Northern Beam showed fantastic stamina over 2000m in the finale on a day when Ronan Thomas helmed three winners, including Khor Al Adaid Cup (Group 3) winner Duke of Dundee and Thoroughbreds Classic winner Alhazm, at the Qatar Racing and Equestrian Club’s (QREC) Al Rayyan Park turf yesterday.
Gerald Avranche, riding in the colours of Khalid Rashid al-Mohannadi, had Rashid Mohamed al-Jehani-trained Northern Beam take the advantage on the back straight of the QR100,000 Thoroughbred Pearl race for fillies and mares, and then surged forward in astonishing fashion when rivals got close a furlong out to win by almost three lengths.
The filly was the second winner for Avranche, who had earlier ridden Khalid Nasser al-Naimi’s Saab to the eight-year-old’s first victory on turf since April 2015 in the six furlong Local Purebred Arabian Conditions sprint.
Thomas helmed Hamad Ahmed al-Malki al-Jehani’s charge, Flower Festival, to second place, while Faleh Bughanaim rode Qatar Dance to third.
In the penultimate race, Al Shaqab Racing’s Alhazm edged out Qatar Derby (Group 1) topper Full Moon in the final few metres, having stayed in the rear third for the bulk of the QR100,000 race, for his first victory in Qatar.
The victory was second on the day for the Alban de Mieulle-Thomas combine, after Umm Qarn’s Duke of Dundee went one better than his finish in the last year’s edition of the QR100,000 Khor Al Adaid (Group 3) to top the day’s longest race at 2800m.
Thomas had started the day with a victory astride More Than A Dream in the 2000m Thoroughbred Handicap event for horses rated 70-90.
The royal blue and white stars silks of His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Khalifa al-Thani and Al Shahania Stud shone bright with 2017 HH The Amir’s Sword winner Ebraz winning the second straight edition of the Purebred Arabian Conditions event, while Qatari Gold registering his first victory topping the QR100,000 Al Areeq Cup.
Theo Bachelot was in the saddle for both Julian Smart-trained Ebraz and Stefano Ibido-schooled Qatari Gold.
Qatari jockey Rashid Ali al-Marri continued with his impressive season, as the apprentice rider notched up his ninth victory this season riding Hassan al-Matwi’s Snafi Al Shajaa to Local Purebred Arabian Handicap victory over a mile.
Eduardo Pedroza was astride Ibrahim al-Malki-trained Bab Al Rayyan when the colt notched his second straight victory in three races in the Local Thoroughbred Plate event for four-year-olds.

RESULTS

Race 1: 1. More Than A Dream (Ronan Thomas), 2. Rich History (Jean Baptiste Hamel), 3. Off He Goes (Theo Bachelot), 4. Saint Roch (Carlo Fiocchi). Won by: Shd, 1 1/4, 1 1/4. Time: 2:03.69. Owner: Ahmed Hassan al-Malki al-Jehani. Trainer: Hamad Ahmed al-Malki al-Jehani.
Race 2: 1. Bab Al Rayyan (Eduardo Pedroza), 2. Latamah (Tomas Lukasek), 3. Qate’e (Harry Bentley), 4. Majhool Al Zaeem (Saleem Golam). Won by: 2 1/2, 1/2, 2 1/4. Time: 1:14.29. Owner: Abdulatif Hussain al-Emadi. Trainer: Ibrahim al-Malki.
Race 3: 1. Snafi Al Shajaa (Rashid Ali al-Marri), 2. Murihk (Ryan Curatolo), 3. Ezaajh (Theo Bachelot), 4. Semaisima (Damien Marin). Won by: No, 3 1/2, 1 1/4. Time: 1:49.05. Owner: Hassan al-Matwi. Trainer: Hassan al-Matwi.
Race 4: 1. Saab (Gerald Avranche), 2. AJS Anfowan (Tomas Lukasek), 3. Kasser (Stephan Ladjadj), 4. Istibdad (Harry Bentley). Won by: 1/2, 1 1/4, 3/4. Time: 1:19.87. Owner: Khalid Nasser al-Naimi. Trainer: Khalid Nasser al-Naimi.
Race 5: 1. Ebraz (Theo Bachelot), 2. She’ris (Eduardo Pedroza), 3. Meelad (Mathieu Pelletan), 4. Djelamer (Jean Baptiste Hamel). Won by: 2 1/4, 4, 1/2. Time: 2:03.66. Owner: His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Khalifa al-Thani. Trainer: Julian Smart.
Race 6: 1. Qatari Gold (Theo Bachelot), 2. Black Granite (Harry Bentley), 3. Itorio (Tomas Lukasek), 4. Warring States (Marco Casamento). Won by: 1, 3/4, Shd. Time: 1:39.07. Owner: Al Shahania Stud. Trainer: Stefano Ibido.
Race 7: 1. Duke of Dundee (Ronan Thomas), 2. Giuseppe Garibaldi (Ryan Curatolo), 3. Galactic Prince (Harry Bentley), 4. Otwo (Carlo Fiocchi). Won by: 1 3/4, 1 3/4. 3 1/4. Time: 3:11.07. Owner: Umm Qarn. Trainer: Alban de Mieulle.
Race 8: 1. Alhazm (Ronan Thomas), 2. Full Moon (Ryan Curatolo), 3. Tawahid (Stephan Ladjadj), 4. Beachwalk (Carlo Fiocchi). Won by: No, 3, 1 1/4. Time: 2:04.82. Owner: Al Shaqab Racing. Trainer: Alban de Mieulle.
Race 9: 1. Northern Beam (Gerald Avranche), 2. Flower Festival (Ronan Thomas), 3. Qatar Dance (Faleh Bughanaim), 4. Festive (JP Guillambert). Won by: 2 3/4, 1/2, 3/4. Time: 2:05.55. Owner: Khalid Rashid al-Mohannadi. Trainer: Rashid Mohamed al-Jehani.
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