www.thepeninsulaqatar.com PAGE | 21 PAGE | 22 US stretch Du Plessis ton liftss RRyder Cup lead South Africa over Europe to big victory MONDAY 3 OCTOBER 2016 • 2 MOHARRAM 1438 thepeninsulaqatar @peninsulaqatar @peninsula_qatar O’Brien’s day as Found wins Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe The four-year-old Irish filly bags €5m in Europe’s Eddy Merckx richest race in Chantilly AFP Qatar an excellent CHANTILLY, France: Irish trainer Aidan place for riders , O’Brien celebrated a podium sweep after Found won Europe’s most prestigious horse race, the Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe, at Chan- says Merckx tilly yesterday. The four-year-old Irish filly, saddled by Ryan Moore, kicked with four furlongs to The Peninsula run to convincingly win the Arc, the rich- est race in Europe with €5m ($5.6m) in total prize money. Highland Reel and Order of St George DOHA: With only one week remaining before the came in second and third to round off an UCI Road World Championships Doha 2016 kicks outstanding day’s racing for O’Brien, whose off, event Ambassador and cycling legend Eddy sole previous Arc victory was by Dylan Tho- Merckx says Qatar is always welcoming the pro- mas nine years ago. fessional riders and the people take good care of Pre-race 2/1 favourite Postponed came everything. in fifth. “The Tour of Qatar is well organised as the “It’s a great feeling to saddle the first three World Championships will be too,” he said. home in an Arc, there’s not much to beat it, The UCI Road World Championships Doha but it’s all down to a fantastic team effort 2016 are the first time the pinnacle event of the and I’m delighted for (owners) John (Mag- cycling calendar will be held in the Middle East. nier), Michael (Tabor), Derrick (Smith) and Merckx came to Qatar for the first time fif- their families,” O’Brien was quoted as say- teen years ago and has been delighted to see the ing on sportinglife.com. Tour of Qatar earning its place on the interna- Irish Ryan-Lee Moore, astride Found celebrates after he won the Qatar Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe at the Chantilly “And what makes it amazing is that they tional cycling calendar since. are all by Galileo,” he said of the retired Irish racetrack near Paris yesterday. INSET: Ryan-Lee Moore (third left) celebrates with his trophy. “Qatar was the first country in the Middle East thoroughbred he used to train but is now an to organise a professional cycling race. The coun- active sire. Order Of St George, ridden by Frankie try developed rapidly over the past decade. Each O’Brien added: “It’s a privilege to be here Dettori, moved up into second behind year I got back and each year there were new roads and be part of it. How can you see anything Vedevani with The Grey Gatsby third and and new buildings.” higher (in his career) than this? Postponed wide in fourth being tracked by Merckx is the only rider in history to have won “I couldn’t dream this would happen. You Left Hand and Makahiki. all five monuments (Milan–San Remo, Tour of know how difficult the Arc is. But as the horses hit the home stretch in Flanders, Paris–Roubaix, Liège–Bastogne–Liège, “She’s only run over a mile and a half four perfect conditions at the racetrack north of and the Giro di Lombardia), all three Grand Tours times before and she was unlucky in the Arc Paris, Found acclerated through the jostling (Giro d’Italia, Tour de France, Vuelta a España) and last year. field along the inside rail with Highland Reel the UCI Road World Championships. “Epsom (Coronation Cup) was also a on her coattails and found herself with a free Looking ahead to the UCI Road World Cham- falsely-run mile and a half, and we came run-in to the line. pionships Doha 2016, the Ambassador predicted here very hopeful after a good run last time. Found’s victory ended a run of five suc- that the races may end in exciting bunch sprints; “We’ve had our eye on this for a long time. cessive runners-up spots in Group One races but that’s not certain at all. When Ryan rode her as a two-year-old and including being beaten by Postponed in the The Tour of Qatar is traditionally held in Jan- said she could win an Arc - he was obviously Coronation Cup at Epsom in June. uary, when the Doha climate gives professional right.” But the filly, listed at 6/1, had run a superb riders a perfect opportunity to prepare for the Reaching speeds of up to 60kph over the prep race for the Arc in finishing second in the Spring Classics that are held wintertime. tricky 2.4km (1½-mile) Chantilly track, host- Irish Champion Stakes in September. “It’s an excellent place for riders to