Samha Alseej claimed the Al Bidda Cup, a Local Thoroughbred Graduation Plate over 1400m (Class 4) at the Al Rayyan Racecourse Thursday.
The bay filly, owned and trained by Jassim bin Hamad al-Atteya, the bay filly came from off the pace with a blistering turn of foot inside the final 100m to land the spoils and score by 1½ lengths. She was guided to victory by jockey Arnaud de Lepine, who completed a double on the card.
Samha Alseej was settled at the rear in the early stages as Afran set the pace ahead of Halitan, with Awayed Alseej and Ayyal Bjd following in behind. The order remained unchanged through the middle part of the race. At the top of the straight, the leading trio still held sway and looked set to decide the outcome.
However, Samha Alseej produced a decisive late surge, quickening sharply inside the final 100m to sweep past her rivals and take control, turning the race on its head in a matter of strides before stretching clear to a convincing success. The long-time leader Afran, representing Al Wasmiyah Farm and from the Ibrahim Saeed Al Malki yard, with Marco Casamento aboard, kept on to take second, two lengths clear of the nearest rival behind her.
The Umm Al Shukhut Farm-owned Halitan, trained by Ibrahim Khaled Elahmed and ridden by Alberto Sanna, held third without threatening the first two home.
Earlier, De Lepine was in the winners’ enclouser when he guided Meshaal bin Ali al-Attiyah-owned Minsk to victory in the Local Thoroughbred Handicap (0-45) for three-year-old+ over 1200m.
RESULTS
68th Al Rayyan Race meeting – Al Bidda Cup
WINNERS: (Horse, Trainer, Jockey)
1 - Al Bidda Cup, Local Thoroughbred Graduation Plate
Samha Alseej, Jassim bin Hamad al-Atteya, Arnaud de Lepine
2 - Thoroughbred Maiden Plate
Maraaheb, Hadi al-Ramzani, Alberto Sanna
3 - Purebred Arabian Premium Maiden Plate
Safwan Al Shahania, Rudy Nerbonne, Lukas Delozier
4 - Local Thoroughbred Handicap (0-45)
Minsk, Ibrahim Khaled Elahmed, Arnaud de Lepine
5 - Thoroughbred Handicap (0-75)
Morello Man, Hamad al-Jehani, Saleh Faraj al-Otaibi
6 - Thoroughbred Handicap (60-80)
Make Love, Mohammed al-Ghazali, Salem Alajmi
7 - Thoroughbred Handicap (75-95)
Studio City, Mohammed al-Ghazali, Pierre Charles Boudot
8 - Purebred Arabian Handicap (70-90)
Monaafasah, Ahmed al-Jehani, Pierre Charles Boudot
9: Purebred Arabian Handicap (80-100)
Mohimma, Jean de Mieulle, Alberto Sanna