CCRICKETRICKET | Page 7 Sri Lanka defy the odds to claim historic Test series victory Sunday, February 24, 2019 FOOTBALL Jumada II 19, 1440 AH ‘Decisive’ Messi GULF TIMES downs Sevilla with 50th career hat-trick SPORT Page 5 HORSE RACING / HH THE AMIR SWORD FESTIVAL Ebraz, French King scintillate with Sword and Trophy wins Ebraz ensures fourth straight Amir Sword win for Sheikh Mohamed, Smart; Sheikh Abdullah lifts Amir Trophy Maxime Guyon (left) rides Ebraz with French King to victory ahead of Yazeed, ridden By Mikhil Bhat by Olivier Peslier. Doha PICTURE: Juhaim is Highness Sheikh Mo- hamed bin Khalifa al-Thani and trainer Julian Smart cel- ebrated a fourth straight HH HThe Amir Sword (Group 1 PA) victory with Ebraz winning the million-dollar Purebred Arabian feature in scintil- lating fashion, even as Olivier Peslier and French King ensured His Highness Sheikh Abdullah bin Khalifa al-Thani lifted HH The Amir Trophy (Group 1) after a gap of six years. In the Al Hazm-sponsored fi nale, Smart’s other ward, Aaley Al Magam lit up the course in the 2400m Arabian feature early on, with Umm Qarn’s Yazeed following not too far behind un- der Peslier. As Alban de Mieulle’s charge took the advantage on the way home, Smart’s two-time winner Gazwan couldn’t keep up, and it was left to Maxime Guyon-ridden Ebraz to chase the leader down. And chase he did as His Highness the Amir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani presents the sword to the six-year-old went past Yazeed for His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Khalifa al-Thani after Ebraz won HH The Amir his second victory in the race. Sword (Group 1 PA). “It’s a great weekend of racing, but for me, personally, pressure is im- mense. But it is also pressure I give myself, you know. Everybody expects the horses to perform, and luckily they do more often than not,” Smart said after the victory, which is his seventh in Qatar’s fl agship Arabian race. The jockey is the best. Very happy for this big big race win for Sheikh Abdullah in ‘ this very important race — Henri-Alex Pantall, trainer for His Highness Sheikh Abdullah bin Khalifa al-Thani’s French King “It is lovely to have the qual- ity of horses that I am getting from Shahaniya. Ebraz has won it twice, Gazwan has won it twice. Today, Ebraz was left to run his own race, while everyone else was fi ghting up front. Maxime never even hit him once today, just hand-ride. “This is what the Amir’s Sword is, an absolute test of stamina. The Arc, the English Derby, they are all 2400m. We don’t have enough racing over 2400m for Arabians. This is the best race for Arabians in the world. Some say at 2000m you will get more, but in my opinion you won’t get more quality. You had nine horses, but it was a good fi eld with four-fi ve horses rated over 120.” De Mieulle perhaps hoped for Pes- His Highness the Amir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani presents the trophy to lier to work his magic in the Arabian His Highness Sheikh Abdullah bin Khalifa al-Thani after French King won HH The feature, just as the French jockey did Amir Trophy (Group 1). with a tactical race in the million-dol- lar Thoroughbred feature with French ers, who have good horses but most of to victory, leading two more foreign King. “But Yazeed can’t do the dis- them for a mile, nine furlongs, etc.” runners – Jerome Reynier’s Royal Ju- tance, 2400m is too long for him,” De Peslier’s tactical run in HH The lius and Aidan O’Brien’s Hunting Horn Mieulle said after the race. Amir Trophy (Group 1), presented by – to the paddock. “The leader in front of Yazeed sud- Longines, won him applause from all “The jockey is the best,” Pantall said denly stopped and Olivier decided to quarters. after the win. go ahead. Maybe those 200m made the He mixed up the pace during the race He added through a translator, “Very diff erence, but anyway a race is a race.” well after taking the lead on Henri- happy for this big big race win for He added: “Classic races around the Alex Pantall-trained French King. And Sheikh Abdullah in this very important world are 2000m, and I think they need with no challenge from the rest of the race. Umm Qarn’s horses came to the to rethink about the distance in the fu- fi eld, he managed to create enough gap stables through Alban de Mieulle, with ture to give more chance to more own- once on the home straight, and cruised whom I have a long relationship.” Gulf Times 2 Sunday, February 24, 2019 HORSE RACING Glimpses from HH The Amir Sword Festival His Highness the Amir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani