Ryan Moore and Christophe Soumillon among star names taking part at burgeoning Amir Sword Festival on Saturday

North Bridge gallops in front of the deserted grandstand at Al Rayyan this week. It will be a different scene on SaturdayCredit: Edward Whitaker (racingpost.com/photos)

The main event of Al Rayyan’s lucrative three-day HH Amir Sword Festival takes centre stage in Doha on Saturday, with Ryan Moore, Christophe Soumillon and Joao Moreira just three of the star names taking part, alongside a host of runners from Britain and Ireland.

Racing in the Middle East continues to be well supported by international connections, with Saturday's $6.8 million eight-race card attracting 102 declarations from eight different jurisdictions.

The meeting has attracted British-trained Breeders' Cup winners Mischief Magic and Rebel's Romance, underlining how Qatar is attracting an increasingly high calibre of European horses as part of a coordinated Middle Eastern programme alongside the UAE, Bahrain and Saudi Arabia.

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Liam HeaddLambourn correspondent

Published on 16 February 2024inQatar

Last updated 17:30, 16 February 2024

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