1 August 2020
The first Saturday of the Deauville Barrière Meeting revealed a new pretender for the Qatar Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe, the world championship for Thoroughbred racehorses, which will take place on the 4th October at ParisLongchamp.
In the Prix de Psyché Sky Sports Racing, a Group 3 for 3-year-old fillies over 2,000 meters (1m2f), Sheikh Hamdan Al Maktoum’s Raabibah annihilated the opposition when winning by three lengths.
The filly is trained in Deauville by Jean-Claude Rouget, who is well-armed for the big race as he also trains the 4-year-old Sottsass, third in the race last year. He will prepare for the main rendez-vous with a run in the Juddmonte International Stakes at York on the 19th August before taking part in the Qatar Prix Foy, on the 13th September at ParisLongchamp.
Both of these horses are usually partnered by Cristian Demuro, the stable jockey to Jean-Claude. He has a difficult choice before him…
Raabihah is a daughter of the Champion Sea the Stars, winner of the Qatar Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe in 2009. She was fourth in the Prix de Diane Longines, having had no luck in running.
Jean-Claude Rouget explained after the race, “She has proved that she is a Group 1 filly. She didn’t have enough experience to get herself out of trouble in the Prix de Diane Longines. For me, she is the best French filly around. And she’s not even running over her distance! She has won on her class alone. Her second dam was an Oaks winner… She will run in the Arc, taking in the Qatar Prix Vermeille as a prep race along the way.”