‘I don’t know what the plans from the owners are but I think he stays here’

Adrie de Vries capped 2016 with an amazing run at the Qatar International Derby festival.
On Day One of the festival, the Dutchman had three winners, including Ateej for trainer Thomas Fourcy in the feature.
Yesterday, De Vries helmed Noor Al Hawa, trained by Germany’s Andreas Wohler, to victory in the finale, the USD 500,000 Qatar Derby (Gr1) for three-year-old Thoroughbreds.
Riding in the colours of Al Wasmiyah Farm, De Vries had the colt track the leading trio of Thewayyouwish, Ard San Aer and Al Mohalhal.
As the excited grandstand at the Qatar Racing and Equestrian Club approached, De Vries and his partner moved past the leaders, with Pat Cosgrave having Mohamed Hussain-trained Gerrard’s Quest pick up the pace too. Eventually, Cosgrave’s move proved to be too late as Noor Al Hawa had already surged ahead for a three-length win in the 2000m race.
“He was a little bit scared of the ground. He had performed well in Germany on softer ground, but he seemed to handle it well today. The concern was unnecessary eventually,” said De Vries, referring to the three straight Listed/Group wins in Europe for the colt.
Eduardo Pedroza had helmed Noor Al Hawa for the hat-trick, but had already been claimed to ride Ibrahim al-Malki’s Open ‘N Shut for yesterday’s race.
“He did everything right, and it was a good choice,” Wohler said about having De Vries take the ride.
Talking about Noor Al Hawa, Wohler said, “After his runs last season, we had reckoned that he would run better on a mile and a quarter, and he proved it right here. I don’t know what the plans from the owners are but I think he stays here.”
Alban de Mieulle landed two wins on the big day when Olivier Peslier guided Umm Qarn’s Tayf and stablemate Humam to victory in the Qatar Derby (Gr2 PA) for four-year-olds and the Qatar Oaks for three-year-old Purebred Arabian fillies respectively.
In the penultimate race of the day, having stayed on the rails for the bulk of the race, while Khalifa bin Sheail al-Kuwari-owned Tekfir led early on, Peslier made good use of a gap on the outside, even as Harry Bentley had Spaghetti take the inside route to pass his stablemate.
At the post, Tayf edged out Mith’Haf Athbah for the win while HH The Emir’s Silver Sword and Qatar Silver Sword winner Spaghetti was a close third.
Humam stayed unbeaten in Qatar with a splendid victory in the Qatar Oaks for three-year-old Purebred Arabians fillies.
The Umm Qarn filly took her time to move up the order in the five-horse race, which was being led by HH Sheikh Mohamed bin Khalifa al-Thani-owned Lawa’Has for the bulk of the mile-long run.
A furlong from the post, Peslier’s ride, trained by De Mieulle, eased by Julian Smart-schooled Lawa’Has and pulled further to win by a little under two lengths. Jassim Ghazali-saddled Farfale completed the podium.
Yousef Bentaher-trained Molheb Al Naif had won three out of his four starts this year, and a win two weeks ago brought all the spotlight on to the grey son of Amer, coming into yesterday’s run.
Yesterday, with Gerald Avranche at the helm, the four-year-old did not disappoint, leading throughout, barring a brief wrangle with Damas, trained by De Mieulle and ridden by Jean Baptiste Hamel in the colours of Umm Qarn, on the final stretch.
However, Molheb Al Naif had that much more in him, despite a step up in distance, eventually winning by two lengths.
Pierre Deymonaz-saddled Barrelaman completed the podium.
Avranche only had good things to say about his ride after the win. “He is not very mature in his mind. He is keen sometimes, and relaxed sometimes. Specially in the corner, he hangs on to the left. That also means, there is still a lot to work with. If he can gallop in a relaxed manner and turn properly, he will definitely win much more.”
For the second straight race, a thrilling duel concluded the run with Zuhair Mohsen-trained Asaaf edging out Stefano Ibido-saddled Salman Bu Thaila by the smallest of margins to win the Qatar Derby for three-year-old Local Thoroughbreds.
Darren Williams guided Cannon to early lead with the favourite Al Uraiq Secret, stepping up to 1850m for the first time, not too far behind under Eduardo Pedroza.
