Umm Qarn’s Majeed and Al Jeryan Stud’s AJS Al Rayyan ensured an exciting start to the three-day HH The Emir’s Sword Festival at the Qatar Racing and Equestrian Club (QREC) yesterday.
There was very little to set the two Amer colts apart at the post, with trainers Alban de Mieulle and Jassim Ghazali going through some anxious moments after the 2000m Qatar Local Purebred Arabian Trophy, yesterday’s feature.
Eventually the Umm Qarn’s seven-year-old, ridden by Olivier Peslier, was announced the winner by smallest of margins, with a lunging head the difference, and in sporting fashion Ghazali and De Mieulle shook hands on the result.
“It was very close and Olivier did well. After the turn the horse was on the outside and was very keen to go. Olivier also was keen, and he let Majeed move. So that was a challenge but I am very happy we won. In my opinion, we should have more easily but he moved ahead too early,” De Mieulle told Gulf Times after the race.
“The meeting has started on a good note but this meet is a big challenge with all the quality horses coming from abroad. We saw some nice horses and races today.
“I am a little bit disappointed because one of my horses (Diese) finished second but then he is a maiden with very little experience. I do expect him to do well in the future.”
While the Frenchman had only one winner on the day, Ghazali had two, including Caid De L’Ardus and Hillside Dream, both ridden by Harry Bentley to victory. Bentley’s third win on the day was with Thorndyke, schooled by Ghazali’s son, Mohamed.
Ibrahim al-Malki’s only winner of the day was Adham, ridden by Eduardo Pedroza to the colt’s fifth career victory in the Class 3 Thoroughbred Handicap event for horses rated 76-90.
Al-Malki’s other ward in the race, Shaka Zulu, took the early lead in the six furlong sprint but was passed by Adham and Deborah Mountain-trained Palmetto Dunes, ridden by Marco Monteriso, two furlongs from the post.
Adham got to the post first, even as a fast approaching Hope Cove, a Ghazali ward ridden by Bentley, edged out Monteriso’s ride for the second spot.
Shaheen bin Khalid Shaheen al-Ghanim-owned Hillside Dream led a one-two for trainer Ghazali in the Class 5 Thoroughbred Handicap event for horses rated 56-75.
Helmed by Bentley, Hillside Dream had won over the same course and distance on her Qatar debut in January, and yesterday too the four-year-old filly won comfortably, finishing a little under two lengths ahead of Substantiate, under Almotasem al-Balushi’s ride.
Adnan Hawa guided Red Connect to third for trainer Hadi al-Ramzani.
The top owner-trainer-jockey from last year came together to pick up their first win of the three-day festival when Bentley, in the silks of Khalifa bin Sheail al-Kuwari, guided Ghazali-schooled Caid De L’Ardus to his second straight victory in Qatar yesterday.
In the seven furlong Purebred Arabian Cup, the five-year-old colt moved into the lead early on and had little trouble in keeping a clean pair of heels, winning by three and a half lengths. Julian Smart’s duo She’ris and Hagwa finished second and third respectively. “He has some natural speed going for him. Just a few flicks and he was off,” Bentley said after the race.
In the first race of the day, Italian jockey Elisabetta Marcialis picked up the maximum number of points (20 points), riding Pierre Deymonaz-saddled Namroud to his second victory in Qatar.
The mile-long race, first of the 2017 Longines World Fegentri Championship — For Lady Riders, saw Umm Qarn’s Taima take the lead early on with Namroud right behind. Coming off the final bend, Namroud stepped out and eased past Larissa Biess’ mount with 100m to go.
Falot Del Falot, ridden by Bethany Baumgardner of the USA, was third for Hassan al-Matwi.
In the two maiden races, Bentley rode Mohamed Jassim Ghazali-saddled Thorndyke to the three-year-old gelding’s first victory in the Class 6 Thoroughbred Maiden Plate, while Andrew Elliot guided Hussein Aashoor-trained Al Mirzem to a victory in the Purebred Arabian Maiden Plate.

RESULTS
Race 1:
1. Namroud (Elisabetta Marcialis), 2. Taima (Larissa Biess), 3. Falot Del Falot (Bethany Baumgardner), 4. Bouhour (Sara Vermeersch). Won by: 1 ¼, 5, 1 ¼. Time: 1:48.42. Owner: Sheikh Khalifa bin Mohamed bin Khalifa al-Thani. Trainer: Pierre Deymonaz.
Race 2: 1. Caid De L’Ardus (Harry Bentley), 2. She’ris (Alberto Sanna), 3. Hagwa (Marco Monteriso), 4. Bayriq (Darren Williams). Won by: 3 ½, Shd, 1 ¼. Time: 1:30.92. Owner: Khalifa bin Sheail al-Kuwari. Trainer: Jassim Ghazali.
Race 3: 1. Thorndyke (Harry Bentley), 2. Moueen (Saleem Golam), 3. Poet’s Song (Faleh Bughanaim), 4. Middawi (JP Guillambert). Won by: Shd, ½, 2. Time: 1:11.28. Owner: Khalifa bin Sheail al-Kuwari. Trainer: Mohamed Jassim Ghazali.
Race 4: 1. Al Mirzem (Andrew Elliot), 2. Diese (Jean Baptiste Hamel), 3. Mohssn (Alberto Sanna), 4. Waqaar (Gaetan Faucon). Won by: Hd, 1, ¾. Time: 1:32.45. Owner: Nasser Abdullah Khalifa al-Attiyah. Trainer: Hussein Aashoor.
Race 5: 1. Hillside Dream (Harry Bentley), 2. Substantiate (Almotasem Al Balushi), 3. Red Connect (Adnan Hawa), 4. Ras Abrouq (Marco Monteriso). Won by: 1 ¾, Shd, 1 ½. Time: 1:24.55. Owner: Shaheen bin Khalid Shaheen al-Ghanim. Trainer: Jassim Ghazali.
Race 6: 1. Adham (Eduardo Pedroza), 2. Hope Cove (Harry Bentley), 3. Palmetto Dunes (Marco Monteriso), 4. Perigee (Almotasem Al Balushi). Won by: ¾, Nk, ½. Time: 1:11.37. Owner: Abdulatif Hussain al-Emadi. Trainer: Ibrahim al-Malki.
Race 7: 1. Majeed (Olivier Peslier), 2. AJS Al Rayyan (Harry Bentley), 3. Reda (Marco Monteriso), 4. Damas (Jean Baptiste Hamel). Won by: Shd, ½, 1. Time: 2:15.62. Owner: Umm Qarn. Trainer: Alban de Mieulle.

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