Kovanof bags Thoroughbred Derby Trial to win on debut

Wathnan Racing’s Kovanof dazzled on his Qatar debut yesterday winning the Thoroughbred Derby Trial, concluding a superb day for trainer Alban de Mieulle, who set a record of five winners on the day at the Qatar Racing and Equestrian Club’s (QREC) Al Rayyan Racecourse.
Jockey Alberto Sanna guided the chestnut colt to a length and a quarter victory in the 2000m contest for the three-year-olds ahead of Wathnan Racing’s Silawi and Mansoor Ebrahim SI al-Mahmoud-owned Dubawi Spectre.
Today’s meeting was a key tune-up for the Qatar Oaks and the Qatar Derby races to be held later this month. Sheikh Mohamed bin Faleh al-Thani, presented the trophies to the winners.
In the penultimate race of the day, Al Shaqab Racing’s homebred Gr1 winner Ghadah makes successful Qatar debut winning the Purebred Arabian Derby Trial for four-year-olds over 2000m in fine style by nearly three lengths for trainer Jean de Mieulle and in the hands of Olivier d’Andigne.
Razy made it two of two this season as he won the National Derby Trial for four-year-old Local Purebred Arabians, giving owner Wathnan Racing and trainer Alban de Mieulle a fourth winner and completing a treble for jockey Mickael Barzalona in the 1750m this evening.
Meanwhile, the Injaaz Stud-owned Kerindia continued her good run of form as she took the Thoroughbred Oaks Trial comfortably for trainer Zuhair Mohsen. Soufiane Saadi chalked up a double on the card by steering the bay filly to win the 1750m contest.
The Purebred Arabian Oaks Trial went to Al Zain for owner and breeder Mohamed bin Fahad AH al-Attiya and trainer Mohamed Ghazali Jahromi. It was an impressive victory for the bay filly who, under Marco Casamento, ran on strongly down the straight for a clear victory.
Maysara, on third attempt this season, goes one better than her last two starts to win the 1750m Local Thoroughbred Trial in the silks of Mohamed Abdulhadi S al-Hajri for trainer Hamad al-Jehani with Tomas Lukasek in the saddle.
A thrilling conclusion to the Local Purebred Arabian Oaks Trial saw the Wathnan Racing-owned and Alban de Mieulle-trained Nesrine edge out stablemate Aziza, in the same colours, to take the 1750m contest for four-year-olds by a neck under jockey Soufiane Saadi.
RESULTS(Horse, Trainer, Jockey)
1 - Thoroughbred Derby Trial
Kovanof, Alban Elie De Mieulle, Alberto Sanna
2 - Purebred Arabian Derby Trial
Ghadah, Jean de Mieulle, Olivier d’Andigne
3 - National Derby Trial - Local Purebred Arabian
Razy, Alban Elie De Mieulle, Mickael Barzalona
4 - Thoroughbred Oaks Trial
Kerindia, Zuhair Mohsen, Soufiane Saadi
5 - Purebred Arabian Oaks Trial
Al Zain, Mohamed Ghazali, Marco Casamento
6 - Local Thoroughbred Trial
Maysara, Hamad al-Jehani, Tomas Lukasek
7 - Local Purebred Arabian Oaks Trial
Nesrine, Alban Elie De Mieulle, Soufiane Saadi
8 - Thoroughbred Open Race
Soldier’s Gold, Alban Elie De Mieulle, Mickael Barzalona
9 - Local Purebred Arabian Open Race
AJS Lattam, MHK al-Attiyah, Szczepan Mazur
10 - Purebred Arabian Graduation Plate
Ghassan II, Alban Elie De Mieulle, Mickael Barzalona