Al Eida Racing’s September Leaves got the new racing season off to a winning start, claiming the first silverware with an impressive victory in the Al Ghariyah Cup at the QREC's Al Rayyan Racecourse on Wednesday.
The five-year-old bay mare showed plenty of determination to secure the fifth win of her career in the 1,200m Thoroughbred Fillies & Mares contest.
Settling towards the rear early on, September Leaves gradually made up ground in the home straight before producing a strong finishing effort. She asserted her authority inside the final 100m and crossed the line 1½ lengths clear of her rivals to seal a well-deserved victory.
In the process the mare completed a double on the day for both trainer Jassim al-Ghazali and jockey Alberto Sanna. The meeting also saw trainer Hamad al-Jehani record three wins.
Earlier in the day, Sanna guided Injaaz Stud’s Bin Narain to seven lengths victory in the 1700m race for Local Thoroughbred Maiden, three-six-year-olds, while al-Ghazal-trained Lord Deputy, in the silks of Al Ghazali Stud, won the 1700m contest for the thoroughbred Handicap 50-70.
In the penultimate race of the day, jockey Lukas Delozier rode Rashid Awajan al-Khayarin-owned and Hamad al-Jehani-trained Toromona to a comfortable 7 ½ lengths victory in the Thoroughbred Handicap 75-95, for the three-year-old+ contest.
Jalila Alghania, in the colours of Sheikh Talal Nasser al-Thani, won the Purebred Arabian Handicap 70-90 for three-year-old+ over 1200m.
Al-Jehani added another victory when Guindol Dei Ribo, ridden by Nicolas Baudet, won the Purebred Arabian Novice by a length.
Classical Style, trained by Hamad Ahmed Hassan al-Malki and ridden by Baudet, edged the Thoroughbred Maiden by a nose.
Al-Jehani's first win of the day came in the card opener, when Lady De Faust, ridden by Arnaud De Lepine, won the Purebred Arabian Maiden by 1¾ lengths.
Thursday’s Al Hamla Cup meeting will feature nine races.
RESULTS
1st Al Rayyan Race Meeting - Al Ghariyah Cup
WINNERS: Horse, Trainer, Jockey
1 - Al Ghariyah Cup, Thoroughbred Fillies & Mares
September Leaves, Jassim al-Ghazali, Alberto Sanna
2 - Thoroughbred Handicap 75-95
Horse: Toromona, Hamad al-Jehani, Lukas Delozier
3 - Purebred Arabian Handicap 70-90
Jalila Alghania, Hadi al-Ramzani, Youssef Lachhab
4 - Purebred Arabian Novice
Guindol Dei Ribo, Hamad al-Jehani, Nicolas Baudet
5 - Thoroughbred Handicap 50-70
Lord Deputy, Jassim al-Ghazal, Marco Casamento
6 - Local Thoroughbred Maiden
Bin Narain, Jihad El Ahmad, Alberto Sanna
7 - Thoroughbred Maiden
Classical Style, Hamad Ahmed Hassan al-Malki, Nicolas Baudet
8 - Purebred Arabian Maiden
Lady De Faust, Hamad al-Jehani, Arnaud De Lepine
