Gazwan takes Gold Sword to give Smart third Gr1 win

HH Sheikh Mohamed bin Khalifa al-Thani and trainer Julian Smart registered their third Group 1 win in as many months to give a massive boost to a campaign that had looked far from impressive early on in the season.Gazwan, who had finished runner-up in the race last year, went one better in the 2000m Qatar Gold Sword (Gr1 PA) at the Qatar Racing and Equestrian Club yesterday. Smart wards Ebraz and Reda had won the Emir’s Sword in February and the Kahayla Classic in Dubai last month.Rashid al-Jehani’s Courtofversailles, owned by Khalid Rashid al-Mohanadi, took the victory under Stephan Ladjadj in the Qatar Gold Trophy (Gr1) yesterday.In the finale, Ba’sil set the pace up front yet again, and Gazwan took the advantage coming on to the home straight with Umm Qarn’s Tayf on his heels. Richard Mullen’s mount held on at the post to win by a neck, while Sheikh Khalifa bin Mohamed bin Khalifa al-Thani’s Mahess Du Soleil finished third under Adrie de Vries.“To go from what was considered to be a poor season to win Emir’s Sword (Gr1 PA), Kahalya Classic (Gr1 PA) and Gold Sword (Gr1 PA), I think that anybody who said anything about Shahania in the beginning, where are they now?” a thrilled Smart, with his hands to his ears, told Gulf Times yesterday.Talking about yesterday’s race, he said, “Gazwan is Gazwan. He is a true champion. When Tayf came to him, he fought him off. A lot of horses would have probably just given up.“You have to feel sorry for Ba’sil, but unfortunately that (setting the pace) is his job. You have to have a Group quality horse leading Group horses. He was a good sprinter in his own right, but we have had to sacrifice him to do this job.” Asked about Ebraz, Smart said, “He is having a nice holiday ahead of the European summer.”Earlier, in the penultimate race of the day, al-Jehani saddled Courtofversailles held on from a fast-closing Hall of Mirrors, trained by Ahmed Kobeissi and ridden by Adnan Hawa, to win the 2200m Thoroughbred feature.Ladjadj had kept his mount in the front half early on, before making his way on the outside coming off the final bend. Early leader, Proposed, trained in Bahrain by Jaber Ramadhan, weakened and soon found Courtofversailles and Jassim Ghazali’s Roman Legend all over him.Courtofversailles took a slight advantage in the final 50m but perhaps Hawa left it for too late as the late surge by Hall of Mirrors meant that the latter fell short of victory by a neck. Qatar Derby winner Molheb Al Naif followed up his Purebred Arabian Sprinter Cup win last month with a victory in the mile-long Qatar Silver Trophy yesterday for four-year-old or older local Purebred Arabians.Gerald Avranche had the Yousef Bentaher-trained colt stay on the heels of Umm Qarn’s Farooq, helmed by Jean Baptiste Hamel, for the bulk of the run.A furlong out, the five-year-old surged forward to take the lead, eventually winning three and a half lengths ahead of Alban de Mieulle-trained Farooq. Jassim Ghazali’s Rassan was third.Once Pazeer got going on the home straight there was nothing that could stop Ibrahim al-Malki’s ward, who picked up his third win in Qatar and second over a mile, in the Al Wajba Trophy for three-year-old Class 1 Thoroughbreds, owned by local individual Qataris.Eduardo Pedroza held his mount steady behind early leaders, including stablemate Perfect Storm, before making the move coming on to the home straight. With a willing partner in the three -year-old colt, the duo was up and away, eventually winning by an impressive six lengths.Umm Al Afai Cup winner Pleaseletmewin was second for trainer Jassim Ghazali, while Ahmed Kobeissi’s Notalot rounded up the top