Qatar Standout Noor Al Hawa To Stand In France

Noor Al Hawa (Fr) (Makfi {GB}–Majestic Roi, by Street Cry {Ire}), champion of his generation in Germany as a 3-year-old and a four-time highweighted older horse in Qatar, will enter stud in 2023 at Haras du Grand Courgeon some 25 kilometres northwest of Angers. He will command a fee of €2,300.

Bred by Rabbah Bloodstock Limited, Noor Al Hawa raced in the early part of his career for Jaber Abdullah and was trained by Andreas Wohler. He came to hand at three in 2016, posting a breakthrough black-type success in the Listed Prix de Tourgeville at Deauville and added a pair of German Group 3 tests before being acquired by the Qatar-based Al Wasmiyah Stud.

A three-length winner of the US$500,000 Qatar Derby (Listed), the chestnut was runner-up in the Listed H.H. The Emir's Trophy the following February and again in 2018 before winning the G3 Grand Prix de Vichy for trainer Elias Mikhalides that summer.

Permanently relocated to Doha in late 2018 and transferred to Georges Mikhalides, Noor Al Hawa went on to win 10 of 17 starts, including the 2021 Amir Trophy at his fifth attempt (video). His final racetrack appearance was a gallant fourth in defence of his Amir Trophy crown last February and he heads to the breeding barn with a career record of 18-6-5 from 37 starts for prize money of US$2,755,942.

“He's a remarkably tough horse, who has traveled extensively while performing over every surface and a large variety of distances,” renowned Qatar trainer Alban de Mieulle told Jour de Galop. “He's also a beautiful horse, very correct, with a great personality and I think that he will be a success as far as a sire of jumpers, for example. His owner is going to support him with flat mares.”

A half-brother to German stakes winner Majestic Jasmine (Ire) (New Approach {Ire}), Noor Al Hawa is out of Majestic Roi, who carried Abdullah's silks to a 16-1 upset in the 2007 G1 Sun Chariot S. at Newmarket after causing a 25-1 boilover in that year's G3 Fred Darling S. She was also second in that year's G2 Prix de Sandringham at Chantilly. The listed-winning second dam L'Extra Honor (Hero's Honor) was also responsible for G3 Arc Trial hero Black Spirit (Black Minnaloushe). Noor Al Hawa's deeper female family includes the outstanding Holy Roman Emperor (Ire) (Danehill).

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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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