Coming on to the final stretch, both Cannon and Al Uraiq Secret couldn’t keep up as Stephan Ladjadj and Alberto Sanna simultaneously got their partners, Asaaf and Salman Bu Thaila respectively, to pick up the pace. With little between them, stewards took a bit longer than usual to announce Asaaf, owned by Ali Khalfan Mohamed Ali Sheban al-Suwaidi, as the winner at the post.
Mohamed Hussain-saddled Al Aayar made an impression on one of the most important racing days in Qatar under Qatari jockey Rashid al-Marri, winning the Purebred Arabians Special Conditions event yesterday.
Al Aayar took the lead early on, coming of Gate 10, and never gave it up, despite a threatening run by Mujahidah, under Champion Jockey Bentley’s ride in the final 100 metres.
“Harry Bentley is a good rider, Champion Jockey, and I thought it would be difficult for Rashid, who is an apprentice rider, riding for the first time. So it’s a hugely important win for him,” Hussain said after the race.
Julian Smart’s charge Fer’ha finished four lengths behind in fourth.
Khalifa bin Sheail al-Kuwari-owned Al Malhoufa overcame an initial setback to pick up a memorable win in the Qatar Oaks for three-year-old Local Purebred Arabians fillies yesterday.
After putting her foot over the sides in the gates, she was on the turf under Bentley’s ride, eventually beating Majed Seifeddine’s Al Sabba for the win, while Umm Qarn’s Afra finished third.
“She is a young horse, and hasn’t run too many times. Going into the gates, she was pretty good. But she just went up a couple of times and put her foot over the sides. So I wasn’t sure that she would be able to run. Thankfully she did,” Bentley said after the race.
“She was fine once she got out of that. Good solid pace, I think I just wanted to get her behind a couple of them and settle her. In the end, it all worked.”

Results
Race 1: 1. Humam (Olivier Peslier), 2. Lawa’Has (Marco Monteriso), 3. Farfale (Harry Bentley), 4. Al Mufajaah (Pier Convertino). Won by: 1 ¾, 5, 8. Time: 1:45.41. Owner: Umm Qarn. Trainer: Alban de Mieulle.
Race 2: 1. Al Malhoufa (Harry Bentley), 2. Al Sabba (Darren Williams), 3. Afra (Gaetan Faucon), 4. Kamila (Jean Baptiste Hamel). Won by: 2, 1, 2. Time: 1:45.16. Owner: Khalifa bin Sheail al-Kuwari. Trainer: Jassim Ghazali.
Race 3: Al Aayar (Rashid al-Marri), 2. Mujahidah (Harry Bentley), 3. Fer’Ha (Abdullah al-Marri), 4. Bouhour (Alberto Sanna). Won by: Hd, 4, 1 ½. Time: 1:29.87. Owner: Dhafi al-Ardi al-Marri. Trainer: Mohamed Hussain.
Race 4: 1. Asaaf (Stephan Ladjadj), 2. Salman Bu Thaila (Alberto Sanna), 3. Saqr (Gaetan Faucon), 4. Mosayter (Harry Bentley). Won by: Shd, 5, Hd. Time: 1:54.90. Owner: Ali Khalfan Mohamed Ali Sheban al-Suwaidi. Trainer: Zuhair Mohsen.
Race 5: 1. Molheb Al Naif (Gerald Avranche), 2. Damas (Jean Baptiste Hamel), 3. Barrelaman (Pier Convertino), 4. She’ris (Marco Monteriso). Won by: 2, 1, 4. Time: 2:12.81. Owner: Sheikh Abdullah bin Nasser al-Ahmed al-Thani. Trainer: Yousef Bentaher.
Race 6: 1. Tayf (Olivier Peslier), 2. Mith’Haf Athbah (Eduardo Pedroza), 3. Spaghetti (Harry Bentley), 4. Carab (Pier Convertino). Won by: Nk, Nk, 1. Time: 2:11.44. Owner: Umm Qarn. Trainer: Alban de Mieulle.
Race 7: 1. Noor Al Hawa (Adrie De Vries), 2. Gerrard’s Quest (Pat Cosgrave), 3. Al Mohalhal (Darren Williams), 4. Opera Baron (Harry Bentley). Won by: 3, 3/4, 1 3/4. Time: Owner: Al Wasmiyah Farm. Trainer: Andreas Wohler.