LONGCHAMP, France // When the Doha Triple Crown was set up for this season, few believed it was possible to win it.
Sure enough Sir Bani Yas struggled to tack on the €1million (Dh4.11m) Purebred Arabian World Cup here on Sunday to his thrilling win at Glorious Goodwood in August.
Sir Bani Yas carried the colours of Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed with distinction, however, and the five-year-old grey stayed on well after a tardy start to finish third to the Al Shaqab-owned Al Mourtajez, with fellow Qatar-owned Gazwan in second.
“I was happy with his race but he was too sleepy,” trainer Elisabeth Bernard said. “I think if he had broken with the other runners, he might have been second. But there is no way we would have beaten the winner, who was the best horse today.”
With the riches of the €1m bonus for the Triple Crown no longer a sop for the President of the UAE due to this defeat, Sir Bani Yas has no need to travel to Doha for the Emir’s Sword next year.
Instead, he will be aimed at the Group 2 French Federation Breeders’ Challenge over the same 2,000-metre distance at Toulouse in the south of France at the end of the month.
Al Mourtajez has already won the Emir’s Sword, however, and the brilliant five-year-old son of Dahess will now be retired.
It may well be an eyebrow-raising decision by Al Shaqab as Al Mourtajez surely has so much more to offer, but Sheikh Joaan’s racing operation have earmarked Mister Ginoux for Doha next February and clearly believe he is the most likely winner.
“We were expecting that,” Khalifa bin Mohammed Al Attiya, general manager of owners Al Shaqab racing, said of the win.
“Al Mourtajez is a champion, and he showed that he was very good. He has done his job, and he will go to stud now.”
Al Mourtajez gave up his six-race winning streak in the Prix Dragon here last month when only fifth on rain-softened going.
The course reportedly had not received a drop of irrigation since though and the firmer surface contributed markedly to the facile victory.
“We are very relieved,” trainer Thomas Fourcy said. “The last time I did not understand. Maybe I did not give the right orders, I don’t know, but I didn’t have any viable explanation.
“Today, he really proved himself. I knew my horse was good, but I was scared all week.”
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