applauds as Khalifa bin Sheail al-Kuwari (centre) lifts HH The Amir Silver Sword, sponsored by Ooredoo, after Fakhir His Highness the Amir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani presents won the 1850m race yesterday. Fakhir may have lost in the Trials, he wasn’t going to let that dampen as a determined challenge on the home straight saw the Mohamed the trainer’s trophy to Julian Smart after his ward Ebraz won HH The Jassim Ghazali ward register his first career victory yesterday. Harry Bentley began the pursuit of Trial topper AJS Moaddie, helmed by Faleh Bughanaim, after the turn and Amir Sword (Group 1 PA) yesterday. steadily moved past him for a one-and-a-half length victory, leaving his young trainer teary-eyed. His Highness the Amir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani applauds the Al Sabiq races winner, Nasser Hamad Mubarak al-Hajri (third from right). Also seen are Qatar Olympic Committee President HE Sheikh Joaan bin Hamad al-Thani (left), His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Khalifa al-Thani (second from left), His Highness Sheikh Abdullah bin Khalifa al-Thani (third from left) and QREC chairman Issa al-Mohannadi (right). Abdulrahman Abdullah Faleh al-Hajri finished second in the Al Sabiq races, ahead of third-placed Talab Ali Olivier Peslier rides French King to victory in the HH The Amir Trophy Talab al-Hajri and fourth-placed Salah Qasim Mohamed al-Yafaei. (Group 1) yesterday. PICTURE: Juhaim RESULTS Race 5: 1. Beachwalk (Cristian Demuro), 2. Jewel House (Eduardo Race 1: 1. Asaaf (Ryu Abe), 2. Pedroza), 3. Khataaf (Theo Bach- Sraab (Ryan Curatolo), 3. Al Lu- elot), 4. Take A Nap (Ronan Tho- sail (Faleh Bughanaim), 4. Moad- mas). Won by: 1 1/4, 1/2, Shd. Time: die (Theo Bachelot). Won by: 2:00.60. Owner: Abdulhadi Mana Shd, ¼, ¾. Time: 2:02.55. Owner: al-Hajri. Trainer: Stefano Ibido. Ali Khalfan Mohamed al-Suwaidi. Trainer: Zuhair Mohsen. Race 6: 1. Fakhir (Harry Bentley), 2. AJS Moaddie (Faleh Bugha- Race 2: 1. Sharesa (Theo Bachelot), naim), 3. Tabouk (Cristian 2. Al Naama (Faleh Bughanaim), Demuro), 4. Al Junood (Oisin 3. Rajeh (Harry Bentley), 4. Ateej Murphy). Won by: 1 ½, 2, Hd. (Adrie de Vries). Won by: ½, ½, Time: 2:02.62. Owner: Khalifa ½. Time: 1:42.95. Owner: Sheikh bin Sheail al-Kuwari. Trainer: Khalifa bin Mohamed bin Khalifa Mohamed Jassim Ghazali. al-Thani. Trainer: Julian Smart. Race 7: 1. French King (Olivier Race 3: 1. Anima Rock (Theo Peslier), 2. Royal Julius (Gerald Bachelot), 2. Stone Of Destiny Mosse), 3. Hunting Horn (Ryan (Oisin Murphy), 3. Izzthatright Moore), 4. The Blue Eye (Harry (Harry Bentley), 4.Cristofano Allori Bentley). Won by: 1 ½, 1 ¼, ¾. Time: (Stephan Ladjadj). Won by: 1 ¼, ¾, 2:26.12. Owner: His Highness Abdulrahman al-Mansour (left) receives the owner’s trophy after 2 ¾. Time: 1:09.48. Owner: Khalifa Sheikh Abdullah bin Khalifa al- Sheikh Khalifa bin Mohamed bin Khalifa al-Thani’s Sharesa won bin Sheail al-Kuwari. Trainer: Jas- Thani. Trainer: Henri-Alex Pantall. the Qatar International Cup (Group 1 PA), which is sponsored sim Mohamed Ghazali. Race 8: 1. Ebraz (Maxime Guyon), by Social & Sport Contribution Fund (Daam), yesterday. Trainer Race 4: 1. Global Spectrum 2. Yazeed (Olivier Peslier), 3. Julian Smart’s third winner in the three-day flagship meeting (Gerald Mosse), 2. Luchador (JP Gazwan (Theo Bachelot), 4. Tayf was the prolific Sharesa. Theo Bachelot got the filly to move on Winners of HH The Amir Shalfa, sponsored by Manateq, pose on the podium after Abdulhadi Mana Guillambert), 3. Cococabala (Ivan (Ronan Thomas). Won by: ¾, Nk, the outside coming on to the home straight, and the two picked al-Hajri-owned Beachwalk won the 2000m race. Stefano Ibido’s ward emerged as the winner in the Rossi), 4. Admiral Rous (Cristian Hd. Time: 2:37.06. Owner: His up pace a little more than a furlong out, taking the advantage USD250,000 race. Under a fantastic ride by Cristian Demuro, the gelding beat Eduardo Pedroza and Demuro). Won by: 1/2, 2, 1. Time: Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin and beating De Mieulle-trained Al Naama by half a length. It was his mount Jewel House in the final 100m to pick up a victory in a field that also featured the Derby 1:35.29. Owner: Dr Johnny Hon. Khalifa al-Thani. Trainer: Julian Sharesa’s fifth straight victory. hero Full Moon. PICTURES: Juhaim Trainer: Gay Kelleway. Smart. Winners of the Al Biddah Mile, sponsored by Al Muftah Group, pose on the podium Winners of Dukhan Sprint (QA Group 3), which is sponsored by Breeders’ Cup, on the podium.