H.H. THE AMIR SWORD FESTIVAL A L R A Y Y A N R AC E C O U R S E , D OH A , Q A T A R SATURDAY 17 TH FEBRUARY 2024
International Arrangements : Patricia Musial (de Mieulle), Head of International Affairs Unit Racing and Equestrian Club PO BOX 7559 Doha Qatar
ABOUT THE RACES H.H. The Amir Sword Festival is the high point of the Qatar racing calendar and each year puts Qatar firmly in the international sporting spotlight. This high-profile race meeting features the running of two of Qatar’s most thrilling races of the season H.H. The Amir Trophy presented by Longines & H.H. The Amir Sword. Qatar’s premier racing event has become a drawcard for international owners and trainers and provides an opportunity for racegoers and visitors to witness some of the horseracing’s elite equine athletes in action. Thoroughbreds and Pure Arabian horses from around the world will gather at Al Rayyan Racecourse to battle it out for a stake of the US $10 million prize money and to cement their names in history.
INTERNATIONAL RACE CONDITIONS International races are free to enter and will close on Thursday 4th January 2024 at 12:00noon local time. Supplementary entries will close on Tuesday 23rd January 2024 at 12:00noon local time and will be 2% of the total prize money of the race. Declarations will close on Monday 12th February 2024 at 9:00am Qatar time. The declaration to run fees are due by the time of declaration (Monday 12th February 2024 at 9:00am Qatar time).
IRISH THOROUGHBRED MARKETING CUP QA GR 2 THOROUGHBREDS CLASS 1
Sponsored by
SATURDAY 17TH FEBRUARY 2024 FOR NORTHERN HEMISPHERE 4 YEAR OLDS AND UP, OR SOUTHERN HEMISPHERE 3 YEAR OLDS AND UP | ABOUT 1600M (1M) | TURF
US $500,000 1st
$285,000
2nd
$110,000
3rd
$55,000
4th
$30,000
5th
$20,000
Weights
Colts and Geldings to carry 58kg. Fillies and Mares 56kg. Southern Hemisphere 3 year olds less 2.5kg. Maidens and Horses rated less than 90 by the QREC handicapper are NOT eligible. Local Bred Allowance will NOT be applicable.
Maximum number of runners 16.
LAST YEARS WINNER ORDER OF AUSTRALIA (IRE) TRAINED BY AIDAN O'BRIEN | RIDDEN BY RYAN MOORE
LAST YEARS WINNER AJS SAAEQ (QA) TRAINED BY M.H.K AL ATTIYAH | RIDDEN BY SZCZEPAN MAZUR
QATAR INTERNATIONAL CUP GR 1 PA PUREBRED ARABIANS CLASS 1 SATURDAY 17TH FEBRUARY 2024 4 YEAR OLDS AND UP | ABOUT 1600M (1M) TURF
US $500,000 1st
$285,000
2nd
$110,000
3rd
$55,000
4th
$30,000
5th
$20,000
Maximum number of runners 16.
Weights
Colts and Geldings to carry 58kg. Fillies and Mares to carry 56kg. 4 Year Olds less 4kg. Maidens and Horses rated less than 90 by the QREC handicapper are NOT eligible.
DUKHAN SPRINT QA GR 3 SPONSORED BY BREEDERS’ CUP THOROUGHBREDS CLASS 1
Sponsored by
SATURDAY 17TH FEBRUARY 2024 3 YEAR OLDS AND UP | 1200M (6F) TURF
US $400,000 1st
$228,000
2nd
$88,000
3rd
$44,000
4th
$24,000
5th
$16,000
Maximum number of runners 14.
Weights
Colts and Geldings to carry 58kg. Fillies and Mares 56kg. Southern Hemisphere 3 year olds less 1.5kg. Northern Hemisphere 3 year olds less 7kg. NH 3 year old fillies will carry 50kg. Maidens and Horses rated less than 90 by the QREC handicapper are NOT eligible. Local Bred Allowance will NOT be applicable.
LAST YEARS WINNER FLAMING RIB (IRE) TRAINED BY HUGO PALMER | RIDDEN BY OISIN MURPHY
AL RAYYAN MILE QA GR 2 THOROUGHBREDS CLASS 1 SATURDAY 17TH FEBRUARY 2024 3 YEAR OLDS ONLY | ABOUT 1600M (1M) TURF
US $400,000 1st
$228,000
2nd
$88,000
3rd
$44,000
4th
$24,000
5th
$16,000
Weights
Colts and Geldings to carry 58kg. Fillies and Mares 56kg. Southern Hemisphere 3yo are NOT eligible. Local Bred Allowance will not apply.
Maximum number of runners 16.
LAST YEARS WINNER ALZAHIR (FR) TRAINED BY JOHN AND THADY GOSDEN, GB | RIDDEN BY ANDREA ATZENI
LAST YEARS WINNER RUSSIAN EMPEROR (IRE) TRAINED BY DOUGLAS WHYTE | RIDDEN BY ALBERTO SANNA
H.H. THE AMIR TROPHY QA GR 1 THOROUGHBREDS CLASS 1
presented by
SATURDAY 17TH FEBRUARY 2024 4 YEAR OLDS AND UP | ABOUT 2400M (1M 4F) | TURF
US $2,500,000 1st
$1,425,000
2nd
$550,000
3rd
$275,000
4th
$150,000
5th
$100,000
Maximum number of runners 16.
