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Qatar has quickly become a popular international destination in the racing world with horses from nine countries nominated for next month’s Sword Festival.

There are 78 international entries from three different continents for the six international races to be run on turf at Al Rayyan racecourse on February 23 and 24.

The six races offer total prizemoney of $US2.95 million.

The showpiece thoroughbred event is the $US1 million Emir’s Trophy. The mile and a half contest has attracted 53 entries from eight different countries.

They are led by Chemical Charge, a G3 winner in Britain last September; US entry Money Multiplier, successful in last year’s G2 Monmouth Stakes; and last year’s runner-up Noor Al Hawa, trained in Germany by Andreas Wohler.

Ralph Beckett, trainer of Chemical Charge, said: “The plan is for Chemical Charge to run in Qatar at the end of next month.

“He is in good shape and the race could have been written for him as he wants fast ground and a right-handed track, so it should suit him ideally.

“He will be my first runner out there. I was delighted with his fourth place in Hong Kong last month – it was a career best run and he was beaten less than three lengths by Highland Reel.”

Other foreign contenders are Italian Derby and Qatar Derby winner Mac Mahon and the Japanese-trained pair Mondo Intero and Toshin Monstera.

Other highlights of the festival are the $US250,000 Al Biddah Mile for three-year-olds and the $US250,000 Dukhan Sprint.

Tip Two Win, trained by Roger Teal from the UK, won the Al Rayyan Stakes in Qatar four weeks ago and will be one of the leading contenders for the Al Biddah Mile.

The $US200,000 Irish Thoroughbred Marketing Cup over a mile has attracted Robin Of Navan, trained in Britain by Harry Dunlop and a G2 winner at Chantilly in France, and the popular Irish-trained 10-year-old Gordon Lord Byron, a three-time G1 hero.

The Purebred Arabian feature race is the $1 million Emir’s Sword over a mile and a half.