.