Rayyan Bu Thaila carried his strong form from last season into the new campaign, making a winning start with victory in the Al Hamla Cup at the Al Rayyan Racecourse on Thursday.
Representing Injaaz Stud, the five-year-old gelding won the 1400m Local Thoroughbred Conditions race after a well-judged ride by Alberto Sanna, who completed a double at the second meeting of the Qatar Racing and Equestrian Club’s domestic season.
Rayyan Bu Thaila was patiently ridden behind the leaders before producing an impressive turn of foot to sweep into the lead inside the final 200m and score convincingly by 1¼ lengths. Jihad El Ahmad trained the winner.
QREC Racing Manager Abdulla bin Rashid al-Kubaisi, awarded the Al Hamla Cup. The meeting also produced a hat-trick for trainer Rudy Nerbonne and jockey Lukas Delozier, who enjoyed three victories while trainer Hamad al-Jehani also celebrated a double.
Jadwat Al Shahania began Nerbonne’s winning run in the Purebred Arabian Maiden, with Delozier in the saddle, scoring by three-quarters of a length.
Assfa Al Shahania followed in the Purebred Arabian Rated Maiden, with Faleh Bughenaim aboard, winning by 2¾ lengths. Mehbas Al Shahania completed Nerbonne’s hat-trick in the Local Purebred Arabian Maiden under Delozier, winning by a length.
Al-Jehani’s double came through Sidi Star and Dapper Charm. Sidi Star won the Purebred Arabian Handicap 85-105 under Nicolas Baudet, while Dapper Charm took the Thoroughbred Handicap 70-90 with Delozier aboard. Sanna’s second victory came aboard Maraaheb, trained by Hadi al-Ramzani, in the Thoroughbred Handicap 45-65. The pair secured the race by three-quarters of a length.
De Bruyne, trained by Ahmed al-Jehani and ridden by Ghanim Ahmed al-Jehani, edged the Thoroughbred Handicap 0-75 by a head in one of the day’s closest finishes.
RESULTS
2nd Al Rayyan Race Meeting - Al Hamla Cup
WINNERS: (Horse, Trainer, Jockey)
1 - Al Hamla Cup, Local Thoroughbred Conditions
Rayyan Bu Thaila, Jihad El Ahmad, Alberto Sanna
2 - Purebred Arabian Handicap 85-105
Sidi Star, Hamad al-Jehani, Nicolas Baudet
3 - Thoroughbred Handicap 70-90
Dapper Charm, Hamad al-Jehani, Lukas Delozier
4 - Local Thoroughbred Novice
War Boy, Alban de Mieulle, Abdulla Rashid al-Hajri
5 - Thoroughbred Handicap 0-75
De Bruyne, Ahmed al-Jehani, Ghanim Ahmed al-Jehani
6 - Thoroughbred Handicap 45-65
Maraaheb, Hadi al-Ramzani, Alberto Sanna
7 - Local Purebred Arabian Maiden
Mehbas Al Shahania, Rudy Nerbonne, Lukas Delozier
8 - Purebred Arabian Rated Maiden
Assfa Al Shahania, Rudy Nerbonne, Faleh Bughenaim
9 - Purebred Arabian Maiden
Jadwat Al Shahania, Rudy Nerbonne, Lukas Delozier
