€150,000 Qatar 4yo Arabians' Derby (Gr1-PA): The rock Muraad

Sunday, 16 June 2024, Chantilly Racecourse (Oise). – We witnessed a brave victory from the frontrunner Muraad (Thakif) in the €150,000 Qatar 4-year-old purebred Arabians' Derby (Gr1-PA, 4yo, 2,000m/1m2f). The Yas Horse Racing Management homebred led the entire race, fending off challengers at the entrance to the straight and then repelling the final assault from Extra Time (Valiant Boy), who had steadily closed in. Trained by Damien de Watrigant, Muraad won by a neck in a decisive battle.

The favourite, Luwsail (Al Mourtajez), finished third, three lengths behind, without any real excuse.

This was Muraad's fourth race and his third victory, 52 days after winning his first Group race, the Sheikh Mansoor Festival—Prix Dormane (Gr3-PA) at La Teste. He left Extra Time, who finished fifth that day, 6.5 lengths behind. Muraad, very keen that day, had given a hard time to his rider, Ioritz Mendizabal, who had already ridden him in his first two outings at Toulouse.

Muraad is the sixth foal out of Gabra (Dormane), a winner of the Qatar French Arabian Breeders’ Cup for 3-year-old fillies at Longchamp for Sheikh Mansoor Al Zayed.

Thanks to embryo transfer technology, the mare produced two sets of offspring from different sires in the same year. Therefore, Muraad has a uterine brother named Sameer, also trained by Damien de Watrigant. He has raced twice and could compete against his "twin", which would be prohibited if he were also sired by Thakif.