Mohamed bin Tawwar (centre) and Qatar Racing and Equestrian Club (QREC) general manager Nasser Sherida al-Kaabi (sixth from right) with the winners of the Al Ghariya Cup at the QREC yesterday. PICTURES: Juhaim


By Sports Reporter/Doha



Umm Qarn’s Majeed, back on the Qatar Racing and Equestrian Club turf for the first time since his HH The Emir’s Trophy win in February this year, picked up a victory in The Dukhan Cup, a conditions race for Local Purebred Arabians over 10 furlongs yesterday.
The Alban de Mieulle charge had last raced in the Qatar Arabian World Cup at Paris’ iconic Longchamp race track on the Arc day and had finished eighth in the 19-horse field.
Yesterday, jockey Gaetan Faucon had Majeed track the early leader, Injaaz Stud-owned Masnoon, till two furlongs from the end. The pace quickened and Masnoon was overwhelmed by the rest of the field.
Eventually, with 100m to go, it became a two-horse race with HH Sheikh Mohamed bin Khalifa al-Thani’s mare Taraf, ridden by last year’s champion jockey Harry Bentley, battling Majeed for the top spot in the QR200,000 event.
Five-year-old Majeed held enough to pick up his fourth career victory, while stable-mate Muhjah, with Jean Baptiste Hamel at the helm, finishing third.
In the other big race of the day, Alanoud bint Sheail al-Kuwari’s Lady Chantilly was raced to a thrilling victory in the Al Ghariya Cup, a seven-furlong conditions race for thoroughbreds, by JP Guillambert.
Mohamed Jassim Ghazali-trained Lady Chantilly tracked early leaders Harry’s Dancer, owned by Osama Omar al-Dhafea, and Injaaz Stud’s Fast before trying to move ahead on the outside coming on to the home straight.
As Harry’s Dancer fell back, Marvin Suerland’s ride Fast didn’t back down as Lady Chantilly mounted a raid. In the end, however, the race was decided by the tiniest of edges, while Mohamed Abdulla AN al-Attiyah’s Sefaat rounded the top three.
In the first race of the day, Bentley rode Sheikh Mohamed’s Bouhour to a victory in the Purebred Arabian Maiden Plate event. Julian Smart-schooled Bouhour finished ahead of Umm Qarn duo Azeeza and Nada.
Champion trainer Jassim al-Ghazali had two winners on the day with Guillambert riding Khalid Yahya al-Khusaai’s Newholm to victory in the Thoroughbred Maiden Plate event and Maryam bint Sheail al-Kuwari’s Spaghetti shedding his maiden status, with Gerald Avranche at the helm, in the Purebred Arabian Maiden Plate.
Ahmed Hassan al-Malki al-Jehani’s Moaddie won his second straight race when the colt was ridden to victory by Yanis Aouabed in the Local Thoroughbred Handicap race, ahead of Umm Qarn’s Yasmeen and Footprintinthesand, owned by Mohammed Kazim al-Ansari & Sons.
Jockey Pier Convertino continued his impressive run with Lesha this season as Rashid Mubarak Aljafali al-Naimi’s colt picked up his third victory out of four outings this season. Trainer Majed Seifeddine had a one-two in the Thoroughbred Handicap event for horses rated 85 and above yesterday with Mubarak Saeed Aljafali al-Naimi’s Al Busayyir finishing ahead of Headline News, owned by Dhafi al-Ardi al-Marri.

RESULTS
Race 1: 1. Bouhour (Harry Bentley), 2. Azeeza (Gaetan Faucon), 3. Nada (Jean Baptiste Hamel), 4. Sharsaa Al Naif (Marvin Suerland). Won by: Nk, 1.5, 1. Owner: HH Sheikh Mohamed bin Khalifa al-Thani. Trainer: Julian Smart.
Race 2: 1. Newholm (JP Guillambert), 2. Izghawa (Jean Baptiste Hamel), 3. Pipe Bomb (Adrie de Vries), 4. Qatar Rock (Yanis Aouabed). Won by: Nk, 3.5, Hd. Owner: Khalid Yahya al-Khusaai. Trainer: Jassim al-Ghazali.
Race 3: 1. Spaghetti (Gerald Avranche), 2. Amid (Jean Baptiste Hamel), 3. Al Najib (Yanis Aouabed), 4. Al Sahm (Harry Bentley). Won by: 2, 0.75, 0.75. Owner: Maryam bint Sheail al-Kuwari. Trainer: Jassim al-Ghazali.
Race 4: 1. Moaddie (Yanis Aouabed), 2. Yasmeen (Gaetan Faucon), 3. Footprintinthesand (Seb Sanders), 4. Zahrah (Jean Baptiste Hamel). Won by: 0.5, Nk, 3.5. Owner: Ahmed Hassan al-Malki al-Jehani. Trainer: H al-Jehani.
Race 5: 1. Lesha (Pier Convertino), 2. Al Busayyir (Gaetan Faucon), 3. Headline News (Andrew Elliot), 4. Primitorio (Cedric Segeon). Won by: Hd, 0.5, Shd. Owner: Rashid Mubarak Aljafali al-Naimi. Trainer: Majed Seifeddine.
Race 6: 1. Majeed (Gaetan Faucon), 2. Taraf (Harry Bentley), 3. Muhjah (Jean Baptiste Hamel), 4. Rassan (Gerald Avranche). Won by: 0.5, 1.75, 1. Owner: Umm Qarn. Trainer: Alban de Mieulle.
Race 7: 1. Lady Chantilly (JP Guillambert), 2. Fast (Marvin Suerland), 3. Sefaat (Andrew Elliot), 4. Momalorka (Stephan Ladjadj). Won by: Shd, 1.25, 0.5. Owner: Alanoud bint Sheail al-Kuwari. Trainer: Mohamed Jassim Ghazali.


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