Al Rayyan | Horse Racing Free Tips

Emperor Maximus Crosses Over in Qatar Derby

Wrapping up Day 29 in Qatar, the final race on the Thursday card brought together a well-matched field of 3-year-old colts that were vying for a black-type prize. After a pair of scratches, out of the remaining 16 runners, Emperor Maximus proved best, but it was not a foregone conclusion that he would be able to make the leap in company after campaigning on-track at lower levels on three prior occasions. Just last week Dec. 22, the colt won a handicap against 13 others by 1 3/4 lengths, but he was clearly going to have to run his best in here.

At the break, it was Upton Park who broke alertly from the outside, angled into the three-path, and set up shop on the lead into the first turn and continued to do so down the backstretch. Nestled along the rail in the third position, Emperor Maximus was content to sit a ground-saving trip, as the rest of the field pursued. The leader went moderately at :51.70 after 500 meters, and looked to extend the ground between as the gelding rounded the final turn.

By the top of the lane, the field began to shake loose as the pace began to quicken, and with less than 500 meters Emperor Maximus was given his cue from the rail. Moving swiftly, the dark bay took aim at his rival, and under firm handling, fully extended himself past the pacesetter to win by 1 3/4 lengths. Upton Park closely held second, and it was Persian Royal was up for third. The winner's dam last produced a gelding by Zanzibari in 2021 with no report issued the year before.

Thursday, Al Rayyan, Qatar

QATAR DERBY (Black-Type), US$500,000, Al Rayyan, 12-29, 3yo, 2000mT, 02:01.34, gd.
1–EMPEROR MAXIMUS (FR), 128, c, 3, by Holy Roman Emperor (Ire)
          1st Dam: Lapland (Fr), by Linamix (Fr)
          2nd Dam: Landlocked, by Unbridled
          3rd Dam: Land Shark (Fr), by Pitskelly (GB)
   1ST BLACK TYPE WIN. O-Al Rufaa Racing; B-Thierry Storme,
Haras Des Sablonnets, Thierry Lohest (Fr); T-Gassim Ghazali;
J-Marco Casamento; US$285,000. Lifetime Record: 11-2-3-3.
2–Upton Park (Fr), 128, g, 3, Elm Park (GB)–Sienna Bella (GB),
by Anabaa. (150,000gns yrl '22 TATJUL). O-Mohammed
Abdulhadi S. Al-Hajri; T-Ibrahim Saeed Al Malki; J-Tomas
Lukasek; US$110,000.
3–Persian Royal (GB), 128, g, 3, Al Kazeem (GB)–Poplin (GB), by
Medicean (GB). (450,000gns yrl '22 TATOCT). O-Wathnan
Racing; B-D. J. and Mrs. Deer (GB); T-Alban Elie De Mieulle;
J-Soufiane Saadi; US$55,000.
Margins: 1 3/4, 3/4, 1.

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Outbox Lands Amir Trophy For Watson, Doyle

A stakes winner in England and stakes-performed in France and in Sweden, Outbox (GB) (Frankel {GB}) added a stamp from Qatar to his passport for Saturday's His Highness The Amir Trophy in Doha and walked away with the lion's share of the US$1-million in prize money on offer. The Amir Trophy is one of three races contested locall that is recognized internationally as black-type eligible.

Ridden aggressively from a wide alley by Hollie Doyle, Outbox took up a pace-pressing position from second, as Qatari Gold (Lemon Drop Kid), with Tom Marquand in the irons and ostensibly in the race to set things up for 2017 winner and fellow 9-year-old stablemate Noor Al Hawa (Fr) (Makfi {GB}), was intent to lead over the very quick ground. Shadowing the front-runner's every step into the second bend, Outbox went for home 400 metres out and stayed on very gamely under energetic handling to prevail narrowly. Mutabahi (Fr) (French Fifteen {Fr}), a full-brother to last year's winner French King (GB), missed the break and endured a wide passage, but boxed on tenaciously in a luckless effort. King Power's Fox Tal (GB) (Sea The Stars {Ire}), midfield and keen early, rallied well enough once into the clear to finish third.

