In the Purebred Arabian Plate for three-year-olds, Arghad just about managed to hold on by narrowest of margins

After a quiet 2016-2017 season, Mohamed bin Hamad Khalifa al-Attiyah’s Zman Awal began the new season with a bang, a victory in the Al Ghariya Cup, the feature race for Thoroughbred fillies and mares at the Qatar Racing and Equestrian Club (QREC) yesterday.
Alberto Sanna had the six-year-old daughter of Dubawi track the early leader Botanica before moving through traffic on the final stretch and eventually beating Mohamed Ghazali-trained seven-year-old, helmed by JP Guillambert, by a length. Hillside Dream, saddled by Champion Trainer Jassim Ghazali, was third under Pier Convertino . “She was a good filly before. Then last year, I really didn’t know what happened; she wasn’t so sound,” Sanna told Gulf Times after the win yesterday. “They also did not run her much, just thrice if I am not wrong. She wasn’t up to the mark even today from what I could tell but she did well to win. She likes to finish strong. And so I had to ride her accordingly, stay behind the leaders and then cover the distance.”
Al Thumama Racing’s Bronze Maquette, who was fancied after a strong season last time round, had to settle for sixth.
“I know Bronze Maquette very well; I won on her last season. But having ridden both of them, I know she (Zman Awal) is the only filly who can beat Bronze Maquette. Today she was in good form,” said Sanna. The Hadi al-Ramzani saddled horse had beaten Bronze Maquette the last time they went head-to-head too.
Talking about the new season, Sanna said, “Last year I won the big one here, the Emir’s Trophy. This year, let’s see. Every season you have to start from the scratch and the better you do consistently, the better you feel.”
Sanna, who picked up two wins yesterday, the first with Julian Smart’s Arghad, had an encouraging summer. “I got a license to race in Hong Kong for two meetings, and I won both. So I have come in here feeling good,” he said.
In the mile-long Purebred Arabian Plate for three-year-olds, Arghad just about managed to hold on by narrowest of margins for his maiden victory. Sanna, riding in the colours of His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Khalifa al-Thani, had his ride Arghad in the lead early on, and stayed. Prince Amer, ridden by Jean Baptiste Hamel in the colours of Patrice Nicolet, closed in threateningly in the final furlong and neck and neck with the leader, but didn’t have enough in the tank to go past as the post went by.
Hamel and his partner Marjan did well to negotiate traffic on the home straight to pick up a fine victory in the Local Thoroughbreds event. The win was the Umm Qarn horse’s first over six furlongs having won twice over a mile in 2016.
Alban de Mieulle’s ward had largely stayed at the back of the pack and made his first moves coming on to the home straight. Faced with more traffic, the five-year-old went wide and then surged forward to go past Footprintinthesand, who has never finished outside the top four in the last two years for trainer Ahmed Kobeissi, in the final few metres.
Injaaz Stud’s Istibdad stayed ahead of a fast approaching Meqdam Al Zaidy in the final few metres of the race to give Champion Trainer Jassim Ghazali his first victory of the season.
Ridden by Pier Convertino, the grey son of AF Albahar moved past AJS Intifadah on the home straight and then, as the post closed in, did enough to hold off the challenge from Ibrahim al-Malki-saddled Meqdam Al Zaidy for his sixth career victory. Sanna had to settle for third on AJS Intifadah.
Marvin Suerland’s second win of the day was aboard Mohamed Ali Yousef al-Sheeb’s Kasser, who made a promising start to the season, just like he had done last season.
The six-year-old won one of the two mile long races on the day, topping the Purebred Arabian Handicap event for horses rated 90 & below.
Yesterday, Kasser edged out Ahmed Kobeissi-saddled Qaa’ed, while Osama al-Dhafa’s Rodin completed the top three under Marc Lerner.
An amazing turn of foot saw debutante Semaisima lead a one-two for owners Umm Qarn and trainer De Mieulle in the Purebred Arabian Plate event for three-year-old fillies yesterday.
Hamel had held on to his ride at the back of the pack but went wide and surged ahead coming off the final bend in the seven furlong race. Neck and neck with stablemate Mouhoobah, ridden by Stephan Ladjadj, Hamel unleashed Semaisima and she responded to go past the post first.  Pierre Deymonaz-trained Konouz made immense improvements from her last run (ninth) to finish third.
Mohamed Hussain-saddled Copleys Walk bounced back from a disappointing end to the last season to open his account on the first day of racing this time round.
The Al Thumama Racing gelding  won the six furlong Thoroughbred Handicap event for horses rated 70-90 comfortably as Tomas Lukasek guided the five-year-old to finish a little less than two lengths ahead of Primitorio. Deborah Mountain’s Palmetto Dunes was third under Faleh Bughanaim.
In the first race of the day, Marvin Suerland rode filly Deen to victory in the Local Thoroughbred Maiden Plate event for three-year-olds. The Abdulla Sultan Ahmed al-Jabir-trained Deen had finished in the frame in her last three starts but did well to win by a length to shed her maiden status.
 
