Qatar: Al Shaqab Racing’s Ghadah lands Group 2 PA Prix Nefta

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Qatar - Al Shaqab Racing-owned and bred Arabian Ghadah proved too good for her seven rivals as she landed the Group 2 (PA) Prix Nefta – Sheikh Mansoor Festival – at Toulouse on Sunday.

Trained by Thomas Fourcy, the striking four-year-old chestnut came into the race of the back of a comfortable maiden success at Mont De Marsan on March 25th and looks to have an exciting future in store.

Ghadah was ridden patiently by Anthony Crastus through the opening stages of the 2000m contest for four-year-old Purebred Arabian fillies and tracked her stablemate, the eventual runner up Al Doha (Al Mourtajez) in fifth position.

Pouncing on her rivals early in the straight, the Ghadah stole first run on the field and went on to score by a length and a quarter. The His Highness Sheikh Abdullah bin Khalifa al-Thani-owned Al Doha, who was also bred by Al Shaqab Racing, finished second under jockey Olivier Peslier, giving the winning trainer a valuable one-two. The Haras Du Grand Courgeon-owned and X.

Thomas-Demeaulte-trained Alobayyah (Al Mourtajez) finished third under jockey Guillaume Guedj-Gay as she was further seven and a half lengths behind.

A filly with plenty of talent, Ghadah impressed her trainer Fourcy, who was excited for the future. “Ghadah is a filly that I have always respected and that is why she only ran once last year”, he said, “Today she had fitness on her side after her win last month, however, she still needed to prove that she was up to this level. Ghadah has shown an excellent turn of foot today and she can now follow the programme that will hopefully lead her to Arc weekend.”