The Qatar Racing & Equestrian Club (QREC) sponsored Phoenix Sprint Stakes, Group 3, produced a thrilling finish between the Tim Easterby trained Mattmu and the Mick Halford trained Toscanini at the Curragh on Sunday. The English raider, Mattmu, just got the verdict by a short head. The Edward Lynam trained Fort Del Oro and Anthem Alexander completed the frame respectively.
A Group Two winner in France as a juvenile, when he was kept especially busy, the only time he has been out of the first three in his 13-race career was when he finished fifth in the Sandy Lane Stakes at Haydock.
Mick Halford’s Toscanini set out to make it a real test and it was all too much for the red-hot favourite Anthem Alexander, who was never travelling. Entering the final furlong there was only Mattmu in striking distance and David Allan managed to force his mount in front just a couple of strides before the line
Nasser Sherida al-Kaabi, QREC General Manager, was present and presented the trophies to the winners.
“We are very pleased to have secured the sponsorship of the Group 3 Phoenix Sprint at the Curragh”, he said. “It signifies our first sponsorship with the Irish thoroughbred industry and we look forward to more association with the Irish racing industry in future. Ireland compete on the global stage with their horses and we hope that we will see some runners from Ireland at the HH the Emir’s Sword Festival, in Qatar, in February, 2016.”
Jockey Allan was elated with his first win in Ireland. “That’s my first winner in Ireland. Mattmu is as hard as nails, a really tough three-year-old. He’s finished out of the first three only once and that was at Haydock where the ground was very loose and he couldn’t get a grip.”