Weights
Colts and Geldings to carry 58kg. Fillies and Mares 56kg. 4 year olds less 1kg. Maidens and horses rated less than 90 by the QREC handicapper are NOT eligible. Local Bred Allowance will NOT be applicable.
H.H. THE AMIR SWORD GR 1 PA PUREBRED ARABIAN 3RD LEG OF THE TRIPLE CROWN SATURDAY 17TH FEBRUARY 2024
4 YEAR OLDS AND UP | ABOUT 2400M (1M 4F) | TURF
US $2,500,000 1st
$1,425,000
2nd
$550,000
3rd
$275,000
4th
$150,000
5th
$100,000
Maximum number of runners 16.
Weights
Colts and Geldings to carry 58kg. Fillies and Mares to carry 56kg. 4 year olds will receive a 6kg WFA allowance. Maidens and horses rated less than 90 by the QREC handicapper are NOT eligible.
LAST YEARS WINNER ABBES (FR) TRAINED BY ALBAN ELIE DE MIEULLE | RIDDEN BY MICKAEL BARZALONA
H.H. THE AMIR SWORD FESTIVAL INCENTIVES SUBSIDIES AND INCENTIVES 1. Travel Shipment of invited horses will be arranged and paid for by QREC. For countries where there is no direct travel available to Qatar due to quarantine protocols and a charter flight is the best option, a travel subsidy will be provided to the owners to assist with shipment costs for horses. Any shipment subsidy will terminate on landing in the event that the horse in question is to onward travel to race in another jurisdiction in the region.
v.
In the event a syndicate or group of owners has more than one horse participating at the H.H. The Amir Sword Festival, a nominated owner per horse will receive a maximum of two concessions - one for the owner and one for his/her spouse/partner.
No additional concessions will be reallocated. Please note concessions are not transferable. Connections wishing to stay at hotels other than the Official Hotel will have to cover the cost and associated expenses.
In addition, QREC will pay for stables, fodder, veterinary fees and farrier. a) The Qatar Racing and Equestrian Club (QREC) will provide air tickets to Qatar for the connections of overseas horses selected to participate in the Irish Thoroughbred Marketing Cup (Qatar International Thoroughbred Cup) (QA Gr2), H.H. The Amir Trophy – (QA Gr1), H.H. The Amir Sword (Gr1 PA), Dukhan Sprint (QA Gr3), Qatar International Cup (Gr1 PA), Al Rayyan Mile (QA Gr2), H.H. The Amir Sword Festival Return business class air tickets on a carrier designated by the QREC will be sent to the following connections: i. Registered owner, up to 2 tickets ii. Trainer, up to 2 tickets iii. Jockey, one ticket b) Only the above connections are eligible for travel concessions and the following restrictions apply: i. In the event an owner has an interest in more than one runner, a maximum of two concessions will be granted - one for the connection and one for his/her spouse/partner. No additional concessions will be reallocated. ii. In the event an connection fulfills more than one role (i.e. owner/trainer), a maximum of two concessions will be granted - one for the connection and one for his/her spouse/partner. No additional concessions will be reallocated. iii. Owners, trainers or jockeys currently residing in Qatar are not eligible for travel subsidies. iv. In the event that trainers or jockeys have more than one horse participating at the H.H. The Amir Sword Festival, only one concessions will be granted. No additional concessions will be reallocated.
2. Hotel Accommodation a) Hotel accommodation, room only basis, will be provided at the Official Hotel. One room for a maximum of two persons will be provided to each of the following connections: i.
Registered owner, 4 nights
ii.
Trainer, 4 nights
iii. Jockey, 3 nights iv. Owners, trainers or jockeys residing in Qatar are not eligible for the hotel accommodation subsidies b) Only the above accommodation concessions will be granted and the following restrictions apply: i. Owners, trainers and jockeys wishing to be accommodated for a longer period than the number of nights listed above will cover the cost of any additional nights and associated expenses themselves. 3. Transport Service a) Transport between the following locations will be arranged by the QREC for owners, jockeys and trainers: i.
Hamad International Airport and the Official Hotel.
ii.
Qatar Racing and Equestrian Club for morning track work and the H.H. The Amir Sword Festival.
iii.
The venues of official functions.
4. Horse Transportation Trainer’s staff are not permitted to accompany horses on the flight. Return air tickets for two grooms will be paid for by QREC.
