HH The Amir Sword Festival 2026 reached a magnificent crescendo at the Qatar Racing and Equestrian Club on Saturday, 14 February, as His Highness the Amir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani personally crowned the winners of the feature contests on a day steeped in ceremony and elite competition. Across Arabian and Thoroughbred divisions, the HH The Amir Sword Festival delivered drama, quality and performances worthy of its stature as Qatar’s premier racing celebration.
The four-day showpiece concluded before a distinguished gathering, with trophies presented amid scenes of pride and celebration. Owners, trainers and riders who had battled through fiercely contested fields were rewarded on a finale that blended tradition with world-class sport.
Lippo De Carrere reigns in HH The Amir Sword Festival feature
The centrepiece of the HH The Amir Sword Festival was the Group 1 HH The Amir Sword over 2400 metres for Purebred Arabians, and it was Lippo De Carrere (Al Mourtajez x Elmanara De Carrere) who rose to the occasion in commanding style.
Representing Wathnan Racing and trained by Alban de Mieulle, the outstanding performer travelled sweetly within striking distance before producing a decisive turn of foot in the straight. Under Maxime Guyon, he surged to the front and held off the rallying Al Ghadeer to prevail by a length, securing the most prestigious Arabian title of the season. Al Ghadeer finished three lengths clear of HM Alchahine in third.
Earlier, Deep Monster (Deep Impact x Sisterly Love) captured the Group 2 HH The Amir Trophy over the same trip. The Yasutoshi Ikee-trained eight-year-old tracked the pace throughout before edging ahead inside the final furlong to defeat Goliath by a neck, with Giavellotto taking third after a sustained duel in the closing stages.
Alhaarith dazzles in Silver Sword
The HH The Amir Silver Sword produced one of the most striking performances of the meeting as Alhaarith (AF Al Buraq x Jamaheer) stormed to a seven-and-a-half-length success on his Qatar debut. Racing prominently throughout, the François Rohaut-trained colt quickened sharply in the straight under Christophe Soumillon to settle matters in emphatic fashion. Geina narrowly claimed second from Dawod in a tightly fought battle for the minor honours.
Basalt set the tone for the closing day when landing the HH The Amir Shalfa, a 2000m handicap for Thoroughbreds. Produced at precisely the right moment by Maxime Guyon, the Gassim Al Ghazali-trained grey edged a pulsating finish in which the first four were separated by the narrowest of margins.
International flair across the card
The HH The Amir Sword Festival continued to showcase its global appeal as Chdia dominated the Qatar International Cup, asserting with authority in the straight to record her sixth win from ten starts. Make Me King then returned to form in the Irish Thoroughbred Marketing Cup, drawing clear late to score decisively.
August George delivered one of the most thrilling finishes of the afternoon in the Al Rayyan Mile Cup, surging between rivals to win by a head in a blanket finish that had the grandstand on edge. Quinault made every yard count in the Dukhan Sprint Cup, controlling the tempo from the outset before holding firm to the line.
The meeting concluded with Wafei providing a fitting finale in the Qatar International Thoroughbred Handicap Cup, drawing clear in the straight to complete a remarkable day for connections and bringing the HH The Amir Sword Festival to a rousing close.
Throughout the ceremony, His Highness Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani presented the HH The Amir Shalfa, Silver Sword, Trophy and the HH The Amir Sword itself, underscoring the significance of an occasion that continues to strengthen Qatar’s standing on the international racing stage.
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