Qatar’s Austral beats Bahrain challenge in International Handicap

Jean de Mieulle’s runner was given a cool ride by Christophe Soumillon

Image: Austral (FR) strikes in the grey Al Shaqab silks for Christophe Soumillon in the US$500k Saudi International Handicap

Credit: Jockey Club of Saudi Arabia //Mathea Kelley

Saturday 22 February, 2025 – This year’s US$500k Saudi International Handicap presented by NHC went the way of Qatar and Austral (FR) in the grey and maroon silks of Al Shaqab.

It was a very different case to 12 months ago, where Jean de Mieulle’s runner finished second-last in the same race, but he could have no better better partner than Belgian-born Christophe Soumillon, one of the world’s elite riders, who gave him a ground-saving ride on the inside rail.

Bahrain rider Qaader (IRE) set a steady pace and kept himself in pole position almost the whole way in the 2100m affair but was passed by his compatriot and eventual runner-up Cracksking (GB) on his outside in the closing stages as Austral (FR) poked between them and Soumillon drove him a length clear, passing the line in 2:09.689.

Quotes

Christophe Soumillon, jockey, Austral, 1st: "It wasn’t easy. The pace was quite slow, especially on the first corner on the back straight. I was in good position, but unfortunately a horse hung out so I didn’t have a clear run. Luckily this horse loves to fight, he did exactly the same thing in Qatar. He’s got a big heart.

"Last year we were a bit unlucky but Jean was very confident before the race. We had a really good draw and when you have a horse that is quick out of the stalls, it's always an advantage.

"In front the pace suddenly slowed down and I was going a bit too well. I could feel that he still had lots left in the tank. He is a real fighter and when I asked him to quicken 250m from the post, he was already accelerating himself and just gave everything.

"I’m really glad that we found the opening. It's a very important win, to win here after some big wins last week, it's important for Qatar, for the owners, for the entire team."

Jean de Mieulle, trainer, Austral: "I'm on cloud nine. I ride him nearly every day myself and this is a different feeling. It's just incredible. We had to nurture this horse because he ran in this race last year and unfortunately he got a knee injury. We never really found what was exactly wrong and we gave him a lot of time off.

"And he has come back with a lot of enthusiasm. He is so easy to train and as I said, I ride him nearly every day. He is a big horse so he can carry me! It's just such a pleasure to win a thoroughbred abroad for Al Shaqab Racing. I have a stable in France, so we can have a plan for the summer in France now, maybe go for a Listed race."

Alberto Sanna, jockey, Qaader, 3rd: "I had to use him from the outside to come around. He was forced to make the pace and I tried to set it as slowly as I could. Don’t forget I was carrying 61kg and the horse was just coming back from two weeks and hadn’t run for one year. It was a big run."

John Velazquez, jockey, My Frankel, 4th: "He ran really well. I was right behind the winner. He didn’t have as quick turn of foot as the winner."

Oisin Murphy, jockey Aafoor, 5th: "The speed was slow in the race. Christophe Soumillon's horse did very well and has a good turn of foot."