Sheikh Abdullah’s Qaiser opens his account

Olivier Peslier rides Qaiser to Prix Carrus victory at Lyon-Parilly in France on Thursday. (Studio Henri Durand)

Qaiser made it third time lucky on Thursday. The representative of His Highness Sheikh Abdullah bin Khalifa al-Thani was coming off a creditable fourth at Toulouse, having first visited the racecourse in mid-January following his debut third. Making his first visit to Lyon-Parilly, the three-year-old colt trained by Antoine de Watrigant, showed that he has made big strides forward in the wake of his victory in Prix Carrus, a 2,200m race for three-year-old maidens, after powering his way to victory under Oliver Peslier. Smartly away and always prominent, Qaiser quickened into the lead halfway up the straight, and he left Inveterate toiling five lengths in his wake to finish second for trainer Miss J. Soudan and jockey Alexis Pouchin. Where Chop was further length and a quarter behind in third for trainer R. Philippon and jockey Stephane Laurent. Qaiser is a son of Charm Spirit, a stallion based at the Haras du Logis Saint Germain, and Holly Polly. The latter won three races in France and was second in the Langer Hamburger (LR) over 3,200m. He is a grandson of the Pretty Polly Stakes (Group 2) heroine Hanami. This is the family of the Prix de Royallieu (Group 2) winner and Prix Vermeille (Group 1) third The Juliet Rose.