Alkass Digital
The Qatar Racing and Equestrian Club (QREC) is just hours away from hosting the H H The Amir Sword Festival. All final arrangements have been completed to ensure reaching the highest success and continuing the continuous development of the Festival, especially with the launch of the new identity for the prestigious event. The three-day Festival will be the focus of attention with the participation of many international horses as Qatar’s premier racing event has become on par with the world’s top horse racing meetings.
The QREC management seeks to produce a special renewal of the Festival in line with Qatar’s leading standing in the international racing community.
Just before the kick off of the Festival, QREC Chairman Issa bin Mohammed Al Mohannadi said: “We look forward to the H H The Amir Sword Festival as the pinnacle of the QREC racing calendar, placing Qatar in the spotlight on the global sports scene. As the H H The Amir Sword Festival begins, the QREC management looks forward to a world-class organisation on par with the world’s most prestigious racing meetings staged at the top tracks worldwide. In fact, we apply standards, which give us confidence in the success of the Festival, especially with many top-quality international runners arriving for the Festival’s international races. For the first time, this renewal sees three horses from Japan alongside challengers from other countries, some of whom have already contested in Doha and even won in previous years. Such intensive international presence is a demonstration that the Festival has become a source of attraction for international horse owners and trainers and reflects the high confidence in Qatar’s horse racing and its standard in terms of organisation and quality. Qatari horse owners add further heft to the global event, being able and well-prepared to win the tough challenges throughout the races of the three-day Festival.”
Source of attraction for international runners
Regarding the rise in the number of international runners, Al Mohannadi said: “It is a result of the continuous development of the Festival and the application of the highest technical standards in organisation, quarantine and various facilities in addition to racing integrity and the perfect condition of the Al Rayyan Racecourse. These factors attract international horse connections to come to Qatar for the H H The Amir Sword Festival. Moreover, the high quality of the runners reflects the high racing standard and the desire to win the Festival’s titles. Two weeks ago, a delegation from the Japanese animal resources authorities visited Qatar to see the facilities and learn about the way work is done at QREC and how to horse welfare is maintained and the appropriate environment and facilities are made available. The delegation highly commended what they saw and that is why we see three Japanese horses in the edition, which happens for the first time in the Festival’s history. We should also keep in mind that the horses coming from various counties Japan, UK, France, Ireland and Hong Kong are here because of the standing of the H H The Amir Sword Festival, which has become one of the most important horse racing meetings in the world.”
“This year, QREC has been keen to launch the new identity of the Festival,” Al Mohannadi added.
“It has been inspired by the Qatari heritage through “al ghutra” (male headwear), which reflects and consolidates the heritage and legacy of the State of Qatar, which we are proud of. In addition, the new identity highlights a symbolic meaning through its association with the “Al Sabiq” traditional championship held during major race meetings at QREC. We view the Al Sabiq Championship as the origin of horse racing in Qatar, during which riders wear “al ghutra,” and the moment a rider raises his ghutra implies that he is fully prepared to start. Al Sabiq Championship is, in fact, considered a starting point for some talented riders, who then turn to become professional flat racing jockeys. A number of Al Sabiq riders have already been selected and they are now regular jockeys in the flat races at QREC. It has been a very valuable benefit for QREC as part of the QREC board of directors’ efforts to expand the base of Qatari jockeys and to develop and prepare them to ride at the world’s top racecourses.”
Al Mohannadi lauded the role of the sponsors, adding, “While aspiring to the highest level of success in the Festival every year, we value the role of sponsors and partners given our strategic relationships based on cooperation for the continuous development of the Festival and maintaining its high international prestige. In fact,the sponsors and success partners continue their valuable role and contribute to achieving what we aspire to and QREC, in turn,fulfils its commitments towards them."
“The Festival may see a breakthrough success with Al Shaqab Racing’s home-bred Al Ghadeer bidding to win the H H The Amir Sword race (Gr1 PA) and, consequently, the Triple Crown, having already won the first two stages in 2023, the Gr1 PA Qatar International Stakes at Goodwood the Gr1 PA Qatar Arabian World Cup at ParisLongchamp. In addition, all other races of the Festival promise to be highly enthralling and thrilling, with horses in top form and owners, trainers and jockeys keen to be part of the trophy presentation ceremony and write their names in the Festival’s history books,” concluded Al Mohannadi.