Riders in action during HH The Amir Sword Festival in Al Rayyan in this file photo.
Doha: World’s best horses will be seen in action as the highly-anticipated HH The Amir Sword Festival gets underway at the Al Rayyan Racecourse today. The three-day racing gala will see a total of 26 thrilling races culminating with the prestigious HH The Amir Sword race on Saturday.
This year’s edition, which is offering unprecedented prize money of $10m, has attracted entries from across the globe with top trainers also set to be tested during the high-profile action.
The Festival will begin with the Qatar Racing and Equestrian Club’s (QREC) 32nd Race Meeting - Sand Championships – which will feature a total of eight races with each contest carrying a purse of $100,000 each.
Today’s feature - Thoroughbred Sand Championship (Class 2) - will see the likes of Ernest Aldrich, General Panic, Jewel House and Roman Melody galloping in the 1700m run.
The second day will witness 10 races with Al Zubara Trophy and Al Rayyan Breeders Cup at stakes as packed stands are expected at the weekend.
The feature - Local Thoroughbreds (Far Bend) for Al Rayyan Breeders Cup carries a purse of $400,000 while Local Purebred Arabians for Al Zubara Trophy is offering prize money of $200,000.
Eight races will be held on the final day including the HH The Amir Sword (Gr1 PA), and the penultimate race of the meeting, the HH The Amir Trophy (Gr1 QA). Each of them will have $2.5m on offer respectively.
On the sidelines of the races, the QREC will also organise several activities for the fans.
“We have the first time museum that will give the story about the racing history of Qatar. We will have competitions like the hat contest,” QREC Chairman Issa bin Mohamed Al Mohannadi had said recently.
“We will have a number of activities for the kids and families that we normally do, but this year will be much, much elevated. So overall, this will be a unique festival that we look to attract many people and many visitors from Qatar and the region,” he said.
The winner of the most stylish hat-owner will be announced on Saturday. A dedicated team of hostesses and photographer will have a pre-selection on the venue during the racing days.
Apart from local horses, a total of 24 horses from countries including the United Kingdom, Hong Kong and the United Arab Emirates will take part in the Festival.
