Ibrahim al-Malki-trained X Force continued it’s fantastic run of results in Qatar as the Al Thumama Racing gelding landed the Ras Laffan Cup for Thoroughbreds at Qatar Racing and Equestrian Club’s Al Rayyan Park yesterday.
In the 1,100m sprint feature on dirt, Tomas Lukasek guided the six-year-old bay horse to edge out Nasser Saeed MS al-Eida-owned and Jassim al-Ghazali-trained, Lukas Delozier astride Return To Senders by three-quarters of a length to win the second race of the season. Jockey Alberto Sanna rode I Am Thunder to a third place.
X Force, the winner of the three races last season, also clinched the Rowdat Rashid Cup for Thoroughbreds in November.
The trainer-Jockey combine of al-Ghazali and Delozier won the 1,700m race for Local Thoroughbreds Handicap 60-80 as Wukair in the colours of Nasser Saeed MS al-Eida by four lengths.
In the penultimate race of the day, Al Shaqab Racing’s Alberto Sanna-astride Muraj defeated Mohamed al-Ghazali-trained Mared Al Jasra by half-a-length to win Purebred Arabian Handicap 75-95 race.
Jockey Jefferson Smith completed a double by guiding Hasan Ali Alabdulmalik-owned Dramatic Sands to thoroughbred handicap 60-80 (Class 4) victory after starting the day on a winning note. In the first race, Smith guided Ali bin Saeed Alijafali al-Nuaimi’s Elaaf to Local Thoroughbred Handicap 0-65 victory.
Al Junood ridden by Abdulla Faisal registered a neck win over Habes in the 1,700m Local Purebred Arabian Handicap 65-85. Nuwar – led by Pranil Arvind Kharat and I Am Joking under jockey Yousef Khalifa al-Jehani also claimed wins in the day’s eight-race card.
Results 27th Race Meeting - Ras Laffan Cup
Ras Laffan Cup - Thoroughbreds (Class 2)
X Force, Ibrahim Saeed al-Malki, Tomas Lukasek
Purebred Arabian Handicap 75-95
Murjan, Eric Lemartinel, Alberto Sanna
Thoroughbred Handicap 60-80 (Class 4)
Dramatic Sands, Deborah Amanda Clare Mountain, Jefferson Smith
Local Purebred Arabian Handicap 65-85
Al Junood, Jihad El Ahmad, Abdulla Faisal
Local Thoroughbred Handicap 60-80
Wukair, Gassim Ghazali, Lukas Delozier
Purebred Arabian Maiden Plate
Nuwar, Ahmed Kobeissi, Pranil Arvind Kharat
Thoroughbred Handicap 0-70 (Class 5)
I Am Joking (USA), Hamad al-Jehani, Yousef Khalifa al-Jehani
Local Thoroughbred Handicap 0-65
Elaaf, Ahmed Kobeissi, Jefferson Smith.
Sport
Al Thumama Racing’s X Force clinches Ras Laffan Cup
In the 1,100m sprint feature on dirt, Lukasek guides the six-year-old bay to victory ahead of Return To Senders
Connections of X Force pose with QREC Racing Manager Abdulla Rashid al-Kubaisi at the presentation ceremony.
Al Thumama Racing’s X Force, ridden by Tomas Lukasek, gallops towards victory in the Ras Laffan Cup for Thoroughbreds at Qatar Racing and Equestrian Club’s Al Rayyan Park yesterday.