Outbox made the first eight starts of his career for his breeder and Simon Crisford for a solid record of 3-2-2, but missed the entirety of the 2020 season and changed hands for 16,000gns at the Tattersalls Autumn Horses In Training Sale. Third to Al Aasy (Ire) (Sea The Stars {Ire}) in the G3 John Porter S. last April, he caused an upset when besting 2019 G1 St Leger hero Logician (GB) (Frankel {GB}) in the Listed Fred Archer S. at Newmarket last June and earned further group black-type when runner-up in the G3 Stockholm Cup International at Bro Park in September. Outbox was last seen finishing down the field in listed company over the Deauville all-weather in December.

Immaculately bred, Outbox is out of a Group 2-winning daughter of Group 1 winner Zomaradah (GB) (Deploy {GB}), whose legend has been cemented as the dam of the prolific Dubawi (Ire) (Dubai Millennium {GB}). Emirates Queen is the dam of the 3-year-old filly Emirates Empress (GB) (Dark Angel {Ire}) and a yearling colt by Kingman (GB).

HH THE AMIR TROPHY (Black-Type), $1,000,000, Al Rayyan, 2-19, 4yo/up, 2400mT, 2:25.11, fm.
1–OUTBOX (GB), 128, g, 7, Frankel (GB)–Emirates Queen (GB) (GSW-Eng, GSP-Fr, $115,027), by Street Cry (Ire). (16,000gns HRA '20 TATAUT). O-Hambleton Racing Ltd XXXIII; B-Sheikh Mohammed bin Obaid al Maktoum; T-Archie Watson; J-Hollie Doyle; $570,000. Lifetime Record: SW & MGSP-Eng, GSP-Swe, SP-Fr, 25-7-5-3, $813,672. *1/2 to Royal Champion (Ire) (Shamardal), SP-Eng.
2–Mutabahi (Fr), 126, c, 4, French Fifteen (Fr)–Marina Piccola (Ire), by Halling. O-HE Sheikh Joann Bin Abdullah Bin Khalifa Al Thani; B-SCEA Haras de Victot; T-Henri-Alex Pantall; J-Olivier Peslier; $220,000.
3–Fox Tal (GB), 128, g, 6, Sea The Stars (Ire)–Maskunah (Ire), by Sadler's Wells. (475,000gns Ylg '17 TATOCT). O-King Power Racing Co Ltd; B-Rabbah Bloodstock Limited; T-Andrew Balding; J-David Probert; $110,000.
Margins: HF, 1HF, NK.

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Perseverance Pays Off For Noor Al Hawa In Amir Trophy

Making a remarkable fifth straight appearance in the marquee race on the Qatar racing calendar, the US$1-million H.H. The Amir Trophy, Al Wasmiyah Farm's Noor Al Hawa (Fr) (Makfi {GB}) took advantage of a soft trip attending a modest pace and raced away to a convincing victory Saturday in Doha. Berkshire Rocco (Fr) (Sir Percy {GB}), who nearly took out the 2020 G1 St Leger S., came home second ahead of last year's Qatar Derby hero Hellenistique (Fr) (Wootton Bassett {GB}) in third. The Amir Trophy is one of three races contested locally that is eligible for full black-type per international cataloging standards.

Noor Al Hawa bounced well from gate one, but was content to allow the slightly longer-winded Off He Goes (Aus) (Casino Prince {Aus}) a very easy time of things up front. With Alberto Sanna hard against him entering the final 800 metres, Noor Al Hawa always traveled like a winner, wresting command with a bit less than a quarter-mile to race before lengthening clear. Berkshire Rocco raced prominently throughout and was narrowly runner-up ahead of Hellenistique, who rallied from last to collect third money. Top-rated Aspetar (Fr) (Al Kazeem {GB}) would have been inconvenienced by the lack of pace and ran on gamely to be fourth after sitting an inside trip behind midfield.

The champion of his generation in Germany in 2016, Noor Al Hawa won that year's Qatar Derby in his local debut before finishing runner-up to Chopin (Ger) (Santiago {Ger}) in the 2017 Amir Trophy. Third, but placed second behind local legend The Blue Eye (GB) (Dubawi {Ire}) the following February, he was unplaced in the last two renewals, but was in career form for 2021, having won four on the bounce with Sanna at the controls.

Noor Al Hawa is out of Majestic Roi, upset winner of the 2007 G1 Kingdom of Bahrain Sun Chariot S. for Jaber Abdullah and Mick Channon. The half-sister to 2012 G3 Newbury Arc Trial hero Black Spirit (Black Minnaloushe) is the dam of a 2-year-old Mastercraftsman (Ire) filly and a yearling colt by Kodiac (GB).

