Top Purebred Arabians put on a show at Deauville
2026 MEETING DE DEAUVILLE BARRIERE
Top Purebred Arabians put on a show at Deauville
On Tuesday, Deauville-La Touques Racecourse hosted two races for Purebred Arabians carrying Gr1 PA status, the highest level of competition in Arabian racing.
The Purebred Arabian is one of the oldest horse breeds in the world. Smaller and more compact than the English Thoroughbred, it is distinguished by its highly expressive head, slightly dished profile, large eyes and high-set tail. Renowned for its intelligence, courage and, above all, endurance, it is capable of sustaining an effort over long distances. Although it does not generally reach the same speeds as the English Thoroughbred, it is admired for its generosity and tenacity. The world’s finest Purebred Arabians compete on an international circuit that is particularly well established in France, the Middle East and several European countries.
Doha Cup: HM Alchahine reigns supreme
The Doha Cup (Prix Dormane), open to horses aged four and over, went to HM Alchahine. This Purebred Arabian is a true champion. Last year, he stood his ground against the outstanding Al Ghadeer in the Qatar Arabian World Cup (Gr1 PA), held on Qatar Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe day. During the winter, he returned to the United Arab Emirates, where his owner, Helal Alalawi, is based. His victories included the President Cup at Abu Dhabi Racecourse.
On Tuesday, making his first appearance at Deauville, he was held up at the rear of the field for much of the race before producing a remarkable finishing run to defeat the four-year-old Laffan, who in turn finished three lengths ahead of the front-running Romeo AT.
Race result
1st HM ALCHAHINE (C. Demuro)
2nd LAFFAN (M. Guyon)
3rd ROMEO AT (C. Soumillon)
Margins: 1½ – 3 – 7/4. Time: 2:12.00
Connections’ reactions
Elisabeth Bernard (trainer of HM Alchahine, first) — based in La Teste-de-Buch (33)
“I am very emotional. What has happened over the past few days has been extraordinary. He was declared a non-runner at Goodwood five days ago because of a suspected lameness. Yet the evidence is there for everyone to see today: he was not lame. We believe that the application currently being used to assess horses’ locomotion has more to do with ‘artificial stupidity’ than artificial intelligence. In five days, he obviously could not have received any form of treatment. He travelled for nothing, went several days without being ridden and, despite all that, he has just won a Group 1, outclassing the field after coming from last place. We hope that certain people will draw the appropriate conclusions. I was disappointed by his third place in the Prix Deryan – Coupe du Sud-Ouest (Gr2 PA), and we took the time to analyse matters calmly. In hindsight, we are convinced that four weeks of training with us was not enough. His programme is now already mapped out: the Qatar Prix Dragon (Gr1 PA), followed by the Qatar Arabian World Cup (Gr1 PA).”
François Rohaut (trainer of Laffan, second) — based in Pau (64)
“It is no surprise to see Laffan run so well. We gave him a good break and completely put Qatar behind us, where things had not gone well. He was the leader of his generation last year, and today he has regained that position. Romeo AT, whom he had already beaten at Saint-Cloud, finished three lengths behind him this time. It is perfect. We are delighted to see him back in this form.”
Xavier Thomas-Demeaulte (trainer of Romeo AT, third) — based in Mont-de-Marsan (40)
“Once again, he showed that he likes to race in front, contrary to what we would prefer. But he still fought all the way to the finish, and that is what is extraordinary. The jockey gave him a good ride and told us that he was a very good horse who would have his day when there is enough pace in the race. The horses finishing second and third are both four-year-olds. I think this generation of four-year-olds has plenty of quality.”
Al Rayyan Cup: unbeaten three-year-old Alkrar makes it three from three
The Al Rayyan Cup (Prix Kesberoy), open to three-year-olds, saw Alkrar preserve his unbeaten record after three starts. However, the François Rohaut-trained colt — whose Pau-based trainer also won this race last year — had to work hard to overcome the resistance of the filly Balsam.
The colt carries the Qatari colours of Al Wasmiyah Racing.
Race result
1st ALKRAR (C. Soumillon)
2nd BALSAM (P.-C. Boudot)
3rd ZAHIM (G. Guedj-Gay)
Margins: ¾ – 5 – 7/4. Time: 2:18.79
Connections’ reactions
François Rohaut (trainer of Alkrar, first) — based in Pau (64)
“Alkrar is still a little immature. He needs to strengthen up and learn how to gallop properly. There is still a great deal of improvement to come from him. He had to fight a little today, which is a good thing. I am pleased that he had to battle. We are bringing him along steadily. He will go to Saint-Cloud, and that will probably bring his season to an end. I continue to believe that he is a very good horse. The filly he beat also appears to have plenty of quality. Alkrar is progressing in the right direction, and we like to see horses improve in this way.”
Xavier Thomas-Demeaulte (trainer of Balsam, second) — based in Mont-de-Marsan (40)
“We are very pleased with Balsam. She enjoyed a good trip and travelled very easily throughout the race. She tried to challenge the winner, who proved superior, but she fully confirmed her ability. This run is also encouraging because it confirms that she stays the distance. The race will benefit her and help her toughen up, and we can now confidently consider taking her to Saint-Cloud for the Qatar Arabian Trophy des Pouliches (Group 1 PA).”
Thomas Fourcy (trainer of Zahim, third) — based in Les Mathes (17)
“We are very satisfied. Zahim ran extremely well. The objective was more than achieved, as we thought we would finish fourth. We knew that the winner was a very good horse, while the runner-up had also made an excellent impression on her debut. Admittedly, we finished some way behind, but our horse showed plenty of fighting spirit. We believe that he will be even better suited by softer ground. The plan now is to go to Saint-Cloud on Qatar Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe weekend, before deciding what comes next.”
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