Undefeated Jungle Monarch made a winning return to action, extending his remarkable unbeaten record with a dominant victory to claim the Rowdat Rashid Cup at the Qatar Racing and Equestrian Club’s (QREC) Al Rayyan Racecourse on Wednesday.
Having swept all five of his starts last season, the bay gelding picked up where he left off with an impressive seasonal debut, producing a devastating burst of speed inside the final 300m to surge clear of his rivals and win the 1200m Thoroughbred Handicap race by three lengths.
Owned by Mansoor bin Ebrahim al-Mahmoud, Jungle Monarch’s latest triumph also completed a treble on the card for trainer Jassim al-Ghazali and jockey Marco Casamento, capping a successful day for the combination. The trainer-jokcey duo also combined to win with Hadi De Carrere and Kraar.
Hadi De Carrere landed the Purebred Arabian Conditions race by 2½ lengths, while Kraar secured the Thoroughbred Maiden with a 1¼-length victory, giving the trainer-jockey combination three wins on the nine-race card.
Jockey Alberto Sanna also enjoyed a productive meeting, completing a treble with victories aboard Jabahat in the Local Thoroughbred Handicap (0-45), Mutheer Al Naif in the Local Purebred Arabian Maiden and Estithmar in the Thoroughbred Handicap (45-65). Estithmar delivered the most emphatic of his three wins, scoring by six lengths.
Damaah, Yaqoob and High Approval were the other winners on the card.
RESULTS
7th Al Rayyan Race Meeting - Rowdat Rashid Cup
WINNERS: (Horse, Trainer, Jockey)
1 - Rowdat Rashid Cup, Thoroughbred Handicap 85-105
Jungle Monarch, Jassim al-Ghazali, Marco Casamento
2 - Local Purebred Arabian Handicap 70-95
Damaah, Hadi al-Ramzani, Jefferson Smith
3 - Purebred Arabian Conditions
Hadi De Carrere, Jassim al-Ghazali, Marco Casamento
4 - Purebred Arabian Handicap 0-75
Yaqoob, Hamad al-Jehani, Ghanim Ahmed al-Jehani
5 - Local Thoroughbred Handicap 0-45
Jabahat, Jihad El Ahmad, Alberto Sanna
6 - Local Purebred Arabian Maiden
Mutheer Al Naif, Mohamed Khaled Elahmed, Alberto Sanna
7 - Thoroughbred Maiden
Kraar, Jassim al-Ghazali, Marco Casamento
8 - Thoroughbred Maiden
High Approval, Hamad al-Jehani, Arnaud De Lepine
9 - Thoroughbred Handicap 45-65
Estithmar, Jihad El Ahmad, Alberto Sanna