Unprecedented international participation in HH The Amir Sword Festival

 24 hours prior to kick-off

Issa bin Mohammd Al-Mohannadi:

Unprecedented international participation in HH The Amir Sword

Festival

One of the most important horse race meetings worldwide

QREC’s facilities highly commended by the Japanese

Applying highest standards in organisation, integrity, quarantine and track condition

Festival’s new identity consolidates Qatar’s legacy

We value the role of sponsors and success partners

Al Sabiq Championship is the origin of racing

Committed to developing and expanding jockey base

Doha – 14 February 2024

We are only 24 hours away from the start of the HH The Amir Sword Festival at the Qatar Racing and

Equestrian Club (QREC). 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, HE Issa bin Mohammed Al-Mohannadi, QREC Chairman, said:

“We look forward to the HH The Amir Sword Festival as the pinnacle of the QREC racing calendar,

placing Qatar in the spotlight on the global sports scene. As the HH 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 HH 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 HH The Amir Sword Festival,

which has become one of the most important horse racing meetings in the world.”

New identity reflects heritage

“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.”

Strategic relations with sponsors

HE Issa bin Mohammed Al-Mohannadi, QREC Chairman, lauded the role of the sponsors. He said:

“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 strategic relations between us is long-

standing serves to maintain long-term cooperation.”

“The Festival may see a breakthrough success with Al Shaqab Racing’s homebred Al Ghadeer

bidding to win the HH 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.