QREC chairman HE Sheikh Mohamed bin Faleh al-Thani (third from left) and QREC general manager Nasser Sherida al-Kaabi (third from right) are seen with the winners of the Rodat Al Maida Cup yesterday. PICTURES: Juhaim
By Sports Reporter/Doha
HH Sheikh Mohammed bin Khalifa al-Thani’s Qassy (Mared Al Sahra - The Write Stuff) posted a thrilling victory over Shaklan in the Rodat Al Maida Cup, a Pure Arabian Conditions race, run over 1800 metres, which featured the eight-event card at the Qatar Racing and Equestrian Club yesterday.
After a fierce battle for supremacy in the final furlong, Qassy and Shaklan fought every inch of the ground before the former prevailed by a whisker at the finish. In form jockey Harry Bentley was astride the winner and took his tally to whopping 81 winners for the season.
Mubarak Saeed Aljafai al-Naimi’s Glossy Posse was brilliantly ridden out by jockey Gerald Avranche to win the Thoroughbred Handicap for horses rated 75 to 95. Glossy Posse raced in a third- fourth position till entering the straight and started to improve inside the last 300 metres, Majid Safedeen trained Glossy Posse then stretched away to win quite comfortably and clinch his fourth win in 25 starts. Upholland and Rockinante finished second and third respectively
Injaaz Stud’s Al Marboush was brilliantly ridden by Bentley to victory in the Local Bred Pure Arabian Maiden Plate. Al Marboush set the pace for the race and when the field straightened out for the home stretch, the Jassim al-Ghazali trainee stretched away nicely and won by three lengths from Ghazwat Dukhan.
Hassan Ali Abdulmalik owned Bersha shed his maiden status under Evert Pheiffer in the Local Thoroughbred Handicap for horses rated 60 and below. The Debbie Mountain trained four-year-old bay raced a handy second-third position before stretching out impressively inside the last furlong to win by two lengths. Al Naif Alpha chased the winner to finish second ahead of Mustabseel.
HH Sheikh Mohammed bin Khalifa al-Thani owned Hymenaios was ridden out by jockey Bentley to win the Thoroughbred Graduation Plate. Hymenaios raced in a mid position till entering the straight and started to improve inside the last 300 metres, who then stretched away to win quite comfortably. Trainer Ghazali saddled the winner.
In a thrilling contest, Jassim Mohamed Al Gazali & Sons owned Al Waab (Salim Golam up) rallied strongly to beat stable mate Dheram Al Naif close home in the Pure Arabian Graduation Plate. Mouwash and Khafouqi completed the frame.
Dhafi Al Ardi Al Marri’s Napinda (Marco Monteriso up) scored an impressive victory in the Thoroughbred Handicap for horses rated 50 to 70. The Mohammed Hussain trained Napinda shot to the lead inside the final furlong and stretched away to win by two and half length from Elastomer.
Shaheen bin Khalid Shaheen al-Ghanim owned Urban Dreamer (Bentley up) clinched the Thoroughbred Handicap for horses rated 60 to 80. Rebelde finished one and quarter length behind the winner, while The Scuttler was behind in third place ahead of Saakhen.
RESULTS
1st race: Al Marboush (Harry Bentley) 1, Ghazwat Dukhan 2, Taima 3, Babe 4. Won by: 3, 5, 1. Time: 1:10.84. Trained by: Jassim al-Ghazali. Owned by: Injaaz Stud.
2nd race: Bersha (Evert Pheiffer) 1, Al Naif Alpha 2, Mustabseel 3, Barraq 4. Won by: 2, Nk, 2½. Time: 1:11:77. Trained by: Debbie Mountain. Owned by : Hassan Ali Abdulmalik.
3rd race: Hymenaios (Harry Bentley) 1, Kalahari Kingdom 2, Three Cliffs 3, Bal De France 4. Won by: 2½, 3, 3. Time: 1:53:22. Trained by: Jassim al-Ghazali. Owned by: HH Sheikh Mohammed bin Khalifa al-Thani.
4th race: Al Waab (Salim Golam ) 1, Dheram Al Naif 2, Mouwash 3, Khafouqi 4. Won by: Nk, Nk, 1¼. Time: 1:18.73. Trained by: Jassim al-Ghazali. Owned by: Jassim Mohamed Al Gazali & Sons.
5th race: Napinda (Marco Monteriso) 1, Elastomer 2, Statesmanship 3, Fugleman 4. Won by: 2 ½, ¾, Sh hd. Time: 2:00:98. Trained by: Mohammed Hussain. Owned by: Dhafi Al Ardi Al Marri.
6th race: Urban Dreamer (Harry Bentley) 1, Rebelde 2, The Scuttler 3, Saakhen 4. Won by: 1 ¼, ½, 3. Time: 1:10:12. Trained by : Jassim al-Ghazali. Owned by: Shaheen bin Khalid Shaheen al-Ghanim.
7th race: Glossy Posse (Gerald Avranche) 1, Upholland 2, Rockinante 3, Mefraas 4. Won by: ¾, 5, 3. Time: 1:58:60. Trained by: Majid Safedeen. Owned by: Mubarak Saeed Aljafai Al Naimi.
8th race: Qassy (Harry Bentley) 1, Shaklan 2, Mazzouz 3, Harran 4. Won by: Shd, 1 ¼, 1¼. Time: 2:01:74. Trained by: Jassim al-Ghazali. Owned: HH Sheikh Mohammed bin Khalifa al-Thani.
BELOW:
1) QREC chairman HE Sheikh Mohamed bin Faleh al-Thani presents the Rodat Al Maida Cup to trainer Jassim al-Ghazali at the QREC yesterday. Right: QREC chairman HE Sheikh Mohamed bin Faleh al-Thani presents the Rodat Al Maida Cup to Al Shahania Stud manager Alexandra Newman at the QREC yesterday.
2) Jockey Harry Bentley rides Qassy to a thrilling victory over Shaklan in the feature event at the QREC yesterday.
