Four-time Group winner Opera Baron put up a fantastic run in the Mesaimeer Cup at Qatar Racing and Equestrian Club’s (QREC) Al Rayyan Park yesterday to complete a treble for champion trainer Jassim Mohamed Ghazali even as jockey Ronan Thomas rode four winners.
JP Guillambert, riding the gelding in the colours of Khalifa bin Sheail al-Kuwari, had his mount track early leaders Shabbab and Topsy Turvy on the outside before making a move coming off the bend.
The duo pulled away from the competition with ease as Eduardo Pedroza guided Topsy Turvy to second place, while Shabbab weakened at the business end of the 1800m race to settle for third under Saleem Golam.
Meshaal bin Ali al-Attiyah’s Almigdam was the third winner for Ghazali on the day. The low-mileage four-year-old raced to his fourth straight victory this season under Thomas.
The colt brushed aside a sixth place finish on his debut in January with four straight victories comfortably moving up in class. Yesterday, he topped his third straight Thoroughbred Handicap event, as Ghazali’s wards locked the top two spots with Yaarmen in second under Guillambert.
Ghazali’s first winner of the day was Sacred Way. Shaheen bin Khalid Shaheen al-Ghanim-owned gelding won the Thoroughbred Handicap event for horses rated 75 and below.
The 1900m event, only for Qatari riders, saw Ali Khalid al-Mosallam ride his first winner of the season, beating Rashid Ali al-Marri-helmed Al Mikdam by two-and-a-half lengths. Ghazali’s son, Mohamed, saddled the third-placed Warsaan, who had Saleh Salem al-Marri in the
saddle.
Thomas’ three other winners were all saddled by Frenchman Alban de Mieulle. In the penultimate race of the day, a 1900m Purebred Arabian Handicap, Olivier Materne’s Diese edged out Rashid Ali Mohamed al-Saaq al-Marri’s Taysh, ridden by Qatari jockey Rashid Ali al-Marri, by a neck at the post.
Two Umm Qarn Arabians — Sealine and Badda — registered their first victories respectively for de Mieulle under Thomas.
Rashid Ali al-Marri’s impressive season continued yesterday as the apprentice jockey rode his 12th winner of the season.
Al-Marri helmed Salem Fadgham al-Hajri’s Acclaimed Dancer to the colt’s second victory this season when they topped the Thoroughbred Handicap event for horses rated 75 and below.
The rider’s brother, Meteb, too had his mount finish in the money, with Khalid Nasser Hamad al-Naimi’s Shaqran finishing fourth in the six-furlong sprint.
In the first race of the card, Mohamed Khaled Elahmed-traiend Dhergham Bu Thaila shed his maiden status among the Thoroughbreds under Anas al-Seyabi.
Qatar Racing and Equestrian Club’s Abdulla Rashid al-Kubaisi (third from right) with the winners of the Mesaimeer Cup after Opera Baron won the 1800m dirt feature at Al Rayyan Park yesterday. PICTURES: Juhaim
