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| Staff Writer |
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The recently concluded 2023-2024 racing season showcased outstanding achievements that underscore the dedication of the Qatar Racing and Equestrian Club (QREC) management, under the leadership of HE Issa bin Mohammed Al Mohannadi, in elevating Qatar’s equestrian sport to a level deserving of significant interest.
Their unwavering commitment to developing races and promoting Qatar’s horse racing on the global stage has been evident through the implementation of the highest standards upheld by renowned racecourses worldwide.
Additionally, the successful utilization of the Al Rayyan and the Al Uqda racecourses to host races throughout the season, as outlined in the pre-season program, further reinforces these accomplishments.
The QREC Racing Department's final statistics for the season reflect a significant collective effort. Looking ahead, ongoing work will ensure that the upcoming 2024-2025 season will continue to raise the bar, fostering intense competition among owners, trainers, and jockeys while maintaining and enhancing racing standards.
Abdulla Al Kubaisi, QREC Racing Manager, said, “We organised 67 race days during the last season, including 45 on both turf and sand at Al Rayyan and the rest on both turf and sand at Al Uqda. All went well as per the programme, which takes into account the start and end times of the season based on the weather conditions and the ratings of Arabians and Thoroughbreds to ensure largest possible number of horses have the opportunity to run in races, which suit their ages and abilities.
“According to the figures announced, last season saw 560 races, including 403 races in 45 race days at Al Rayyan Racecourse from 18 October 2023 until 25 April 2024, and 157 races in 22 race days at Al Uqda from 18 November 2023 until 2 March 2024.
“The season had 7,881 runners, including 5,754 at Al Rayyan and 2,127 Al Uqda. The total of the horses who made those runs is 1,227 horses, representing the total number of horses officially registered and actually ran at Al Rayyan and Al Uqda. Many horses normally run on several occasions throughout the season as deemed appropriate by their respective owners and trainers,” added Al Kubaisi.
Speaking about the prize money, Abdulla Al Kubaisi said, “The 2023-2024 season saw the prize money reaching an unprecedented figure in QREC’s history, as the total prize money reached QR87,510,520, of which 78,030,520 million were in the races held at Al Rayyan and the rest for the races held at Al Uqda. We have reached this figure as a result of the significant increase in the prize money of the HH The Amir Sword Festival, which reached US$10 million for the second season in a row, which contributed to raising the standard, enhancing the stature of the Festival in the region and attracting several runners from European and Asian countries. For the first time, the minimum of prize money of a feature race was QR120,000.”