TEMPORARY IMPORT REQUIREMENTS QATAR Bloods within 30 days of export - along with the agreed exporting countries health certificate for Qatar. Flu vaccination booster - to already certified course, not within 14 days of export but within 60 days of export. • All invited runners must travel together where possible & share a pallet providing each horse with a stall and a half. • When tack and equipment cannot be accommodated on the pallet, all additional goods must fit into a LD3 container. • Any change from the transport arrangement which incurs additional cost will be at the owner’s expense. • All Shipping arrangements organised by the QREC & appointed shipping agents. • QREC and its transport agents will not be liable for any death of or injury to any invited horses during transportation to and from the Qatar or while in Qatar. • Horses from the same region will, as far as possible, travel on the same flights on existing cargo routes. • The QREC will arrange and cover the normal costs of return transport by road from the home stable to departure airport, and return air transportation to country of origin based. • All export certification & tests to meet the Qatar Import requirements is not included in the travel subsidy. • QREC nor its agents, will not be responsible for horse insurance. • Connections should have their own insurance arrangements. Equipment accompanying horses on flights - Limited to 150kgs per horse Please note that the following items are NOT permitted to be shipped along with tack: - Personal effects - Medication - Alcohol - Supplements List of available feed in Qatar will be supplied. NO FEED CAN TRAVEL WITH HORSES unless import permit is obtained, need 7 working days. This may delay the clearances in Doha of your equipment. Accommodation for grooms Grooms accommodation will be paid for by QREC. Transport for grooms A shuttle bus service will be provided to transport staff from the hotel to the QREC. Note: Subsidies for grooms of horses invited to the H.H. The Amir Sword meeting will be run until 25th February 2023 All working staff coming to Qatar (i.e. Head Lads, Grooms, Work Riders, Assistant Trainers) will be required to provide a copy of their passport which itself should be valid for travel for six months beyond the holder’s stay in Qatar.
H.H. THE AMIR SWORD FESTIVAL INVITATION PROTOCOL PARTICIPATION IN THESE RACES ARE BY INVITATION FROM QATAR RACING AND EQUESTRIAN CLUB ONLY.
The Handicapper will assign an International Rating to each horse that has been nominated or supplemented to the International races, including horses already based in Qatar. These ratings will form the basis for the selection procedure, although the Selection Panel will consider all relevant factors. The races are limited to 16 starters. The QREC reserves the right, and has sole authority to decide on the number of runners in the race, after careful consideration of any entry’s overall standing and potential to perform adequately in the race. Consequently, no entry, whether local or International, is guaranteed selection even if fewer than the maximum 16 starters are selected.
DECLARATION TO RUN FEES The declaration to run fees are due by the time of declaration (Monday 12th February 2024 at 9:00am). Here are the details to include $150 jockey fee. H.H. The Amir Trophy – US$ 10,150 H.H. The Amir Sword – US$ 10,150 Dukhan Sprint – US$ 2,650 Qatar International Cup – US$ 2,650 Al Rayyan Mile – US$ 2,650 ITM Cup – US$ 2,150
The bank details for Qatar Racing and Equestrian Club are: Bank Name Bank Address
Account No Account Name Swift Code IBAN
: Masraf Al Rayan : PO BOX 28888 Al Shafi Street Al Rayyan Doha – Qatar Tel : + 974 4425 3333 : 0004 19999 8001 : Racing & Equestrian Club : MAFRQAQA : QA66 MAFR 0000 0000 0004 1999 98001
Address of Qatar Racing and Equestrian Club : Al Furousiya Roundabout PO BOX 7559 DOHA QATAR Tel : + 974 4419 7632
CONTACTS
INTERNATIONAL RACING BUREAU :Adrian Beaumont Mobile: +44 7808903158 E-mail: adrian@irbracing.com Max Pimlott Mobile: +44 7950861939 E-mail: max@irbracing.com Chantal Chappuis, FRANCE Mobile: + 33 6 0776 3234 E-mail: chantalchappuis@orange.fr Nick Higgins, SPAIN Mobile: +44 77 9699 6899 E-mail: nthiggins@hotmail.com Elena Delor, GERMANY Mobile: +49 (1578) 7024 598 E-mail: delor@besitzervereinigung.de Naohiro Goda, JAPAN Mobile: +81 90 3427 1753 E-mail: lem00453@nifty.ne.jp Cindy Niemetz, USA Mobile: +1 818 203-8281 E-mail: cinraybar@aol.com Nick Esler, USA Mobile: +1 561 634-1306 E-mail: naesler11@gmail.com Franca Vittadini, ITALY Mobile: +39 335 207 883 E-mail: f.vittadini@gmail.com
INTERNATIONAL ARRANGEMENTS :Patricia Musial (de Mieulle) Head of International Affairs Unit Racing and Equestrian Club PO BOX 7559 Doha Qatar Email: p.musial@qrec.gov.qa Office: + 974 4419 7632 Mobile: + 974 5553 6839 Marcus Weedon Handicapper Racing and Equestrian Club PO BOX 7559 Doha Qatar Email: m.weedon@qrec.gov.qa Mobile: + 974 5042 8403
ENTRIES (LOCAL) :Amira Sallam QREC Racing Office Racing and Equestrian Club PO BOX 7559 Doha Qatar Email: amira@qrec.gov.qa Office: + 974 44197631 Mobile: + 974 5516 9110