RESULTS

Race 1: 1. Deen (Marvin Suerland), 2. Mister Lal (Eduardo Pedroza), 3. Khoud (Yousef al-Hajri), 4. Sharhan Azzam (Faleh Bughanaim). Won by: 1, ¾, 5 ¼. Time: 1:13.60. Owner: Ahmed Sultan Ahmed al-Jabir. Trainer: Abdulla Sultan Ahmed al-Jabir.
Race 2: 1. Copleys Walk (Tomas Lukasek), 2. Primitorio (Marc Lerner), 3. Top Face (Alberto Sanna), 4. Palmetto Dunes (Faleh Bughanaim). Won by: 1 ¾, Shd, ¾. Time: 1:10.91. Owner: Al Thumama Racing. Trainer: Mohamed Hussain.
Race 3: 1. Semaisima (Jean Baptiste Hamel), 2. Mouhoobah (Stephan Ladjadj), 3. Konouz (Pier Convertino), 4. Mustaqirah (JP Guillambert). Won by: 1 1/2 , 3 1/4, 2 1/4. Time: 1:35.24 Owner: Umm Qarn. Trainer: Alban de Mieulle.
Race 4: 1. Arghad (Alberto Sanna), 2. Prince Amer (Jean Baptiste Hamel), 3. Al Kabeer (Stephan Ladjadj), 4. Saa’d (JP Guillambert). Won by: Ns, 10 ½, 7 ¼. Time: 1:45.55. Owner: His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Khalifa al-Thani. Trainer: Julian Smart.
Race 5: 1. Kasser (Marvin Suerland), 2. Qaa’ed (Faleh Bughanaim), 3. Rodin (Marc Lerner), 4. Diese (Jean Baptiste Hamel). Won by: Nk, Hd, 1/2. Time: 1:46.38. Owner: Mohamed Ali Yousef al-Sheeb. Trainer: Mohamed Ali Yousef al-Sheeb.
Race 6: 1. Istibdad (Pier Convertino), 2. Meqdam Al Zaidy (Eduardo Pedroza), 3. AJS Intifadah (Alberto Sanna), 4. M.J Lattam (Faleh Bughanaim. Won by: 1/2, 2, 1 3/4. Time: 1:31.23. Owner: Injaaz Stud. Trainer: Jassim Ghazali.
Race 7: 1. Marjan (Jean Baptiste Hamel), 2. Footprintinthesand (Faleh Bughanaim), 3. Muraqabah (Pier Convertino), 4. Aseer (Tomas Lukasek). Won by: ¾, 1 ¾, 2. Time: 1:12.46. Owner: Umm Qarn. Trainer: Alban de Mieulle.
Race 8: 1. Zman Awal (Alberto Sanna), 2. Botanica (JP Guillambert), 3. Hillside Dream (Pier Convertino), 4. Regality (Stephan Ladjadj). Won by: 1, 1 1/4, Nk. Time: 1:23.25. Owner: Mohamed bin Hamad Khalifa al-Attiyah. Trainer: Hadi al-Ramzani.

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