QREC chairman HE Sheikh Mohammed bin Faleh al-Thani (fourth from right) is seen with the winners of the Owners Cup at the Qatar Racing and Equestrian Club yesterday.
By Chris Hoover/Doha
La Hoor (Burning Sand-Pettra) scored a convincing victory in the Owner’s Cup, a local bred Pure Arabian Conditions race, which featured the eight-event card at the Qatar Racing and Equestrian Club yesterday. Jockey Marvin Suerland was in the limelight with a treble, which also included the feature race of the day.
Al Uraiq donned the role of the pace-setter with a tidy speed as the ten of them started off. La Hoor followed in close second, while Fouladh was also in handy third position. Into the homestretch for the final run, La Hoor was alighted to make its move by its jockey Suerland. The four-year-old son of Burning Sand showed plenty of maturity while heading to the front inside the last 300 metres for a trouble-free victory. Fouladh finished second of her stablemate Raedah.
Trainer and owner Hassan al-Matwi deserves all praise for tuning La Hoor into prime form. The Matwi trainee will be a strong contender for the forthcoming classics this season and is also likely to take part in Kahayla Classic in Dubai in March 2014. “I am very happy today as La Hoor beat one of the best horses here in Qatar. Though he has been in Qatar only since last week, La Hoor seems to be in good form. We will only target him in the classics. If all goes well we will take La Hoor to Dubai for the Kahayla Classic,” a delighted Matwi told the Gulf Times.
Jockey Suerland was also elated with the performance of La Hoor. “He is a brilliant colt and to win here was simply brilliant. He has been away in Europe and came back to Qatar only last week. La Hoor seems to be in good form and I am confident that he will be a live threat in the classics.”
Al Jeryan Stud’s Mustabdeel (Intikhab-Biddy May) made a smashing debut while annexing the local Thoroughbred Maiden Plate. Zahrat Al Sawsan hit the front early and brought the field into view on the home stretch. Mohammed al-Yaout trained Mustabseel tracked the leader all the way till entering the straight and improved readily to move alongside. In the final furlong Mustabseel headed past Zahrat Al Sawsan with jockey Suerland not having to exert any pressure and stretched out easily to open his account commendably. Zahrat Al Sawsan should benefit by this run. Napolean was a faraway third, while Al Zubara completed the frame.
Jockey Suerland drove out Al Rayyan Al Sakab to an exciting win in the Local Thoroughbred Conditions race, which witnessed a blanket finish for the first three places. Inside the final furlong, Al Bidahj appeared to have gone into a decisive lead even as Alban de Mieulle trained Baaria (David Bouland up) was taking time to accelerate but once she did, she came home with a big rush in the middle to dispute the lead. At this point Al Rayyan Al Sakab also came along with a sustained run on the outside. The three went past the wining post locked together. The photo finish revealed that Al Rayyan Al Sakab had pipped Baaria by a shorthead.
Julian Smart trained Candahar (Munjiz-Tohfa) was confidently piloted by Darren Williams to win the Pure Arabian Maiden Plate. Candahar set out in front followed by Ashkal and Al Baaz. As they moved into the straight for the final 400 metres, Candahar shifted out, while Ashkal began to quicken on the rails. However, Williams had Candahar in control and brought the Munjiz progeny back into contention. Inside the last 150 metres Candahar stepped up pace and travelled better record her first win in seven starts.Smart had another winner for the day when jockey Guillambert rode out Aziz Al Shahania to an exciting win in the Pure Arabian Graduation Plate. Vit’al Fauquey led the field with Aziz Al Shahania in close attendance followed by AJS Fath Elkheir while the rest were spaced behind. Rounding the final turn, Aziz Al Shahania shot ahead as Vit’al Fauquey failed to sustain his challenge. Aziz Al Shahania led till the final furlong at which time jockey Declan Cannon goaded Al Pacinoo to produce his patented burst of acceleration. The progeny of Akbar quickened easily but Aziz Al Shahania was unrelenting to the challenge and won by a head. Al Pacinoo deadheated with Harir for the second place.
Jockey Marco Monteriso had to use all the resources at his command to contain the challenge of TM Thunder Strucxk while steering Hassan al-Matwi’s Al Naksh to a thrilling victory in the Pure Arabian Conditions race. It was a fascinating duel between Al Naksh and TM Thunder Struck in the final stages of the race. After giving TM Thunder Struck a breather, Bouland brought the de Mieulle trainee into contention with a brilliant run, while Monteriso was unrelenting on the eventual winner. With the duo fighting each of the ground, it was Al Naksh that got stronger at the finish to win by a neck.
Trainer Mohamed Hussain picked up his second of the season with Samminder (Andrew Elliot up) putting in a gallant display to pip Beach Club at the winning post in the Thoroughbred Graduation Plate. This was a fighting finish as just when Beach Club looked set to land the spoils, Samminder started to mount a serious challenge. The duo battled it out all through the final 50 metres and the Elliot ridden Samminder just managed to nose out Beach Club at the wire.
Results:
1st race: Mustabseel (Marvin Suerland) 1, Zahrat Al Sawsan 2, Napolean 3, Al Zubara 4. Won by: 2 ½, 2 ½, Hd. Time: 1:13.63. Trained by: Mohammed al-Yaout. Owned by: Al Jeryan Stud
2nd race: Candahar (Darren Williams) 1, Ashkal 2, Al Baaz 3, Dominicus 4. Won by: 2, 5, 1. Time: 1:34.65. Trained by: Julian Smart. Owned by: HH Sheikh Mohammed bin Khalifa al-Thani
3rd race: Aziz Al Shahania (J.P. Guillambert ) 1, Al Pacinoo and Harir 2, AJS Fath Elkheir 4. Won by: Hd, Deadheat, 3 ½. Time: 1:31.92. Trained by: Julian Smart. Owned by: HH Sheikh Mohammed bin Khalifa al-Thani
4th race: Samminder (Andrew Elliot) 1, Beach Club 2, Botanic Garden 3, Kool Henry 4. Won by: Hd, ½, 1 ½. Time: 1:10.78. Trained by: Mohammed Hussain. Owned by: Mubarak Mohammed al-Khayarin
5th race: Sandbetweenourtoes (Stepahen Ladjadj) 1, Statesmanship 2, Compass Way 3, Lady Moonlight 4. Won by: 2, ¾, ½. Time: 1:23.32. Trained by: Jassim al-Ghazali. Owned by: Sheail bin Khalifa al-Kuwari
6th race: Al Rayyan Al Sakab (Marvin Suerland) 1, Baaria 2, Al Bidah 3, Al Shaqab 4. Won by: Shd, Shd, 1 ¾. Time: 1:25.33. Trained by: Mohammed Hamad al-Attiya. Owned by: Hamad bin Mohammed bin Abdullah al-Attiya
7th race: Al Nakhsh (Marco Monteriso) 1, TM Thunder Struck 2, AJS Qahir 3, Al Safi 4, Won by: Nk, 1 ¼, 1 ¼. Time: 1:18.88. Owned and trained by: Hassan Ali Hassan al-Matwi
8th race: La Hoor (Marvin Suerland) 1, Fouladh 2, Raedah 3, Laheeb Al Shahania 4. Won by: 2, 3, 1 ¾. Time: 1:30.50. Owned and trained by: Hassan Ali Hassan al-Matwi
