Donworth and Watrigant among familiar names aiming for glory in Casablanca as Morocco International Meeting turns ten

Casablanca's two-day gala meeting, the Morocco International, celebrates its tenth edition this weekend, with Anfa racecourse drawing runners from across Europe to take on the best of the home team. 

Sunday's Purebred Arabian fixture is highlighted by the Group 2 Prix Sa Majeste Roi Mohammed VI and the Group 3 Prix du Prince Heritier Moulay Al Hassan, but before that eight thoroughbred races make up the card on Saturday, headlined by the Grand Prix de la Sorec. 

The race is Morocco's leg of the Defi du Galop – which is a series of middle-distance races run at mostly Listed level across France – and features a full field of 16 runners. 

Among the familiar names bidding to take the prize back to France are Tim Donworth, rising star of the Chantilly training ranks, and Antoine de Watrigant, whose international exploits include winning the Group 1 Mackinnon Stakes at Flemington with Gailo Chop. 

Watrigant has plenty of experience of Anfa racecourse as well as its sister track in Marrakesh, having previously targeted the Purebred Arabian prizes at the International du Maroc.

Antoine de Watrigant has won both the major Arabian races at the International du MarocCredit: Racing Post/Burton

"You need a horse that is very light on their feet and who breaks well," said Watrigant. "The track is quite deep sand so you don't want to be too far behind and getting a lot of kickback. 

"You need to be somewhere near the lead though you don't necessarily have to make the running, and you want to get your horse to relax because they'll need to stay well. 

"For those reasons you can see them running four or five wide at stages in the race as nobody wants to be too far back."

Of his chances of winning the Grand Prix, Watrigant added: "I'm taking Veritable, who loves heavy ground on the turf and who I can only run right-handed, as he tends to lean that way. 

"He takes the travel well, and this is an opportunity for him to run for excellent prize-money."

Watrigant praised how well run the meeting is, as well as the warm welcome rolled out for foreign visitors. 

"You have the assurance of France Galop's support, and not only because the meeting hosts a leg of their series, the Defi du Galop," said Watrigant. "France Galop are also heavily involved with the veterinary services and doping control, so there's reassurance that Moroccan racing is well run and very clean. 

"The horses have been flown down from Toulouse this morning which is ideal, and the authorities have created a new reception and training centre for the foreign runners. My travelling head lad is down there and reports it's beautifully done and it's all part of the effort to demonstrate to foreign connections that this is a place you want to have runners."

Tim Donworth will be breaking new ground when Havrianka lines up in CasablancaCredit: Racing Post/Burton

Tim Donworth will be having his first runner at the meeting in the shape of Havrianka, who was third in a Listed trial for the German Oaks over an inadequate mile and a quarter earlier this year.

"It will be my first time in Africa and I'm really looking forward to it," said Donworth. "It's an invitational race with a good purse and I've been highly motivated to have a runner for my very enterprising owners Mohamed Azzedine Siderati of Fal Stud, who are among the leading owners and breeders in Morocco and have been very supportive of me. 

"Havrianka has had a busy campaign but she's been successful, winning three races and is black-type placed. She stays a mile and a half well and although she has to prove she takes to the surface and is a three-year-old filly against older horses, she's in good nick and hopefully she gets a good trip round."

The ambition of the Moroccan racing authority SOREC to advance the sport in the kingdom is clear, with hopes of achieving Listed status for the Grand Prix within the near future.

The International du Maroc celebrates its tenth edition this weekend in CasablancaCredit: Sorec

SOREC'S director general Omar Skalli said: "The Morocco International Meeting is the culmination of all the efforts made over the last decades to position Moroccan horse racing at an international level, through the improvement of the quality of the horses which race, and also through the development of numerous partnerships and collaborations with various international authorities and federations, thus aiming to raise horse racing to international standards.

"The Grand Prix of His Majesty King Mohammed VI for the Purebred Arabian is the proof, with the move this year from Group 3 to Group 2, which is part of a continuous improvement approach. Today, along with his strategic vision, SOREC is aiming to upgrade the thoroughbred races to Listed, starting with the feature race, the Grand Prix de la SOREC – Defi du Galop."

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