Sport
Trainer Ghazali shines with five winners
Trainer Ghazali shines with five winners
HE Sheikh Mishaal bin Jassim bin Mohamed al-Thani and QREC chairman Sheikh Mohamed bin Faleh al-Thani are seen with the winners of the feature event yesterday. PICTURES: Juhaim
By Chris Hoover/Doha
Jassim al-Ghazali trained Sraab brooked no opposition en route to winning the Umm Al Afai Cup, which featured the 43rd day’s races held under the patronage of HE Sheikh Mishaal bin Jassim bin Mohamed al-Thani at the Qatar Racing and Equestrian Club yesterday. Sraab (Gerald Avranche up) put her seven rivals firmly in their place by coming home in splendid isolation. It was a good day for trainer Ghazali who saddled five winners. |
“This has been a great day for me and my owners. I am very pleased with the way Sraab won this race and also the performance of Ladyanne. Jockey Avranche was simply brilliant today. To win five races is really tough and I am glad that I could do it today,” trainer Ghazali told the Gulf Times.
Sheikh Abdullah bin Mishal bin Hamad al-Thani owned Intizaa was an impressive winner of the Pure Arabian Handicap. The four-year old progeny of Al Mudaffar tracked Noorah into the straight and then assumed command to beat the opposition quite comfortably. Jamra was outpaced in the early part and when she found foot, she had too much of leeway to cover. Shujaa came up with a spirited effort but found the winner too good on the day and had to settle for third place ahead of Zallal. The winner was trained by Ghazali.
Al Mizan also put in a dazzling display to give its owner Sheikh Abdullah and trainer Ghazali a double. Al Mizan was simply unstoppable in the local bred Pure Arabian Handicap.
Trainer Ghazali, who saddled Intizaa and Al Mizan to victory, had another winner for the day where Logos Astra was given a brilliant ride by jockey Darren Williams who came through the middle in a three horse finish and win the Thoroughbred Handicap.
Mohammed Majeed trained Big Gees recorded a smashing win in the Thoroughbred Handicap, a race for horses rated 60 and below. Big Gees with Rosario Ponce on the saddle, led all the way and then stretched away from the opposition to win by a widening margin of three and a half lengths over Chronic Flame and Salt Man.
The Thoroughbred Stakes for Fillies and Mares, witnessed a thrilling three horse finish. The driving finish of Frenchman Gerald Avranche saw Ladyanne getting the nod in the final strides of the race. In fact, Madhmoonah shaped to win but could not sustain as Ladyanne closed in with a big rush.
The day’s opener saw Hassan Ali Hassan al-Matwi’s Al Nakash make a winning debut in the Pure Arabian Maiden Plate for three-year-olds. The talented Qatari jockey Faleh Bughanaim did a tidy job on Al Nakash. The progeny of Dormane picked up the front runners one by one from the penultimate position and shot into the lead in the closing stages of the race to record a comfortable win.
Bughanaim had another winner for the day when he rode Yousef Bentaher saddled Hi Holy to an emphatic victory in the Thoroughbred Handicap for horses rated 50 to 70. The Qatari rider had Hi Holy in a handy third position as Artic Rose and Yes We Can Dream set a fast pace for the seven furlong trip. Hi Holy, who was racing with the pace, swiftly took charge on turning for home and went clear to win drawing away from the field.
Results
1st race: Al Nakhash (Faleh Bughanaim) 1, AJS Qahir 2, Al Laheef 3, Majd Al Uraiq 4. Won by: 2, 7, 2. Time: 1:19. Owned and trained by: Hassan Ali Hassan al-Matwi
2nd race: Intizaa (Sylvain Ruis) 1, Jamra 2, Shujaa 3, Zallal 4. Won by: 1 ¾, 1, 1 ¾. Time: 2:06.55. Trained by: Jassim al-Ghazali. Owned by: Shiekh Abdullah bin Mishal bin Hamad al-Thani
3rd race: Big Gees (Rosario Ponce) 1, Chronic Flame 2, Salt Man 3, Invincible Prince 4. Won by: 3 ½, ¾, Shd. Time: 1:35.88. Trained by: Mohammed Majeed. Owned by: Hamad bin Abdulrahman bin Hamad al-Attiya
4th race: Al Mizan (Yanis Aouabed) 1, Al Yarmouk 2, Jabar 3, Jouraas Al Naif 4. Won by: 3, ¾, 1 ½. Time: 2:04.38. Trained by: Jassim al-Ghazali. Owned by: Sheikh Abdullah bin Mishal bin Hamad al-Thani
5th race: Hi Holy (Faleh Bughanaim) 1, Pergeux 2, Yes We Can Dream 3, La Pampita 4. Won by: 5, ½, Hd. Time: 1:23.08. Trained by: Yousef Bentaher. Owned by: Sheikh Nasser bin Abdullah bin Nasser al-Thani
6th race: Logos Astra (Darren Williams) 1, Sputnik Sweetheart 2, Elwazeer 3, Rule Maker 4. Won by: ½, Hd, Nk. Time: 1:35.76. Trained by: Jassim al-Ghazali. Owned by: Abdullah Mohammed Al Kuwari Sons
7th race: Ladyanne (Gerald Avranche) 1, Madhmoonah 2, Al Faraj 3, Momalorka 4. Won by: ½, Nk, Nk. Time: 1:22.89. Trained by: Jassim al-Ghazali. Owned by: Mohammed Abdulaziz al-Badi
8th race: Sraab (Gerald Avranche) 1, Al Mazrooah 2, Al Naif Trade Mark 3, Al Bidah 4. Won by: 3, ½, 1 ¾. Time: 1:38.26. Trained by: Jassim al-Ghazali. Owned by: Mohammed bin Ali al-Attiya