QREC vice-chairman Abdulaziz al-Malki, QREC general manager Sami Jassim al-Boenain and QREC deputy general manager Tariq Abdulhameed al-Sidiqie are seen with the winners of the Balhambar Cup at the Qatar Racing and Equestrian Club yesterday. PICTURES: Juhaim
By Chris Hoover/Doha
Zohair Moghsen trained Peter Anders relished the mile and a quarter trip and won the Al Ruwais Cup, a Thoroughbred Conditions race, which featured the races at the Qatar Racing and Equestrian Club yesterday. The five-year-old progeny of Pivotal won the race in his patented style of leading from the front in the manner of a true marshal.
Marvin Suerland had Peter Anders leading the charge from the start with Testudo in close proximity followed by the rest. The order remained the same as Peter Anders brought the field into the straight with Testudo putting up a stiff challenge. General Duke’s improved places to show up in the final furlong. Ningara came up with a spirited run but failed to quicken. Peter Anders was unrelenting to surrender the lead and won the race from Testudo sparing one and a half a length at the finish, while General Duke’s took the third place ahead of Ningara.
Ahmed Kobeissi saddled Sraab came with a sustained gallop in the last 100 metres to wrap up the Balhambar Cup, a Local Thoroughbreds Conditions race, which was the added attraction of the day. Jockey Salim Golam was astride the winner and completed a double for the day.
Al Mazrooah found herself in front and she set a steady pace for the seven furlong trip. Ohud was in second with Amirat Al Qaloob right up with the pace. Sraab settled down the tightly packed field, biding his time, but never too far from the leaders.
Al Mazrooah entered the straight with a slender lead with Aseer tagging along, while Majd made his move from the outside. Sraab picked up momentum on the outside and arrived with a blazing gallop. He collared Majd approaching the distance post and jockey Golam packed a punch in driving Sraab ahead using the whalebone sparingly as the Kobeissi trainee galloped away fluently to keep Majd at bay.
Al Jeryan Stud’s Intifidah broke through the maiden ranks while recording a facile win in the Pure Arabian Maiden Plate. The Mohammed al-Yaqout trained Intifidah (Alberto Sanna astride) went sailing clear inside the final 300 metres after racing upfront and won with plenty to spare from Ghazwat Dukhan, who was in futile chase of the winner.
Al Jeryan Stud took their second win for the day when Al Fateh came with a dazzling performance to win the Local Bred Pure Arabian Graduation Plate. After racing a handy second, jockey Gerald Avranche and Al Fateh surged ahead in the final furlong and went on to win with a measure of comfort.
Cloaked finally broke the jinx as the Debbie Mountain saddled filly produced a strong run in the homestretch to win the 1,400 metres Thoroughbred Maiden Plate. After being unsuccessful in her previous seven starts, Cloaked recorded her first career win due to the persevering efforts of jockey Evert Pheiffer. Though Marzog came with telling strides in the final 50 metres, Pheiffer did well to thwart the challenge and win by three quarters of a length.
Mouwash produced a superlative run to humble Al Sabeg in the straight. Al Sabeg had just taken over the running from Reemiyat Al Shabhanah and had hardly set sights on the winning post when Mouwash came crushing down on the front runner. The Zohair Moghsen trainee streaked ahead in no time and was safe and away to notch up a convincing victory in the Local Bred Pure Arabian Maiden Plate. Jockey Avranche was astride the winner. Dhalyek Al Naif came with a late flourish to snatch the second place from Sabeg.
Ibrahim al-Malki schooled Jumaira Tower put on a great performance to record his second win. The Malki trainee was brilliantly ridden by jockey Golam to victory in the Thoroughbred Handicap for horses rated 50 to 70. Jumaira Tower not in the best of positions early on, but made steady progress along the way. Protect was in the lead with Marked Card stalking her as they turned for home. On entering the homestretch, Enjoy Today had stolen a march and had a good momentum going as well. Meanwhile Jumaira Tower had made rapid progress to stay in touch with the pack. Once alerted to the task on hand, Jumaira Tower devoured ground in a trice and went past the field to win by two lengths. Too Nice Name came from way behind to pip Enjoy Today for second place.
Marcus Augustus from Mohammed al-Ramzani’s stables, who had finished second to City Zen in his previous outing, responded well to Qatari jockey Faleh Bughanaim’s urgings in the final 50 metres to win the Thoroughbred Handicap for horses rated 60 to 80. The talented Bughanaim’s power packed finish enabled the Ramzani trainee to keep at bay the challenge of Rio Grande and Twentyfourseven.
Results:
1st race: AJS Intifidah (Alberto Sanna) 1, Ghazwat Dukhan 2, Sahaba Al Uraiq 3, Babe 4. Won by: 3, 5, 3 ½. Time: 1:21.01. Trained by: Mohammed al-Yaqout. Owned by: Al Jeryan Stud
2nd race: Cloaked (Evert Pheiffer) 1, Marzog 2, Under My Wing 3, Dimity 4. Won by: ¾, 1 ½, Hd. Time: 1:24.92. Trained by: Debbie Mountain. Owned by: Hassan Ali Abdulmalik
3rd race: Mouwash (Gerald Avranche) 1, Dhalyek Al Naif 2, Al Sabeq 3, Sabeqah 4. Won by: 3 ½, 2, 2. Time: 2:06.74. Trained by: Zohair Moghsen. Owned by: Saif Tahous Al Jaffali al-Nuami
4th race: ajs Al Fateh (Gerald Avranche) 1, Maazouz 2, Kaydoum 3, AJS Admiral 4. Won by: 1 ½, ½, 1. Time: 1:20.10. Trained by: Mohammed al-Yaqout. Owned by: Al Jeryan Stud
5th race: Jumaira Tower (Salim Golam) 1, Too Nice Name 2, Enjoy Today 3, Princess Maya 4. Won by: 2, ½, Hd. Time: 1:54.28. Trained by: Ibrahim al-Malki. Owned by: Ibrahim Saeed al-Malki
6th race: Marcus Augustus (Faleh Bughanaim) 1, Rio Grande 2, Twentyfourseven 3, Lightning Launch 4. Won by: ½, Shd, Shd. Time: 1:12.25. Trained by: Mohammed al-Ramzani. Owned by: Mohammed Nasser al-Ramzani
7th race: Sraab (Salim Golam) 1, Majd 2, Aseer 3, Al Mazrooah 4. Won by: Hd, ½, 1 ¾. Time: 1:25.53. Trained by: Ahmed Kobeissi. Owned by: Mohammed Kazim Al Ansari and Sons
8th race: Peter Anders (Marvin Suerland) 1, Testudo 2, General Duke’s 3, Ningara 4. Won by: 1 ½, 1, 1 ¼. Time: 2:17.50. Trained by: Zoahir Moghsen. Owned by: Al Murqab Stud
1 . Jockey Salim Golam rides Sraab to an exciting win in the Balhmabar Cup at the Qatar Racing and Equestrian Club yesterday.
2. QREC chairman HE Sheikh Mohammed bin Faleh al-Thani (right) presents the Al Ruwais Cup to trainer Zohair Moghsen after his ward Peter Anders won the event at the QREC yesterday.
