Alban de Mieulle-trained Majeed ended the season with a flourish for Umm Qarn, winning the Al Kharrarah Cup, the 1850m turf feature at the Qatar Racing and Equestrian Club (QREC) yesterday.
The win, Umm Qarn’s 35th in the season, saw Stephan Ladjadj guide Majeed to a half-a-length victory over Al Jeryan Stud owned duo – AJS Gannas, trained by Hadi al-Ramzani, and AJS Al Rayyan, schooled by Jassim Ghazali.
“It has been a nice season for us and I am very pleased for (HH) Sheikh Abdullah (bin Khalifa al-Thani),” De Mieulle told Gulf Times yesterday.
Umm Qarn has topped the owners’ championship.
In the longest race of the day, Saleem Golam notched up yet another win, ending his season on a high, riding Ibrahim al-Malki-trained Open ‘N Shut to victory in the Class 1 Thoroughbred Conditions event for horses rated 96-115.
In the mile-and-a-half-long race, Golam, riding in the silks of Sheikh Faisal bin Hamad bin Jassim al-Thani, had his mount follow the early leader, Ahmed Kobeissi-saddled Fort Moville, before making the move coming off the final bend.
Open N’Shut steadily surged forward to past the post half-a-length ahead of Alberto Sanna-ridden Fourioso, while Fort Moville settled for third.
“He ran a great race. He was lightly raced so far in the season, so he did really well. I expect him to improve next year, and hopefully he will tackle the bigger races,” Golam told Gulf Times after the win.
Talking about his own season that saw him in the saddle of 24 winners, he said, “Last month or so has been really good. I rode some 15 winners in that time. Winning and ending the season on a high is always the idea.”
Ghazali added three more wins to his tally to finish the season with 87 wins and on top of the standings once again.
Yesterday, after two of his horses shed their respective status, Richard Mullen guided Mosayter to a fine victory in the mile-long Local Thoroughbred Handicap event for horses rated 70-100.
Earlier in the day, Ghazali-trained Karama made a winning debut under Tadgh O’Shea, topping the Local Purebred Arabian Maiden Plate event, while Farfale bounced back from some disappointing finishes in her last two outings for a win in the Purebred Arabian Maiden Plate under Tadgh O’Shea.
In the fourth race of the day, Richard Mullen-ridden Mosayter took advantage of a close tussle between Deborah Mountain-trained Zuzi, helmed by Rashid al-Marri, and De Mieulle-trained Mutawassal, with Ladjadj astride, in the final furlong to register his second win this season.
Zuzi, who had set the pace early on, held on from Mutawassal for very close second by a head.
Mullen’s second victory of the day was with Botanica, schooled by Ghazali Junior, Mohamed.
Botanica, owned by Mohamed bin Ahmed bin Mohamed al-Attiyah, had little trouble going past early leader Harry’s Dancer on the home stretch, and then held on well against a fast-closing Hillside Dream to win the Class 2 Thoroughbred Conditions event for the fillies and mares rated 115 and below.
Osama al-Dhafa’s Sarrab was the other horse to register her first victory on the final day of the season.
Ladjadj guided the three-year-old filly for a three-length victory in the six-furlong Thoroughbred Maiden Plate.
 
RESULTS
Race 1: 1. Karama (Tadgh O’Shea), 2. Aws (Adnan Hawa), 3. Ostorah Dukhan (Marco Monteriso), 4. Radhwa (Marvin Suerland). Won by: 1 ½, 1 ¼, 1 ¼. Time: 1:32.327. Owner: Sheail bin Khalifa al-Kuwari. Trainer: Jassim Ghazali.
Race 2: 1. Sarrab (Stephan Ladjadj), 2. Al Mikdam (Gerald Avranche), 3. AG Magnum (Faleh Bughanaim), 4. Holy Roman Prince (Marco Monteriso). Won by: 3, 1, 2. Time: 1:10.402. Owner: Osama Omar al-Dhafea. Trainer: Osama al-Dhafa.
Race 3: 1. Farfale (Tadgh O’Shea), 2. Aneedah (Stephan Ladjadj), 3. Laith (Gerald Avranche), 4. Djumana KB (Tomas Lukasek). Won by: 1, ½, Nk. Time: 2:19.577. Owner: Khalifa bin Sheail al-Kuwari. Trainer: Jassim Ghazali.
Race 4: 1. Mosayter (Richard Mullen), 2. Zuzi (Rashid al-Marri), 3. Mutawassal (Stephan Ladjadj), 4. Asaaf (Gerald Avranche). Won by: ½, Hd, 2. Time: 1:37.369. Owner: Khalifa bin Sheail al-Kuwari. Trainer: Jassim Ghazali.
Race 5: 1. Open ‘N Shut (Saleem Golam), 2. Fourioso (Alberto Sanna), 3. Fort Moville (Gerald Avranche), 4. Duke of Dundee (Stephan Ladjadj). Won by: ½, ½, Hd. Time: 2:34.90. Owner: Sheikh Faisal bin Hamad bin Jassim al-Thani. Trainer: Ibrahim al-Malki.
Race 6: 1. Botanica (Richard Mullen), 2. Hillside Dream (Tadgh O’Shea), 3. Tea Leaf (Marco Monteriso), 4. Al Muraqabah (JP Guillambert). Won by: ¾, 1 ¾, Nk. Time: 1:33.847. Owner: Mohamed bin Ahmed bin Mohamed al-Attiyah. Trainer: Mohamed Jassim Ghazali.
Race 7: 1. Majeed (Stephan Ladjadj), 2. AJS Gannas (Alberto Sanna), 3. AJS Al Rayyan (Richard Mullen), 4. Rassan (Almotasem al-Balushi). Won by: ½, ½, 1 ¼. Time: Owner: Umm Qarn. Trainer: Alban de Mieulle.