three.A versatile Al Hareth had little difficulty winning the Local Thoroughbreds event for trainer Ghazali.The Mishal bin Ali al-Attiyah-owned six-year-old had already won a six furlong sprint, over seven furlongs and a mile this season, coming into yesterday’s race. The bay horse only improved his strike rate when Harry Bentley’s ride saw him register his 19th career win, this time over 1850m.Stefano Ibido-saddled Salman Bu Thaila was second under Alberto Sanna, while Qatari jockey Faleh Bughanaim guided Kobeissi’s Footprintinthesand to the six-year-old’s 11th straight top three finish.Ghazali and Bentley immediately followed up this win with another, thanks to Injaaz Stud-owned Izzthatright. The five-year-old won the Sealine Sprint Trophy for Class 1 Thoroughbreds that are three-year-old or older. Izzthatright finished three lengths ahead of Risk Adjusted, trained by Mohamed Hussain, while Ibrahim al-Malki’s ward, Beach Samba, was third.Mubarak al-Khayarin-trained Samborn won the 1850m Qatar Silver Sword event for four-year-old Purebred Arabians, owned by local individual Qataris.Pier Convertino guided the Alanoud bint Sheail al-Kuwari-owned horse to victory, a length and a quarter ahead of AJS Gannas, while Ghazali-trained Melk was third under Bentley.Earlier in the day, in the two maiden races, Zuhair Mohsen-trained Al Watan and Hadi al-Ramzani-schooled Djahab registered their first career wins.While Saleem Golam helmed Al Watan to a close victory in the Local Thoroughbred Maiden Plate event, Al Jeryan Stud’s Djahab made a smashing start to her career, winning by 11 lengths on debut, under Tomas Lukasek.RESULTSRace 1: 1. Al Watan (Saleem Golam), 2. Mister Lal (Eduardo Pedroza), 3. Jalmoud (Jean Baptiste Hamel), 4. Deen (Marco Monteriso). Won by: 3/4, 1, Nk. Time: 1:12.865. Owner:Ali Thamer al-Mehshadi. Trainer: Zuhair Mohsen. Race 2: 1. Djahab (Tomas Lukasek), 2. Qaswarah (Eduardo Pedroza), 3. Qahir Al Sahra (Saleem Golam), 4. Samhan Al Shajaa (Andrea Fele). Won by: 11, 2 1/2, 8. Time: 1:16.410. Owner: Al Jeryan Stud. Trainer: Hadi al-Ramzani.Race 3: 1. Samborn (Pier Convertino), 2. AJS Gannas (Alberto Sanna), 3. Melk (Harry Bentley), 4. MJ Lattam (Adrie de Vries). Won by: 1 1/4, 2, 3. Time: 2:02.832. Owner: Alanoud bint Sheail al-Kuwari. Trainer: Mubarak al-Khayarin.Race 4: 1. Al Hareth (Harry Bentley), 2. Salman Bu Thaila (Alberto Sanna), 3. Footprintinthesand (Faleh Bughanaim), 4. Asaaf (Eduardo Pedroza). Won by: 1 ¼, 1 ¼, 3 ½. Time: 1:52.644. Owner: Mishal bin Ali al-Attiyah. Trainer: Jassim Ghazali.Race 5: 1. Izzthatright (Harry Bentley), 2. Risk Adjusted (Gerald Avranche), 3. Beach Samba (Eduardo Pedroza), 4. Dutch Masterpiece (Brett Doyle). Won by: 3, ¾, Shd. Time: 1:08.239. Owner: Injaaz Stud. Trainer: Jassim Ghazali.Race 6: 1. Pazeer (Eduardo Pedroza), 2. Pleaseletmewin (Harry Bentley), 3. Notalot (Gerald Avranche), 4. High Commander (Tadgh O’Shea). Won by: 6, ½, Shd. Time: 1:33.158. Owner: Abdulatif Hussain al-Emadi. Trainer: Ibrahim al-Malki.Race 7: 1. Molheb Al Naif (Gerald Avranche), 2. Farooq (Jean Baptiste Hamel), 3. Rassan (Harry Bentley), 4. She’ris (Alberto Sanna). Won by: 3 ½, ¾, 3 ½. Time: 1:41.822. Owner: Al Naif Racing. Trainer: Yousef Bentaher.Race 8: 1. Courtofversailles (Stephan Ladjadj), 2. Hall of Mirrors (Adnan Hawa), 3. Roman Legend (Harry Bentley), 4. Proposed (Brett Doyle). Won by: Nk, Nk, ¾. Time: 2:12.972. Owner: Khalid Rashid al-Mohanadi. Trainer: Rashid al-Jehani.Race 9: 1. Gazwan (Richard Mullen), 2. Tayf (Olivier Peslier), 3. Mahess Du Soleil (Adrie de Vries), 4. Shabih Alreeh (Alberto Sanna). Won by: Nk, 1 ¼, 1 ¼. Time: 2:09.464. Owner: HH Sheikh Mohamed bin Khalifa al-Thani. Trainer: Julian Smart.