The Blue Eye picked up right from where he had left last season winning the HH Sheikh Mohammed Bin Khalifa Al Thani Trophy (Gr2), yesterday’s feature at the Qatar Racing and Equestrian Club (QREC).
The Dubawi colt, who was the leading four-year-old Thoroughbred last season, having won the Qatar Gold Trophy in April this year and HH The Emir’s Trophy in February, was ridden to a close victory by Champion Jockey Harry Bentley for Champion Trainer Jassim Ghazali.
Bentley, riding in the silks of Leading Owner Khalifa bin Sheail al-Kuwari, kept his ride in the midfield even as stablemate Itorio and Ahmed Kobeissi’s Fort Moville took the early lead.
By the time action reached the home stretch, The Blue Eye was tracking the leaders, with Umm Qarn’s Migwar in pursuit. As the former started pulling away, Jean Baptiste Hamel, riding Migwar, got his ride to move too, with the race eventually turning into a duel. A duel that The Blue Eye won by holding on just enough.
Another Umm Qarn horse, Duke of Dundee was third.
The win meant that The Blue Eye stayed unbeaten in Qatar in 2016. His only loss was in Meydan in March.
Half-brothers trained by son-father duo Mohammed and Jassim Ghazali topped the Assy Local Purebred Arabian Cup event with Al Murabitoon winning the seven-furlong event ahead of Istibdad.
Ridden by Pier Convertino, Al Murabitoon, who last won the HH The Emir’s Silver Sword almost two years ago, moved up on the outside as the final stretch approached, before picking up the pace 200m from the post.
Another Af Albahar progeny Istibdad, who had two straight wins this season coming into yesterday’s race, too picked up pace under Bentley but it was a bit too late as Al Murabitoon crossed the finish line almost two lengths ahead.
Meqdam Al Zaidy, trained by Ibrahim al-Malki, posted yet another top-three finish this season under Eduardo Pedroza.
Jockey Adrie de Vries made the most of his five rides on the first day of his Qatar campaign yesterday winning thrice.
Two of those three wins were with trainer Stefano Ibido’s horses, owned by Abdulhadi Mana al-Hajri.
In the Class 3 Jaafer Thoroughbred Handicap race for horses rated between 81 and 95, De Vries guided Nayef Dancer to a thrilling win over a packed field.
Staying midfield on the inside for the bulk of the race, with Emaad and Baitha Alga setting the pace up front, De Vries and his partner had to deal with heavy traffic coming on to the home stretch.
However, De Vries had a willing partner and the gelding picked up pace at the right moment edging out Zuhair Mohsen-schooled Cameraman, ridden by Gerald Avranche, at the post, while Ibrahim al-Malki’s Crafted was third under Eduardo Pedroza’s ride.
Last year’s Qatar Oaks winner Tanja Bu Thaila had hit a winless patch after her memorable December 2015 victory, with her last run throwing up a tenth place finish.
Yesterday, De Vries guided the filly to a thrilling victory in the Mared Al Sahra Local Thoroughbred Classified Stakes for horse rated 85 and below.
Jassim Ghazali-schooled Muraqabah registered her second second-place finish this season, while Xavier Ziani guided Ammon to third.
The win was De Vries’ second on the day, having earlier guided Al Eshrah to her maiden win in the Asraa Min Albarq Local Purebred Arabian Maiden Plate for trainer Mohamed Salama Ashour.
Earlier in the day, Qatar debutants Melk, ridden by Bentley for Ghazali, and Darren Williams-ridden Al Mutanabi, saddled by Majed Seifeddine, registered their first career wins in the Djendel Purebred Arabian Maiden Plate and Aziz Thoroughbred Maiden Plate events respectively.

RESULTS
Race 1: 1. Melk (Harry Bentley), 2. Chanson Du Soleil (Gerald Avranche), 3. Qaiser (Jean Baptiste Hamel), 4. El Nahab (Pier Convertino). Won by: 3 1/2, 2 1/2, 1 1/2. Owner: Khalifa bin Sheail al-Kuwari. Trainer: Jassim Ghazali.
Race 2: 1. Al Eshrah (Adrie De Vries), 2. Tahri Baha (Darren Williams), 3. Wisam (Gaetan Faucon), 4. Adham (Jean Baptiste Hamel). Won by: 1 1/2, 1 1/4, 2. Owner: Zakhir Stud. Trainer: Mohammed Salama Ashour.
Race 3: 1. Al Mutanabi (Darren Williams), 2. Poet’s Song (Tomas Lukasek), 3. Kraftwork (Harry Bentley), 4. Atlantic Sea (Gerald Avranche). Won by: 1 3/4, Nk, 3/4. Owner: Abdulla bin Mubarak al-Jafali al-Naimi. Trainer: Majed Seifeddine.
Race 4: 1. Tanja Bu Thaila (Adrie de Vries), 2. Muraqabah (Harry Bentley), 3. Ammon (Xavier Ziani), 4. Qhudoua (JP Guillambert). Won by: Nk, 1/2, 1. Owner: Abdulhadi Mana al-Hajri. Trainer: Stefano Ibido.
Race 5: 1. Nayef Dancer (Adrie de Vries), 2. Cameraman (Gerald Avranche), 3. Crafted (Eduardo Pedroza), 4. Erroneous (Harry Bentley). Won by: Nk, Hd, Nk. Owner: Abdulhadi Mana al-Hajri. Trainer: Stefano Ibido.
Race 6: 1. Al Murabitoon (Pier Convertino), 2. Istibdad (Harry Bentley), 3. Meqdam Al Zaidy (Eduardo Pedroza), 4. Maazouz (Stephan Ladjadj). Won by: 1 3/4, Nk, 1 1/2. Owner: Khalifa bin Sheail al-Kuwari. Trainer: Mohammed Jassim Ghazali.
Race 7: 1. The Blue Eye (Harry Bentley), 2. Migwar (Jean Baptiste Hamel), 3. Duke of Dundee (Gaetan Faucon), 4. Ningara (Pier Convertino). Won by: Nk, 1 1/4, Hd. Owner: Khalifa bin Sheail al-Kuwari. Trainer: Jassim Ghazali.