Ace jockey Dettori rides Dubday to emphatic win

By Chris Hoover/DohaAl Shaqab’s Dubday (Dubawi-Dayrose) proved immensely superior to the rest in the QR one million HH Sheikh Mohamed Bin Khalifa Al Thani Trophy, a Group II race for Thoroughbreds, which featured the races at the Qatar Racing and Equestrian Club yesterday. The Jassim al-Ghazali trained Dubday, lived up to the expectations of his connections to provide HE Sheikh Joaan bin Hamad al-Thani with yet another classic success. Italian champion jockey Frankie Dettori making a brief appearance in Doha, rode a splendid race on the winner.Beach Club jumped out well to head the field ahead of General Duke’s and Oasis Cannes, who raced alongside, while the rest followed behind. Rounding the final turn, Beach Club failed to sustain the momentum even as Oasis Cannes fell behind and the other runners closed in. Meanwhile, Dettori brought Dubday into contention with a smooth run on the outside. Once he got the nod from his rider, Dubday shifted gears and sailed away to win in emphatic fashion. Amico Mio came along the rails to finish second, while Fanunalter and Seema were a close third and fourth. The winner clocked a smart time of two minute 02.29 seconds and appears to be the horse to beat in the Qatar Gold Trophy and HH The Emir’s Trophy.“Dubday was simply brilliant today. All I had to do was to pull him out and ask him for an effort. He just went past the others to win. The trainer has done well to keep him in good form. I will be back to ride Dubday for the other classics in February,” jockey Dettori told the Gulf Times. Al Shaqab racing consultant Harry Herbert was delighted with the victory. “It was a fantastic ride by Frankie Dettori and it is a terrific training performance by Jassim Ghazali too. To bring Dubday back after a long layoff and win like this is fabulous. Dubday will now try and retain the Emir’s Trophy and could head to Dubai after that. It is great to end the calendar year on such an amazing note.”“Dubday is a champion horse. He has come back after a long break and won very well. Though the other runners in the race had a run benefit, Dubday won very easy. He is in great form and my congratulations to Sheikh Joaan on this victory. Dubday will now be targeted in the Qatar Gold Trophy and Emir’s Trophy and possibly in teh Dubai World Cup,” trainer Ghazali said. Alban de Mieulle returned to winning form with a dazzling victory in the Local Bred Pure Arabian Challenge Cup, which was the other added attraction of the day. Racing upfront, Fouladh was quick to pounce on the leader and displayed the old sparkle while running away with the race long way from home. Seif Ennar came along the rails to take the second place ahead of Al Shahania Stud’s Kassam“It is nice to see Fouladh back in form. We were very disappointed with his previous run but today Fouladh was simply brilliant. It is great to have him back in winning form and we look forward to the forthcoming races,” trainer Mieulle explained.The Thoroughbred Handicap for horses rated 75 to 95 event witnessed a thrilling contest. It was a battle between the talented Harry Bentley and the legendary Dettori. The duo battled out the last furlong, stride for stride but it was Bentley astride Late Debate who edged Dettori riding Seamless in the final stride of the race. Dettori and Seamless had assumed command on entering the home stretch and looked set to land the spoils until Late Debate was unleashed by Bentley. The Jassim al-Ghazali trained Late Debate quickly covered ground and came into contention and went on to win by a short head. Power Punch and Blackdown Pair also finished on well to complete the frame.Earlier, Bentley had ridden Al Murabitoon to its debut victory in the Local Bred Pure Arabian Maiden Plate. Though running a bit erratic in the straight, Bentley had Al Murabitoon under control and the Albahar progeny skipped away from the pack to win by a widening margin of five lengths. Al Murabitoon looks to be a good type and it would be interesting to see his progress. Abdulaziz Ali al-Qaithri’s Pure Amber won the Thoroughbred Maiden Plate with a late stretch run. Three Cliffs (Stephen Ladjadj up) looked good entering the straight as he had a useful lead and seemed to be travelling well. However, when the push came to shove, he surrendered to the onslaught of Pure Amber. Jockey Marco Monteriso was simply brilliant astride the winner.Abdulreda Abbas trained Excuse To Linger put in a powerful finishing effort to clinch a three way battle at the post in the Thoroughbred Advanced Plate, run over six furlongs. Sejalaay went into the lead and was followed closely by the rest. In the straight, Hearts Of Stone was ahead and travelling well when Captain Cleo came with a spirited challenge and took over the running. Jockey Gerald Avranche and Excuse To Linger were making efforts to get to a rhythm. It all happened inside the last 50 metres when the Abbas trainee got the measure of Captain Cleo. Excuse To Linger’s last ditch effort was splendid as the four year old chestnut colt flew with amazing strides and blazed past the duo to score in awesome style.Haidara (Yanis Aouabed astride) trained by Ghazali rose to the occasion in a splendid manner to clinch the Local Thoroughbred Conditions race. Taking over the running soon after entering the homestretch, Haidara found a good rhythm going and looked completely in command. The Ghazali trainee quickly amassed a winning lead and looked the winner long way from home and galloped on majestically to win by a two lengths. Sraab flashed late on the scene to take the runner-up berth ahead of Moaddie. Making his fourth appearance on the race track, de Mieulle saddled Fiteen (Djebbel-Daniah) shed his maiden status with a narrow win in the Pure Arabian Maiden Plate. Though the Mieulle trainee took a while to get into stride, jockey Convertino started to ride out Fiteen strongly and the three-year-old forged ahead to spare a length over Taghya. Sirat Al Naif and Hareer Al Hana took the third and fourth places respectively.