Khalifa Bin Sheail Al Kuwari’s globetrotting purebred Arabian LADY PRINCESS (General x Nacree Al Maury) recorded her seventh Gr.1 success with an excellent performance to take the Sheikh Mansoor Festival – Criterium des Pouliches at La Teste de Buch, France, on Tuesday, July 6th.
The April-born, six-year-old is trained in Royan by Thomas Fourcy and was making her return to action, having not been seen since landing Gr.1 honours when she added the H.H. The Amir Sword to her impressive record at Al Rayyan, Doha in February.
One of the most exciting purebred Arabians in training, Lady Princess has won Gr.1’s in France, the UK, the UAE and Qatar, and was agonizingly beaten a short-head in last season’s Gr.1 Qatar Arabian World Cup, which was won by Hoggar De l’Ardus (Mister Ginoux) at ParisLongchamp.
Dropped back to 1,900m for the contest, in which she finished second last term, Lady Princess was held up towards the rear of the six-runner field, behind an easy pace set by Elaf (Rabbah De Carrere). When asked by her jockey Christophe Soumillon for her effort at the top of the straight, the short-priced favourite Lady Princess closed strongly and headed Teema (Bibi De Carrere) in the shadows of the post to score readily by three quarters of a length. The runner-up, Teema, was ridden by Ioritz Mendizabal. Elaf was further two and a half lengths behind in third under Anthony Crastus. Both the second and the third-placed runners represented Yas Horse Racing Management and are trained by X. Thomas-Demeaulte.
Bred by Earl du Champ Ginioux and Mrs. Elodie Bellaud, Lady Princess is by multiple Group One winner General (Amer) and is out of Group Three winner Nacree Al Maury (Kesberoy), who also produced Group One winner and stallion Mister Ginoux.
Source: Qatar Racing & Equestrian Club