Ronan Whelan rides Hawk Mountain during the race. PIC: The Curragh / Inpho
Doha, Qatar: In continuation of Qatar Racing and Equestrian Club’s (QREC) efforts to reinforce its global presence through sponsoring some of the most prestigious horse races on the international stage, the Gr2 Qatar Racing & Equestrian Club Beresford Stakes was staged at the Curragh, Ireland, yesterday.
The QREC-sponsored 1600m race for two-year-old thoroughbreds was landed by Hawk Mountain, trained by Aidan O’Brien, ridden by Ronan Whelan and owned by Derrick Smith, Mrs John Magnier and Michael Tabor.
Ahmed Aman Alla Al-Sheebani, Director of QREC Support Services Department, presented the trophies to the winners.
With this victory under his belt Hawk Mountain confirmed his class and promising start. After breaking his maiden on his second start over this course and distance, he took the step up in class with authority and is now a Gr.2 winner following just his third start.
Facing four rivals in the Qatar Racing & Equestrian Club Beresford Stakes, he dictated the pace from the start, showed a sharp turn of foot when it mattered and stamped his authority with a decisive victory, underlining his growing reputation on the juvenile scene.
It is worth noting that the QREC’s sponsorship of the race comes as part of its long-term strategy to maintain a strong presence and promote the participation of Qatari owners’ horses in the biggest races at the top European and international racecourses.
Over the past years, this strategy has brought numerous benefits, including victories in major international races, opportunities for Qatari owners to compete at the highest level and direct exposure for Qatari trainers and jockeys to the world’s finest equestrian talent, training methods, and racing standards.
