Yanis rides Al Wasmiya to Al Zubar Cup victory

Essa bin Mohammed al-Mohannadi and QREC chairman Sheikh Mohammed bin Faleh al-Thani are seen with the winners of the Umm Al Zubar Cup at the Qatar Racing and Equestrian Club yesterday. Pictures: Juhaim

By Chris Hoover/DohaJockey Yanis Aouabed drove out Al Wasmiya Stud’s Al Wasmiya to a fluent win over Ziraya in the 1,200 metres Umm Al Zubar Cup, a Pure Arabian Stakes race for Fillies and Mares, the featured event of the 56th day’s races at the Qatar Racing and Equestrian Club yesterday. Trainer Ghazali and jockey Yanis Aouabed were in the limelight with a treble each. After overhauling Selhab Al Naif, Ziraya shaped like a winner as she cruised into the lead with a furlong to go but was floored by the eventual winner who came back strongly with a big run and shed her maiden status in her 11th outing.Abdullah Hassan Ali Abdulmalik’s Christmas Aria recorded an impressive win in the Thoroughbred Handicap for horses rated 60 to 80. Christmas Aria, with Evert Pheiffer on the saddle, put up a spirited challenge along the rails even as Freckenham was threatening to run away with the race. After a keen tussle with the front runner, Christmas Aria skipped away from his challenger to win by nearly three lengths. Ghazali-saddled Ohud entered the winners’ enclosure for the third time with a fluent victory in the local Thoroughbred Handicap, a race for hor horses rated 50 and below. Uqab, who took over the running in the final furlong, flattered to deceive as he did not have an answer to the onslaught launched by Ohud (Yanis Aouabed astride) who warmed up nicely in the final 300 metres and stretched away to win in brilliant fashion. Al Zubara came up with a long stretch run to snatch the third spot from Marikh.Having faltered in his previous three outings, Late Debate came up with a stellar performance to win the Thoroughbred Handicap for horses rated 50 and below. Trainer Ghazali and Aouabed also completed a back to back double as Late Debate trounced the opposition with a runaway victory.Osama Omar al-Dhafa’s Vit’al Fauquey proved too good in the hands of Darren Williams and sped away from the opposition inside the final two furlongs to win the Thoroughbred Maiden Plate quite capably. The four-year-old filly looks a good type and should be a force to reckon with in her next outing.A power-packed finish by jockey Mark Lawson enabled Mohammed al-Ramzani schooled Barzan Al Naif overhaul the spirited challenge of Bohour Al Naif in the local bred Pure Arabian Handicap for horses rated 40 and below.  Bohour Al Naif came into contention as the field truned for the stretch and when he skipped away at the top of the straight to establish a useful lead it looked as though the Hassan al-Matwi trainee was home and dry. However, Barzan Al Uraiq came along the rails and engaged Bohour Al Naif in a fierce battle for supremacy. The duo fought every inch of the ground in the final 100 metres, but Lawson and Barzan Al Uraiq were unrelenting to the pressure.Results

1st race: Barzan Al Uraiq (Mark Lawson) 1, Bohour Al Naif 2, Barre 3, Zallal 4. Won by: ½, 3, 3. Time: 2:10.11. Trained by: Mohammed al-Ramzani. Owned by: Faleh Nasser al-Bughaniam2nd race: Ohud (Yanis Aouabed) 1, Uqab 2, Al Zubara 3, Marikh 4. Won by: 6, 2 ½, Nk. Time: 1:06.64. Trained by: Jassim al-Ghazali. Owned by: Mishal bin Ali al-Attiya3rd race: Late Debate (Yanis aouabed) 1, One More Roman 2, Sworn 3, Barzan 4. Won by: 7, 5, Hd. Time: 1:55.85. Trained by: Jassim al-Ghazali. Owned by: Shaheen bin Khalid Shaheen al-Ghanim4th race: Vit’al Fauquey (Darren Williams) 1, Guide Al Khal 2, Jouraas Al Naif 3, Saint De Faust 4. Won by: 5, 8, 1 ½. Time: 2:06.50. Owned and trained by: Osama Omar al-Dhafa5th race: Christmas Aria (Evert Pheiffer) 1, Freckenham 2, Star Deal 3, Albaasha 4. Won by: 2 ½, 1 ¾, 5. Time: 1:54.26. Trained by: Debbie Mountain. Owned by: Abdullah Hassan Ali Abdulmalik6th race: Al Wasmiya (Yanis Aouabed) 1, Ziraya 2, Mogida 3, Selhab Al Naif 4. Won by: 2, 1 ½, 3. Time: 1:20.54. Trained by: Jassim al-Ghazali. Owned by: Al Wasmiyah Stud1. Trainer Jassim al-Ghazali leads Al Wasmiya (Yanis Aouabed up) after winning the Umm Al Zubar Cup yesterday.2. QREC chairman Sheikh Mohammed bin Faleh al-Thani (right) presents a memento to Essa bin Mohammed al-Mohannadi, under whose patronage the 56th day’s races were held at the QREC yesterday.Klitschko will be challenged by Italian-German boxer Francesco Pianeta this Saturday in Mannheim. (EPA)