By Chris Hoover/DohaAl Shahania Stud’s Tayel came back to winning form with a facile victory in the Al Mafiar Cup, which featured the sand track races at the Qatar Racing and Equestrian Club yesterday. The Jassim al-Ghazali trained Tayel who had been running fair races in good company went into the race as a strong contender. Though running in a six furlong race for the first time, Tayel with blinkers on, relished the conditions and won with a measure of comfort. Trainer Ghazali who led in four winners for the day was elated with the performance of Tayel. “It has been a great day for me. It was a difficult race but Tayel was simply brilliant today. A lot of effort has been putt into Tayel and he did well to win his sprint race,” Ghazali told the Gulf Times. “With the blinkers on, Tayel looked a better horse. I had to work hard from the beginning to get position but he was upto the challenge. Tayel is best suited for a seven furlong or mile race,” jockey Vries explained.
Gerard Avranche continued his good form in the saddle with a back-to-back double in the opening two events of the day. The Frenchman gave remarkable assistance to the Jassim al-Ghazali schooled Al Adeed in the local Thoroughbred Maiden Plate, run over 1,100 metres. Though lying in the mid bunch for most of the journey, Avranche showed enough maturity in riding Al Adeed plain hands and heels after coming through the shortest way home. Once put into top gear by Avranche, Al Adeed breezed the front runner to taste a long awaited success. Striking The Wind and Zakon fought out a thriller in Thoroughbred Maiden Plate, with the latter, losing out by quarter of a length. With both Avranche and Adrie de Vries going flat out on their respective mounts, it provided an absorbing duel. The Ghazali saddled Striking The Wind had finished third to Apazine in his previous start but was fancied by his connections to have a big say in the finish. Striking The Wind did oblige but only due to some good riding by Avranche who pushed his mount on the outside, to stave off the spirited challenge of stable mate Zakon in a close finish. Though making his second appearance on the Qatari race track, Zakon put in an impressive performance and should enter the winners enclosure when saddled next. Trainer Ghazali and jockey Avranche recorded their third victory of the day through Jelmud in the Pure Arabian Stakes. Though Akhhal had stolen march with a start-to-finish mission, Avranche and Jelmud pounced on the front runner in the last 50 metres and stretched away to win by a length.Mohammed al-Suliati saddled Dahash came up with yet another brilliant performance while annexing the Pure Arabian Handicap for horses rated 0 to 40 in splendid fashion. Jockey Liam Jones continued his successful partnership with Dahash which had won the Pure Arabian Maiden Plate in similar fashion in his previous outing a fortnight ago. Mubarak Saeed al-Naimi owned Handicraft brooked no opposition en route to winning the Thoroughbred Handicap for horses rated 0 to 60 which was open to Qatari jockeys and apprentices only. Under the able riding of Kamlesh Ram, Handicraft got past Talkhees (Adnan Hawa astride) after a grueling duel in the final furlong. Results: 1st race: Al Adeed (Gerard Avranche) 1, Mushakasah 2, Al Kasser 3, Kleopatra 4. Won by: 2 ¼, 5, ½. Time: 1:06.72. Trained by: Jassim al-Ghazali. Owned by: Al Ghazali Stud 2nd race: Striking The Wind (Gerard Avranche) 1, Zakon 2, Inside 3, Pawner 4. Won by: ¼, 4 ¼, 1. Time: 1:49.24. Trained by: Jassim al-Ghazali. Owned by: Abdullah bin Ghanim Shaheen al-Ghanim3rd race: Dahash (Liam Jones) 1, Saint De Faust 2, Magik D’or 3, Bohour Al Naif 4. Won by: 5 ½, 2, Hd. Time: 1:17.64. Trained by: Mohammed al-Sulaiti. Owned by: Essa Mohammed al-Sulaiti4th race: Handicraft (Kamlesh Ram) 1, Talkhees 2, Orlando’s Tale 3, Dontbugthebunny 4. Won by: 1 ½, ¼, 1 ½. Time: 1:10.64. Trained by: Majid Safedeen. Owned by: Mubarak Saeed al-Naimi5th race: Jemud (Gerard Avranche) 1, Akhhal 2, Guide Al Khal 3, Kassab El Sahraa 4. Won by: 1, 1 ¼, 2 ½. Time: 1:09.37. Trained by: Jassim al-Ghazali. Owned by: Al Wasmiyah Farm6th race: Tayel (Adrie de Vries) 1, Al Monahidh 2, Hadeel 3, Barq Al Naif 4. Won by: ¾, 5 ¾, 1 ½. Time: 1:16.82. Trained by: Jassim al-Ghazali. Owned by: Al Shahania Stud