HADI DE CARRERE Wins QREC-sponsored AL RAYYAN CUP at Deauville

Paris, August 15 (QNA) - Torrential rain struck an hour prior the second Group 1 Purebred Arabian race sponsored by the Qatar Racing an Equestrian Club at Deauville, the Al Rayyan Cup for three-year-olds over 2,000 metres. Visibility was very poor and the ground which had been declared as soft at the start of the meeting became waterlogged by the time of the race. The race itself was brought forward by 10 minutes to try to make the most of the failing light. The Al Rayyan Cup (Gr1 PA) crowns the leading three-year-old Purebred Arabian mid-season. Despite the incredibly testing conditions, a new leader of the three-year-old Purebred Arabian generation was announced in the shape of Sheail bin Khalifa Al Kuwari's HADI DE CARRERE (Nieshan x Viki de Carrere). A four and a half-length winner of the Group 3 PA Prix Tidjani last time out, this three-year-old colt is now a firm favourite for the season finale, the Group 1 PA Qatar Arabian Trophy des Poulains in October at Saint-Cloud. SIR MONLAU (Al Mamun Monlau x Anqa) led the proceedings under jockey Olivier Peslier, with the eventual winner in behind alongside ALHAFAR (Al Mamun Monlau x Farh) in the Al Shaqab Racing silks. HADI DE CARRERE came progressively to join the leader coming out of the final turn, travelling very easily. He looked to have the race won 400 meters out, and though ALSAHER (Mared Al Sahra x Assefa d'Aroco) came to trouble him, he never looked in danger. The latter, in the colours of HH Sheikh Mohammed bin Khalifa Al-Thani, was second by a neck. SIR MONLAU came in third for HH Sheikh Abdullah bin Khalifa Al-Thani. Both the winner and the third are trained by Thomas Fourcy while ALSAHER is in the care of Francois Rohaut. Thomas Fourcy commented after the race, "The conditions were somewhat difficult. We did not hesitate to run as we were already here. Most of these 3-year-olds now head to the Gr1 in October. HADI DE CARRERE won well. We'll see how he recovers. Our plans are not necessarily set in stone for him. He may have a race in September before the Gr1. He is a colt with a lot of strength, but immature. One day, this type of terrain will suit him, but only when he has matured. He's a good colt, but he could get caught out in a sprint finish. But he is able to run on. He is one of the good horses in the stable, like ABBES who will be seen again in September. I have a couple more that are also nice horses. October is still a long way off." (QNA)