get in shape ing the race while Longchamp undergoes “It’s the most special race of the year!” in wintertime, because it’s often too cold to train Horce race course owners Michael Tabor (centre), David Smith (left) and much-needed renovations, Found was not Found’s jockey Moore beamed of the Arc. or race in the rain and snow in Europe,” Merckx among the early pace-setters led by Vedevani, The Arc is currently the third richest race Sheikh Abdullah Bin Khalifa Al Thani hold a trophy after the 95th Qatar explains. touted Japanese runner Makahiki and High- in world after the Melbourne Cup ($6.2m) and Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe horse race at the Chantilly racecourse in northern In October, the Qatari climate is different, how- land Reel. Dubai World Cup ($10m). France yesterday. ever, and the riders need to prepare with this in mind. “It’s warmer in October and this could be an important factor during the races, but there’s always wind. With long straight roads through Qatari athletes shine at Asian Beach Games in Vietnam the desert this can make for a very tough race. Riders need to be alert constantly, because the pelotons can break up into echelons at any given The Peninsula place in the final stage, follow- time, and whoever is too far at the back may miss ing a convincing 2-0 victory the decisive moment in the race,” he added. over Kazakhstan. “Because the course is flat, the race may very Qatar also bagged the men’s well end up in a bunch sprint, but riders with DA NANG, Vietnam: Cherif beach handball gold medal yes- a good punch could also end up victorious. It Samba and Jefferson Pereira terday when they beat Oman depends a little on what happens during the race, outplayed Julio Junior and 2-1 (23-22) (22-24) (6-2) in the which teams will have enough riders up front to Ahmed Tijan Janko in an all- final. control the peloton in the final?” Qatari men’s beach volleyball The team comprised of Looking to the men’s events, Merckx said that final of the prestigious fifth Mohab Mahfouz, Ali Garba, teamwork will be important: “The Germans have Asian Beach Games 2016 in Da Ahmed Abdelhak, Amir Den- good sprinters, but they can only start six men, Nang, Vietnam yesterday. guir, Mohamed Hassan, Anis which is a setback because the more men a team Qatar Team 1, comprised of Zouaoui, Sid Kenaoui, Hani has upfront in the finale, the better it can posi- Samba and Pereira had no dif- Kakhi, Mutasem Mohamed and tion its sprinter.” ficulty in beating their fellow Ahmed Morgan. “If the big sprinters do not have enough sup- countrymen, Team 2, in straight This was Qatar’s fifth gold port, riders like Niki Terpstra (NED) or Zdenek sets of 2-0 (21/14,21/15) in the medal during the event. In Stybar (CZE) might be able to jump for victory in final to win the gold medal. addition to that, they have also the final kilometres. And if the big sprinters fail Men’s beach handball gold medallists, Qatar Team 1’s Samba and Pereira (centre), silver medallists Qatar team 1 reached the won one silver and a bronze to stay upfront all the way to the final, their teams Qatar Team 2’s Julio Junior and Ahmed Tijan Janko (right) and bronze medallists, Kazakhstan’s final after defeating Indone- medal. may switch tactics and try to attack instead of con- D Yakovlev and A Sidorenko on the podium during the Asian Beach Games in Da Nang, Vietnam sian duo 2-0 (21/17 and 21/15). The 5th Asian Beach Gems trol the race,” said the former champion rider. yesterday. Likewise, Qatar team 2 booked conclude today. MONDAY 3 OCTOBER 2016 21 Rose wants focus US stretch Ryder Cup lead taken out of RYDER CUP SCORES Hazeltine heckling American golfers United States lead Europe 9 1/2 - 6 1/2 move closer to their Reuters Fourballs first Ryder Cup Match 5 Rory McIlroy/Thomas Pieters (Europe) beat Brooks Koepka/Dustin victory since 2008 CHASKA: The Ryder Cup has been marred by heck- Johnson (US) 3 and 1 lers shouting while European players are executing Match 6 J B Holmes/Ryan Moore (US) shots but England’s Justin Rose says the offenders beat Danny Willett/Lee Westwood (Eu- are a minority and he wants the focus to remain on AFP rope) 1 up the competition. Match 7 Phil Mickelson/Matt Kuchar (US) The former US Open champion and his Swedish beat Martin Kaymer/Sergio Garcia (Eu- playing partner Henrik Stenson were on the receiv- rope) 2 and 1 ing end of boisterous and, at times, rude fans during CHASKA: Moving closer to their Match 8 Patrick Reed/Jordan Spieth (US) Saturday’s fourballs at Hazeltine, a distraction that first Ryder Cup victory since beat Justin Rose/Henrik Stenson (Europe) Rose described as “inevitable”.