Mohamed Nasser al-Naimi’s Itorio was back in the winner’s circle after almost two years in the Ain Khaled Cup, yesterday’s feature on turf at the Qatar Racing and Equestrian Club’s Al Rayyan Park.
The victory was a first for the Oratorio colt after moving yards to Hadi Nasser al-Ramzani.
In some top-class Thorougbhreds sprint action, Tomas Lukasek rode the seven-year-old to a thrilling victory in the six-furlong sprint, beating Stephan Ladjadj-ridden Cristofano Allori by a quarter of a length. Jassim Mohamed Ghazali-saddled Black Granite too made it to the paddock after a third-place finish under champion jockey Harry Bentley.
Al-Ramzani, who was awarded the Qatari Horse Trainer of the Year award last year, saddled another winner on the day in Al Jeryan Stud’s Al Lusail, with Ronan Thomas riding the five-year-old to a victory in the seven-furlong Local Thoroughbred Conditions event.
Thomas made it to the winner’s circle again astride Al Shaqab Racing’s Al Walid, who registered his second victory this season for trainer Alban de Mieulle in the 2,200m Purebred Arabian Conditions event.
Champion trainer Ghazali added two more winners to his tally with Bentley and JP Guillambert riding two horses owned by Khalifa bin Sheail al-Kuwari — Alignement and Festive — to victory in the two Thoroughbred Conditions races.
The day started with trainer Ibrahim al-Malki saddling two handicap winners — Sheikh Faisal bin Hamad bin Jassim al-Thani’s Yvanlend and Mohamed Abdulla Abdulmalik’s War King.
Yvanlend’s timely lunge at the post ensured that Eduardo Pedroza-ridden gelding had beaten ironically-named Tremendous Leap, from the stables of Ghazali, by a short head for his second victory since arrival in Qatar.
In the 2,200m Local Thoroughbred Handicap Mohamed Khaled Elahmed-trained Sarmad Bu Thaila was edged out by a head after leading from the start by Quinn-ridden War King.
Quinn was also astride Mohamed Hussain-saddled Qassy, who topped the Purebred Arabian Conditions miler. The nine-year-old was the oldest runner in the field but did enough to win by a comfortable one-and-a-half lengths.

RESULTS
Race 1: 1. Yvanlend (Eduardo Pedroza), 2. Tremendous Leap (JP Guillambert), 3. Amenable (Ronan Thomas), 4. Suprematism (Tomas Lukasek). Won by: Shd, 2 ½, Hd. Time: 2:03.02. Owner: Sheikh Faisal bin Hamad bin Jassim al-Thani. Trainer: Ibrahim al-Malki.
Race 2: 1. War King (Jimmy Quinn), 2. Sarmad Bu Thaila (JP Guillambert), 3. Look At Me (Eduardo Pedroza), 4. Damsah (Damien Morin). Won by: Hd, 1 ¼, 1 ¼. Time: 2:20.06. Owner: Mohamed Abdulla Abdulmalik. Trainer: Ibrahim al-Malki.
Race 3: 1. Qassy (Jimmy Quinn), 2. Ateej (Eduardo Pedroza), 3. AJS Anfowan (Tomas Lukasek), 4. Al Dawoodea (Faleh Bughanaim). Won by: 1 ½, 1 ¼, Hd. Time: 1:45.31. Owner: Al Thumama Racing. Trainer: Mohamed Hussain Afroz.
Race 4: 1. Alignement (Harry Bentley), 2. Full Moon (Ryan Curatolo), 3. Jewel House (Eduardo Pedroza), 4. Es’hail (Gerald Avranche). Won by: Shd, 1 ½, 1 ¾. Time: 2:02.92. Owner: Khalifa bin Sheail al-Kuwari. Trainer: Jassim Mohamed Ghazali.
Race 5: 1. Al Lusail (Ronan Thomas), 2. Mosayter (Harry Bentley), 3. Saar (Gerald Avranche), 4. Nahaab (Eduardo Pedroza). Won by: ¾, Hd, 1 ¼. Time: 1:26.57. Owner: Al Jeryan Stud. Trainer: Hadi Nasser al-Ramzani.
Race 6: 1. Festive (JP Guillambert), 2. Wayside Flower (Harry Bentley), 3. Izghawa (Eduardo Pedroza), 4. Darkanna (Jean Baptiste Hamel). Won by: 1 ¼, ¾, Shd. Time: 1:23.17. Owner: Khalifa bin Sheail al-Kuwari. Trainer: Jassim Mohamed Ghazali.
Race 7: 1. Al Walid (Ronan Thomas), 2. Spaghetti (Harry Bentley), 3. She’ris (Eduardo Pedroza), 4. Reda (Stephan Ladjadj). Won by: 2 ¾, 3 ½, 3. Time: 2:26.07. Owner: Al Shaqab Racing. Trainer: Alban de Mieulle.
Race 8: 1. Itorio (Tomas Lukasek), 2. Cristofano Allori (Stephan Ladjadj), 3. Black Granite (Harry Bentley), 4. Shobrom (Jimmy Quinn). Won by: ¼, 1 ¾, 2 ¼. Time: 1:09.91. Owner: Mohamed Nasser al-Naimi. Trainer: Hadi Nasser al-Ramzani.