Yanis rides Al Wajba to fluent Al Shahania Cup win

HE Ali bin Abdullah bin Thani al-Thani (right) presents the Al Shahania Cup to Sheikh Abdullah bin Mishal bin Hamada al-Thani at the Qatar Racing and Equestrian Club yesterday.

By Chris Hoover/Doha

Sputnik Sweetheart showed plenty of speed to take charge of the proceedings followed by Al Wajba (Yanis Aouabed up) and the rest. Sputnik Sweetheart brought the field into view but was soon overtaken by Al Wajba.  Once alerted to the task on hand, Al Wajba made it a one horse race as she sped away to win as she pleased. The talented filly looks a good type and should be a force to reckon with in the next season.

Ghazali trained Exact had to be fully ridden out by jockey Gerald Avranche to prevail in the Thoroughbred Maiden Plate. Dahab Gold had broken into a useful lead with a furlong out in the race but failed to sustain. Exact, after being angled out from the rails, came home with rush to pip the front runner in the shadow of the winning post. Al Doha was also impressive while finishing a close third.

Ahmed al-Jehani schooled Suneagle (Marco Monteriso astride) just about beat the challenge of Dartford in the Thoroughbred Handicap for horses rated 50 to 70. Dartford refused to budge in its start to finish mission and lost in the closing stride of the race. The perseverance of jockey Monteriso enabled Suneagle to gain the edge in the stride of the race.

Injaaz Stud hogged the limelight in the local bred Pure Arabian Handicap for horses rated 40 and below. Mubarak al-Khatarin saddled Tawash (Naif al-Hajri up) and Manjam (Ali al-Showeikh astride) dominated the race and took the first two places. Tawash led all the way into the straight and shot ahead and was untroubled by any of the runners en route to an easy win. Stable mate Manjam was a close second.

Power packed riding by jockey David Bouland Umm Qarn’s Waddah thwart the spirited challenge of Al Saad in the local bred Pure Arabian Handicap for horses rated 40 to 70.  Waddah led all the way when he skipped away at the top of the straight to establish a useful lead it looked as though the Alban de Mieulle trainee was home and dry. However, Al Saad engaged Waddah in a fierce battle for supremacy. The duo fought every inch of the ground in the final 100 metres, but Bouland and Waddah were unrelenting to the pressure.

In the day’s other action, Ibrahim al-Malki nurtured Barq Al Naif was ridden to a start to finish victory in the Pure Arabian Restricted Stakes. Jockey Mark Lawson rode a well judged race on the winner.

Results

1st race: Exact (Gerald Avranche) 1, Dahab Gold 2, Al Doha 3, Michael’s Song 4. Won by: 1, Hd, Nk. Time: 1:13.53. Trained by: Jassim al-Ghazali. Owned by: Ahmed Mohammed al-Sheeb

2nd race: Tawash (Naif al-Hajri) 1, Manjam 2, Jezia 3, Wa’ad 4. Won by: ¾, 1 ½, Nk. Time: 1:20.70. Trained by: Mubarak al-Khayarin. Owned by: Injaaz Stud

3rd race: Waddah (David Bouland) 1, Al Saad 2, Khalfa 3, Bohour Al Naif 4. Won by: Nk, 6, ¾. Time: 1:11.38. Trained by: Alban de Mieulle. Owned by: Umm Qarn

4th race: Suneagle (Marco Monteriso) 1, Dartford 2, Christmas Aria 3, Late Debate 4. Won by: ½, 1 ¼, ¾. Time: 1:11.38. Trained by: Ahmed al-Jehani. Owned by: Ibrahim Hassan al-Malki al-Jehani

5th race: Barq Al Naif (Mark Lawson) 1, Ziraya 2, Guide Al Khal 3, Al Nashat 4. Won by: Nk, 3 ½, ½. Time: 2:12.02. Trained by: Ibrahim al-Malki. Owned by: Hassan Ali Abdulmalik

6th race: Al Wajba (Yanis Aouabed) 1, Valley of Destiny 2, Sputnik Sweetheart 3, Elkhart 4. Won by: 7, 4, Nk. Time: 1:53.92. Trained by: Jassim al-Ghazali. Owned by: Injaaz Stud