Ghazalis celebrate big opening day as Ishfaq takes feature win

Champion trainer Jassim Mohamed Ghazali enjoyed a fantastic day at Qatar Racing and Equestrian Club’s Al Rayyan Park with two winners on the opening day of HH The Amir Sword Festival, including Sheikh Khalifa bin Mohamed bin Khalifa al-Thani’s Ishfaq, who topped the day’s feature, the Al Zubara Trophy, yesterday.
What added to his excitement was his son, Mohamed, too saddling two winners in the eight-race card yesterday.
Champion jockey Harry Bentley, who rode both the winners for Ghazali Senior, had Ishfaq closely follow Ibrahim al-Malki-saddled She’ris in the 2000m race for four-year-old and older local Purebred Arabians.
On the home straight, the two, with Eduardo Pedroza in the saddle for She’ris, turned the race into a thrilling duel, one which Bentley and his mount won by a quarter of a length at the post.
“I knew She’ris was going to be tough,” the elder Ghazali told Gulf Times after the win. “I know that when he goes in front, he is very difficult to catch. So I told my jockey Harry Bentley not to let the horse go too far ahead, and he took care about that. In the last 100m I knew he would win.”
Ishfaq was Ghazali’s first feature winner for Sheikh Khalifa.
“I am very happy today. Also my son, Mohamed, he had two winners. He has come back after long time. I think God gave me today more than I had hoped for. If I continue with similar results tomorrow, I would be very lucky. Congratulations to everyone in my team,” Ghazali said.
The wins have taken some of the pressure of the big weekend off for him, he said. “Obviously everyone wants to win more, but today I am a bit relieved.”
The younger Ghazali saddled two Thoroughbred winners on the day, with JP Guillambert trusting Khalifa bin Sheail al-Kuwari-owned mounts in both the races enough for pillar-to-post wins.
Like in the finale, al-Malki’s wards fell short in these two races too, with Receding Waves edging out Jimmy Quinn-helmed Shobrom in the six furlong sprint for Thoroughbreds, while Tawahid registered his first win in Qatar after the move from France when he beat Crafted by two lengths in the mile-long Thoroughbred Handicap event for horses rated 75-95.
The oldest horse in the field was in fantastic form as Gerald Avranche guided Mohamed Riyaz-trained Sandbetweenourtoes to an impressive victory in the six-furlong Thoroughbred Handicap sprint.
The 10-year-old had gone winless last season, having won his last race in December 2016. Yesterday, the Meshaal bin Ali al-Attiyah-owned gelding won with three lengths and a quarter to spare, as Eduardo Pedroza-helmed Munira Eyes edged out Lawless Louis by a head for his second spot.
His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Khalifa al-Thani’s Annan opened the three-day festival with a thrilling victory for trainer Julian Smart in the Purebred Arabian Plate event for four-year-olds. Under a fantastic ride by Theo Bachelot, the colt won the miler by a head, beating Al Shaqab Racing’s Gtnah by a head at the post.
Smart had to settle for a runner-up in the next race when Ibrahim al-Malki’s Shaman Bu Thaila was in scintillating form, and registered his second straight victory. Jimmy Quinn and his five-year-old mount, Shaman Bu Thaila, raced to an imposing nine-length victory with Theo Bachelot and Karim settling for a second place finish in the 2000m Local Thoroughbred Handicap event.
Champion trainer Jassim Mohamed Ghazali’s wards locked out the top two spots in the 2000m Purebred Arabian Handicap event when AJS Al Moheeb, with champion jockey Harry Bentley in the saddle, picked up a comfortable one-and-a-half length victory over Al Shahania Stud’s E’zaaz, ridden by JP Guillambert.
Al Shaqab Racing and trainer Alban de Mieulle, however, registered their first win in the Thoroughbred Handicap event for horses rated 85 and below, when Ronan Thomas-ridden Haloul got going on the home straight, past early leader Succeed and Excel, and straight to a three-and-a-half length victory in the 2000m race.
 
RESULTS
Race 1: 1. Annan (Theo Bachelot), 2. Gtnah (Ronan Thomas), 3. Di Oco Py (Faleh Bughanaim), 4. Husam (Mathieu Pelletan). Won by: Hd, 1 ¼, 4 ¼. Time: 1:47.05. Owner: His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Khalifa al-Thani. Trainer: Julian Smart.
Race 2: 1. Shaman Bu Thaila (Jimmy Quinn), 2. Karim (Theo Bachelot), 3. Musaiter Bu Thaila (Ivan Rossi), 4. Mister Mahjoob (Anas al-Seyabi). Won by: 9, 3 ¾, ¾. Time: 2:04.74. Owner: Ibrahim al-Malki. Trainer: Ibrahim al-Malki.
Race 3: 1. AJS Al Moheeb (Harry Bentley), 2. E’zaaz (JP Guillambert), 3. Bsheer (Faleh Bughanaim), 4. AJS Al Maha (Tomas Lukasek). Won by: 1 ½, 1 ½, Shd. Time: 1:45.86. Owner: Mohamed bin Ahmed bin Mohamed al-Attiyah. Trainer: Jassim Mohamed Ghazali.
Race 4: 1. Haloul (Ronan Thomas), 2. More Than A Dream (Jean Baptiste Hamel), 3. Daneyan (Harry Bentley), 4. Could Be (Eduardo Pedroza). Won by: 3 ½, 1 ¼, ¼. Time: 2:02.26. Owner: Al Shaqab Racing. Trainer: Alban de Mieulle.
Race 5: 1. Sandbetweenourtoes (Gerald Avranche), 2. Munira Eyes (Eduardo Pedroza), 3. Lawless Louis (Jean Baptiste Hamel), 4. Holy Shambles (Ronan Thomas). Won by: 3 ¼, Hd, Hd. Time: 1:11.67. Owner: Meshaal bin Ali al-Attiyah. Trainer: Mohamed Riyaz.
Race 6: 1. Tawahid (JP Guillambert), 2. Crafted (Jimmy Quinn), 3. Shakour (Marco Casamento), 4. Oryx (Theo Bachelot). Won by: 2, ¾, Shd. Time: 1:36.39. Owner: Khalifa bin Sheail al-Kuwari. Trainer: Mohamed Jassim Ghazali.
Race 7: 1. Receding Waves (JP Guillambert), 2. Shobrom (Jimmy Quinn), 3. Itorio (Tomas Lukasek), 4. Vona (Marco Casamento). Won by: 3/4, 1 1/4, 3/4. Time: 1:11.79. Owner: Khalifa bin Sheail al-Kuwari. Trainer: Mohamed Jassim Ghazali.
Race 8: 1. Ishfaq (Harry Bentley), 2. She’ris (Eduardo Pedroza), 3. Reda (Stephan Ladjadj), 4. Fahim (Ronan Thomas). Won by: 1/4, 1 3/4, 1. Time: 2:11.97. Owner: Sheikh Khalifa bin Mohamed bin Khalifa al-Thani. Trainer: Jassim Mohamed Ghazali.