Topsy Turvy wins feature as Sheikh Faisal, al-Malki, Golam score a double

The owner-trainer-jockey trio of Sheikh Faisal bin Hamad bin Jassim al-Thani, Ibrahim al-Malki and Saleem Golam combined well for two victories on the penultimate day of the season at the Qatar Racing and Equestrian Club’s dirt track yesterday.Golam helmed five-year-old gelding Topsy Turvy to victory in Muaither Cup, the Thoroughbred Handicap event for horses rated 105 and below that was the feature of the seven-race card yesterday.The British jockey had kept his mount closer to early leader, Jassim Ghazali-trained Emaad, in the 1,900m race, before Alberto Sanna had Karraar, trained by Mohamed al-Ramzani, join the party.Emaad weakened coming off the bend, and the race turned into a duel with Topsy Turvy steadily moving past Karraar for his fifth victory this season.Umm Qarn’s Djaouad was third, seven lengths behind the duo.Izghawa led a one-two for al-Malki in the six furlong Class 5 Thoroughbred Handicap event for fillies and mares rated 61-75 yesterday.Golam, who had guided the mare to her first victory this season in March, had helmed the five-year-old to a victory over the same course and distance last month.The hat-trick win saw Sheikh Faisal-owned mare finish six lengths ahead of Sylvia Pankhurst, ridden by Stephan Ladjadj, while Injaaz Stud’s Ventura Shadow was third.Champion Trainer Ghazali, who has a healthy lead over Alban de Mieulle in the championship going into today’s final day, had only one winner — Caid De L’Ardus.The five-year-old, owned by last year’s Leading Owner Khalifa bin Sheail al-Kuwari, beat Sultan al-Jaber-trained Mutazz by one-and-a-half lengths at the post in the Purebred Arabian Conditions event.The six-furlong event saw Ghazali’s Al Marboush finish third under Tadgh O’Shea, who had three top-three finishes on the day.Al-Kuwari is third in the Owners’ Championship behind Umm Qarn and HH Sheikh Mohamed bin Khalifa al-Thani going into the last day’s races.The only lady in the race, Apicus, made her preference for the course and distance very evident, when she raced to a victory in the six-furlong Thoroughbred Handicap for horses rated 81-95.The sprint on dirt saw Marvin Suerland guide the four-year-old filly past the post, a little more than a length ahead of Ghazali-trained gelding Hope Cove, with O’Shea astride, while Ladjadj rode al-Malki-schooled gelding to third.Alban de Mieulle-trained Waqaar had impressed many with her two top-three finishes to start her career in Qatar earlier this season.The Umm Qarn filly, on the penultimate day of the season, notched her second career victory with a win in the Purebred Arabian Handicap event for horses rated 50-90.Ladjadj guided the four-year-old to a half-a-length win ahead of Osama al-Dhafa’s Chanson Du Soleil, while Mohamed al-Sheeb’s Kasser also made it to the frame.Earlier, in the two maiden races that started the day, Mubarak al-Khayarin’s Udai Al Wajba and Rabiah al-Kaabi-trained Cap Nord registered their first career victories respectively.JP Guillambert rode Udai Al Wajba to a massive 13-length victory in the Local Purebred Arabian Maiden Plate event, while Cap Nord raced to victory under Qatari jockey Faleh Bughanaim in the six-furlong Thoroughbred Maiden Plate event. RESULTSRace 1: 1. Udai Al Wajba (JP Guillambert), 2. Chabib (Stephan Ladjadj), 3. AJS Al Zubara (Alberto Sanna), 4. Al Raad (Tadgh O’Shea). Won by: 13, 10, 9. Owner: Mubarak Mohamed al-Khayarin. Trainer: Mubarak al-Khayarin.Race 2: 1. Cap Nord (FR) (MaringoAG) (Faleh Bughanaim), 2. Reem Seattle (Marco Monteriso), 3. China Club (Tomas Lukasek), 4. Wailess (Adnan Hawa). Won by: 2 ½, ½, 3. Owner: Abdulghani Abdulla AN al-Abdulghani. Trainer: Rabiah al-Kaabi.Race 3: 1. Waqaar (Stephan Ladjadj), 2. Chanson Du Soleil (Alberto Sanna), 3. Kasser (JP Guillambert), 4. Qaa’ed (Gerald Avranche). Won by: ½, 1 ¼, ¾. Owner: Umm Qarn. Trainer: Alban de Mieulle.Race 4: 1. Izghawa (Saleem Golam), 2. Sylvia Pankhurst (Stephan Ladjadj), 3. Ventura Shadow (Tadgh O’Shea), 4. Pale Enchantment (Anas al-Seyabi). Won by: 6, ¾, 3. Owner: Sheikh Faisal bin Hamad bin Jassim al-Thani. Trainer: Ibrahim al-Malki.Race 5: 1. Apicus (Marvin Suerland), 2. Hope Cove (Tadgh O’Shea), 3. Shaka Zulu (Stephan Ladjadj), 4. Erroneous (Richard Mullen). Won by: 1 ¼, 1 ½, ¾. Owner: Abdulatif Hussain al-Emadi. Trainer: Zuhair Mohsen.Race 6: 1. Caid De L’Ardus (Richard Mullen), 2. Mutazz (Saleem Golam), 3. Al Marboush (Tadgh O’Shea), 4. Zameer (Marco Monteriso), 4. MJ Lattam (Tomas Lukasek). Won by: 1 ½, ¾, ½, DH. Owner: Khalifa bin Sheail al-Kuwari. Trainer: Jassim Ghazali.Race 7: 1. Topsy Turvy (Saleem Golam), 2. Karraar (Alberto Sanna), 3. Djaouad (Stephan Ladjadj), 4. Emaad (JP Guillambert). Won by: 1 1/4, 7, 3 1/2. Owner: Sheikh Faisal bin Hamad bin Jassim al-Thani. Trainer: Ibrahim al-Malki.