QREC general manager Nasser Sherida al-Kaabi presents the trophy to Marco Monteriso after he rode Al Majh’Hoor to victory in the Al Huwaila Cup yesterday.
Ridden by jockey Marco Monteriso in the colours of HH Sheikh Mohamed bin Khalifa al-Thani, Al Majh’Hoor had led the feature race of the eight-race card for the bulk of the 1850m run.
Al Jeryan Stud’s AJS Al Rayyan, ridden by Pier Convertino, and Injaaz Stud’s Mayasa ate into Al Majh’Hoor’s lead and came dangerously close in the final few metres.
However, Al Majh’Hoor, who had finished 11th in the HH The Emir’s Sword (Gr1 PA) in February this year, managed to hold on for his first win since December 2014 when he had won the Derby Trial.
Mohannad al-Yaqout celebrated his second win of the day when Al Jeryan Stud’s AJS Buraq picked up victory in the Purebred Arabian Handicap event for horses rated 60-90, under jockey Brett Doyle.
The win was AJS Buraq’s second in this month, having shed his maiden status two weeks ago.
The five-year-old finished a length ahead of Heytham, ridden by Ali al-Showeikh for trainer Abduljabar Ali, while Ibrahim al-Malki’s Lehwaila was third under Evert Pheiffer.
Earlier, in the opening race of the day, Al Jeryan Stud’s Majdan shed his maiden status on his 12th outing, winning the Purebred Arabian Maiden Plate event.
Al-Yaqout-trained Majd Al Arab colt finished a length ahead of Jassim Ghazali’s charge Verracruz for the win, while TM Majid Texas was third.
A week after winning a Class 2 handicap event over seven furlongs, al-Malki’s Crafted put on display his abilities over 10 furlongs, winning the Class 3 Thoroughbred Handicap race for horse rated 75-95.
Cedric Segeon guided Crafted to the post half-a-length ahead of Stefano Ibido’s Nayef Dancer, under Marvin Suerland, while another al-Malki charge, Fadak, ridden by Pheiffer in the colours of Sheikh Faisal bin Hamad bin Jassim al-Thani, rounded up the top three.
Champion trainer Ghazali’s only win of the day was with Injaaz Stud’s gelding Erroneous.
The five-year-old son of Footstepsinthesand won a mile long Class 5 Thoroughbred Graduation Plate leaving behind a jam-packed field of 16 horses.
Jockey Alberto Sanna rode Erroneous to a narrow win over al-Malki’s Beach Samba. Jazz, ridden by Richard Mullen for younger Ghazali, Mohamed, completed the top three.
The two runs of the Class 5 Thoroughbred Handicap event for horses rated 50-70 were won by Ghzayel and Dubai Star.
Ghzayel, trained by Zuhair Mohsen and ridden by Suerland, raced to her first victory on the Doha turf yesterday.
The five-year-old mare beat Al Zekreet Racing’s gelding King Of Doha and Mohamed Nasser al-Ramzani’s Christmas Aria in the first run of the mile-long event.
Osama al-Dhafea’s Dubai Star shaved almost a second off Ghzayel’s time to win the second run of the handicap event. Despite the pace, the five-year-old son of Dubawi, just about managed to edge out Salem al-Hajri-trained Charme Secret for a win, while Could Be, running for al-Malki, was third.
Since his Doha debut in the Guineas, Amer colt Djelamer had never finished outside the frame, winning the HH Sheikh Abdullah bin Khalifa al-Thani Silver Cup in January, and finishing second in the Qatar Silver Sword two weeks ago.
Yesterday, Alban de Mieulle’s charge, ridden by jockey Gaetan Faucon in the colours of Khalifa bin Hamad bin Khalifa al-Attiyah, picked up his second victory this season, winning the Purebred Arabian Graduation Plate, a mile-long event for four-year-olds,
Djelamer beat Derby Trial winner Almuheet and Smart-schooled Hagwa for a fine win.
RESULTS
Race 1: 1. Majdan (Pier Convertino), 2. Verracruz (Alberto Sanna), 3. TM Majid Texas (Adnan Hawa), 4. Daryan Al Naif (Marvin Suerland). Won by: 1, 1, 1. Time: 1:32.09. Owner: Al Jeryan Stud. Trainer: Mohannad al-Yaqout.
Race 2: 1. Ghzayel (Marvin Suerland), 2. King of Doha (Seb Sanders), 3. Christmas Aria (Pier Convertino), 4. World Fair (Ali al-Showeikh). Won by: 1 3/4, 1/2, 2. Time: 1:36.53. Owner: Ali Thamer al-Mehshadi. Trainer: Zuhair Mohsen.
Race 3: 1. Dubai Star (Darren Williams), 2. Charme Secret (Stephan Ladjadj), 3. Could Be (Cedric Segeon), 4. Soebroto (Ali al-Showeikh). Won by: Shd, Nk, 3/4. Time: 1:35.72. Owner: Osama Omar al-Dhafea. Trainer: Osama al-Dhafea.
Race 4: 1. AJS Buraq (Brett Doyle), 2. Heytham (Ali al-Showeikh), 3. Lehwaila (Evert Pheiffer), 4. Al Aayar (Marco Monteriso). Won by: 1, 3/4, Hd. Time: 1:18.09. Owner: Al Jeryan Stud. Trainer: Mohannad al-Yaqout.
Race 5: 1. Djelamer (Gaetan Faucon), 2. Almuheet (Marco Monteriso), 3. Hagwa (Richard Mullen), 4. Ainhoa Munjili (Alberto Sanna). Won by: 1 3/4, Nk, 1 1/2. Time: 1:46.08. Owner: Khalifa bin Hamad bin Khalifa al-Attiyah. Trainer: Alban de Mieulle.
Race 6: 1. Erroneous (Alberto Sanna), 2. Beach Samba (Cedric Segeon), 3. Jazz (Richard Mullen), 4. The Smart One (Tadgh O’Shea). Won by: Nk, 1 1/2, Nk. Time: 1:35.73. Owner: Injaaz Stud. Trainer: Jassim Ghazali.
Race 7: 1. Crafted (Cedric Segeon), 2. Nayef Dancer (Marvin Suerland), 3. Fadak (Evert Pheiffer), 4. Trading Profit (Ali al-Showeikh). Won by: 1/2, 1 1/4, 1 3/4. Time: 2:02.32. Owner: Ibrahim Saeed al-Malki. Trainer: Ibrahim al-Malki.
Race 8: 1. Al Majh’Hoor (Marco Monteriso), 2. AJS Al Rayyan (Pier Convertino), 3. Mayasa (Alberto Sanna), 4. Mekhbatt (Seb Sanders). Won by: Shd, 3/4, Hd. Time: 2:03.77. Owner: HH Sheikh Mohamed bin Khalifa al-Thani. Trainer: Julian Smart.