WATCH: Noor Al Hawa breaks through in the Amir Trophy in Qatar

Saturday, Al Rayyan, Qatar
H.H. THE AMIR TROPHY (Black-Type), $1,000,000, Al Rayyan, 2-20, 4yo/up, 2400mT, 2:30.65, gd.
1–NOOR AL HAWA (FR), 128, h, 8, Makfi (GB)–Majestic Roi (G1SW-Eng, GSP-Fr, $346,585), by Street Cry (Ire). O-Al Wasmiyah Farm; B-Rabbah Bloodstock Limited; T-George Mikhalides; J-Alberto Sanna; $570,000. Lifetime Record: Hwt. 3yo-Ger at 7-9.5f, Hwt. Older Horse-Qat at 9.5-11f & 11-14f, MGSW-Ger, GSW-Fr, 33-15-6-5, $2,595,878. *1/2 to Majestic Jasmine (Ire) (New Approach {Ire}), SW-Ger.
2–Berkshire Rocco (Fr), 126, c, 4, Sir Percy (GB)–Sunny Again (GB), by Shirocco (Ger). (€35,000 Wlg '17 ARQDEC; €50,000 Ylg '18 GOFORB). O-Berkshire Parts & Panels; B-SAGL Seserve; T-Andrew Balding; J-Jason Watson; $220,000.
3–Hellenistique (Fr), 126, c, 4, Wootton Bassett (GB)–Hasturianita (Ire), by Dubawi (Ire). (€130,000 Ylg '18 ARQAUG; €56,000 HRA '20 ARQNOV). O-Injaaz Stud; B-Haras d'Etreham; T-Zuhair Mohsen; J-Ronan Thomas; $110,000.
Margins: 2 3/4, NK, HF.
Also Ran: Aspetar (Fr), Standard Deviation, Off He Goes (Aus), Pedro Cara (Fr), Otwo, Masterpiece (Fr), Quelindo (Ger).

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Aspetar Looms Large In Amir Trophy

A winner at the highest level in Germany and victorious in group races in France and England, Sheikh Mohammed bin Khalifa al Thani's homebred Aspetar (Fr) (Al Kazeem {GB}) appears the class of the field as he makes his Qatar debut in Saturday's US$1-million H H Amir Trophy (2400m) at Al Rayyan Racecourse in Doha.

The lightly raced 6-year-old won the G2 Grand Prix de Chantilly and G1 Preis von Europa in 2019 while under the care of Roger Charlton and punched his ticket to the G1 Cox Plate with a 1 1/2-length success in last year's G2 Sky Bet York S. July 25. The dark bay failed to land a serious blow when a distant 11th to Sir Dragonet (Ire) (Camelot {GB}) in the Moonee Valley feature Oct. 24, but a return to his best European form would make him very tough here. Julian Smart now handles the training duties and Maxime Guyon has the riding assignment.

Berkshire Rocco (Fr) (Sir Percy {GB}) raids for trainer Andrew Balding on the heels of a very successful 3-year-old campaign in England in 2020. Second to subsequent G1 Irish Derby hero Santiago (Ire) (Authorized {Ire}) in the G2 Queen's Vase at the Royal meeting in June, he atoned for a fourth in the G2 Great Voltigeur S. in August with a narrow defeat at the hooves of Galileo Chrome (Ire) (Australia {GB}) in the Sept. 12 G1 St Leger S. He makes his first start since taking out the Listed Noel Murless S. at Ascot Oct. 2.

Noor Al Hawa (Fr) (Makfi {GB}) makes his fifth straight appearance in the Amir Trophy, having finished second in 2017 and 2018 (promoted from third). The 8-year-old comes into this test on a four-race winning skein, including a one-length score over Qatar Derby hero Hellenistique (Fr) (Wootton Bassett {GB}) in a 2200-metre conditions test Jan. 28.

The rare Australian-bred in the jurisdiction, Off He Goes (Aus) (Casino Prince {Aus}) was named champion older horse at staying trips in Qatar in 2020 and carried Tomas Lukasek to a three-length win in the Khor Al Adid Cup (Local G3) over 2800 metres Jan. 21.

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