The marquee race – 2,000m Qatar Derby (QA Group 1) – Thoroughbreds, Class 1- Far Bend – offered $500,000 in prize money including $285,000 for the winner. And for the large part it looked like Upton Park, ridden by Tomas Lukasek, would walk away with the top honours until Gassim Ghazali-trained Emperor Maximus put in a scintillating run with 500 metres to go.
The three-year-old bay colt picked up pace at the right moment and was expertly guided by Casamento to clinch a 1¾ length victory. Alban Elie De Mieulle-trained and Soufiane Saadi-ridden Persian Royal was third after narrowly beaten by Upton Park.
Meanwhile, Jim Crowley piloted Francois Rohaut-trained Moshrif to a comfortable five-length victory in the Qatar International Derby (Group 2) – Purebred Arabians for four-year-old only – Far Bend, which carried a total purse of $200,000
The Al Rayyan Stakes Thoroughbreds 1,400m race was won by Alban Elie De Mieulle-trained Bariloche, which gave a double for jockey Ronan Thomas, who had earlier led Atlantic Sun to victory in Local Thoroughbred Premium Maiden Cup – the first race of the day.
Meanwhile, Maxime Guyon and Tomas Lukasek also bagged a brace of victories yesterday. Guyon, who scored a hat-trick of wins on Qatar Oaks day on Wednesday, completed his double after riding Al Ghadeer to a half-length win in Qatar Derby (Group 3) - Purebred Arabians for three-year-olds only.
Devious Company handed trainer Gassim Ghazali his first win of the day by claiming the Derby Day Thoroughbred Handicap Cup 75-95 – Class 3 title.
Lukasek completed a quick brace by leading Ibrahim Saeed al-Malki-trained Harb to win in 1850m Qatar Derby - Local Thoroughbreds for three-year-old only, soon after guiding al-Malki-trained Dayyan to Al Rayyan Thoroughbred Handicap Cup triumph.
Lukas Delozier also stood in the victory stand after riding Rudy Andre Nerbonne-trained Muale’m to win in 2,000m Qatar National Derby - Local Purebred Arabians for four-year-old only – Far Bend.
Also yesterday, Wasim al-Sahn-trained Hadlan with Tom Marquand in the saddle claimed the Qatar Derby - Local Purebred Arabians for three-year-old only, winning the 1600m race by over a length.
Results 24th Race Meeting – Qatar Derby
(Horse, Trainer, Jockey)1. Qatar Derby (QA Gr1) - Thoroughbreds (3yo Only) (Class 1) (Far Bend)
Emperor Maximus, Gassim Ghazali, Marco Casamento
2. Qatar International Derby (Gr2 Pa) - Purebred Arabians (4yo Only) (Far Bend)
Moshrif, Francois Rohaut, Jim Crowley
3. Al Rayyan Stakes - Thoroughbreds (2yo Only) (Class 1) (Far Bend)
Bariloche, Alban Elie De Mieulle, Ronan Thomas
4. Qatar National Derby - Local Purebred Arabians (4yo Only) (Far Bend)
Muale’m, Rudy Andre Nerbonne, Lukas Delozier
5. Qatar Derby (Gr3 Pa) - Purebred Arabians (3yo Only)
Al Ghadeer, Francois Rohaut, Maxime Guyon
6. Qatar Derby - Local Purebred Arabians (3yo Only)
Hadlan, Wasim al-Sahn, Tom Marquand
7. Qatar Derby - Local Thoroughbreds (3yo Only)
Harb, Ibrahim Saeed al-Malki, Tomas Lukasek
8. Al Rayyan Thoroughbred Handicap Cup 0-85 (2yo Only) (Class 4)
Dayyan, Ibrahim Saeed al-Malki, Tomas Lukasek
9. Derby Day Thoroughbred Handicap Cup 75-95 (Class 3)
Devious Company, Gassim Ghazali, Maxime Guyon
10. Local Thoroughbred Premium Maiden Cup
Atlantic Sun, Alban Elie De Mieulle, Ronan Thomas