Jassim Mohamed Ghazali picked up right from where he had left off last season. Champion trainer for six straight seasons in Qatar, Ghazali saddled four winners at the Qatar Racing and Equestrian Club’s (QREC) Al Rayyan Park yesterday including Al Shahania Stud’s Rajeh, the feature winner.
Jockey Tomas Lukasek too completed a treble when he helmed Rajeh in the day’s dirt feature, the Owners Cup, over 1900m. Coming off the gates, Lukasek had Rajeh stick to the inside line as they tracked early leader Al Afreet along with Al Shaqab Racing’s Al Walid. Going into the final 400m, Lukasek gave his mount a go ahead, and the five-year-old was into the gap on the inside and off, pulling away for a spectacular and a dominant 10-length victory.
Al Walid, ridden by Qatari jockey Faleh Bughanaim, weakened and Ryan Curatolo took advantage as he guided Osama Omer al-Dafea’s Baker De Saularie past Alban de Mieulle’s ward for the runner-up spot.
Earlier in the day, Ghazali had three winners for Injaaz Stud, who introduced new orange and white silks for the season. In the penultimate race of the day for Thoroughbreds, Izzthatright was back at the top of the results having made a promising comeback from a health problem late last season.
With Alexis Pouchin in the saddle, the gelding picked up a comfortable victory with a little less than four lengths to spare ahead of Ibrahim al-Malki’s Munira Eyes. It was Pouchin’s second victory of the day, having guided Al Mustafiz in the six furlong Local Purebred Arabians Conditions event. The results also meant that Pouchin, with 30 career victories so far, will no longer be an apprentice moving up the ladder starting today.
“I think to start a tough season, you need a strong race. And with four winners on the first day, I am very happy and also very lucky,” Ghazali told Gulf Times yesterday. “Izzthatright had some internal bleeding problems last season. But after treatment he gave me a very good race. He got a good break over the summer. I am very happy with Rajeh. First run in the sand and first Cup of the season. He did very, very well. He made it look very easy. Last season he had a problem in his joints, and had to undergo an operation. But he has come back in good health and has made a great start.”
Ghazali, after six straight seasons at the top of the trainers’ championships, knows that he is the target. Not easy for me. When you are the leader, everyone is trying to make it hard for you. It is normal. But for me, being the leading trainer for so long in Qatar continuously, it takes a lot of hard work and I will have to continue that to stay on top,” he said.
Ahmed Kobeissi saddled winners in two straight races with Beach Samba and Khor Al Adaid winning handicap thrillers yesterday. Hassan Ali al-Abdulmalik’s Beach Samba, a veteran of 57 starts, entered the winner’s circle after a gap of four and a half years when the seven-year-old topped the Thoroughbred Handicap event for horses rated 75 and below.
Having finished in the frame over the same course and distance in his final race of the previous season, the gelding did enough in the seven-furlong run on dirt under Ryan Curatolo to edge out Ghazali-trained Tadeem at the post by a nose for his second career win.
In the Purebred Arabian Handicap event for horses rated 75 and below, Lukasek registered his second victory of the day when he helmed Khor Al Adaid in the colours of Dr. Ahmed Mohd Hasan al-Sulaiti & Sons in the 1700m run. Lukasek’s mount edged out Umm Qarn’s Badda by a short head even as another Kobeissi charge, Aneeq, completed the top three under Curatolo.
Earlier in the day, Lukasek rode the first winner of the season when he helmed Hadi Nasser al-Ramzani-schooled Southenmachoman to a maiden victory in the Thoroughbred Maiden Plate event. Another Qatari trainer, Ibrahim al-Malki, saddled a one-two in the other Thoroughbred maiden event, with Anas al-Seyabi riding Hashtag Al Galayel to a close win in the six furlong sprint.
Ghazali too got off the mark on the first day when Injaaz Stud’s Rajab halted a string of fourth place finishes, and stepped down in distance to win the Purebred Arabian Maiden Plate event under JP Guillambert.
RESULTS
Race 1: 1. Southernmachoman (Tomas Lukasek), 2. Shellbrook (JP Guillambert), 3. Almasah (Faleh Bughanaim), 4. Lahessar (Saleh Salem al-Marri). Won by: 4 1/4, 5 3/4, 1/2. Time: 1:05.84. Owner: Abdulaziz Saleh al-Jaber. Trainer: Hadi Nasser al-Ramzani.
Race 2: 1. Hashtag Al Galayel (Anas al-Seyabi), 2. Al Khor Surprise (Eduardo Pedroza), 3. Sarat Abha (Ryan Curatolo), 4. Ushayqer (Adnan Hawa). Won by: 1/4, Shd, 2 3/4. Time: 1:15.72. Owner: Ali Mohamed Rashid Ali al-Madheed. Trainer: Ibrahim al-Malki.
Race 3: 1. Rajab (JP Guillambert), 2. Ghazwan Al Shajaa (Ali Khalid al-Mosallam), 3. Forgehill Chiraz (Rashid Ali al-Marri), 4. Hazm Al Sulaimi (Faleh Bughanaim). Won by: 1 1/4, Nk, No. Time: 1:21.62. Owner: Injaaz Stud. Trainer: Jassim Mohamed Ghazali.
Race 4: 1. Beach Samba (Ryan Curatolo), 2. Tadeem (JP Guillambert), 3. Bint Saffian (Meteb Ali al-Marri), 4. Acclaimed Dancer (Rashid Ali al-Marri). Won by: No, 1, 5. Time: 1:13.56. Owner: Hassan Ali al-Abdulmalik. Trainer: Ahmed Kobeissi.
Race 5: 1. Khor Al Adaid (Tomas Lukasek), 2. Badda (Faleh Bughanaim), 3. Aneez (Ryan Curatolo), 4. Seddik (JP Guillambert). Won by: Shd, 1 3/4, 2 1/2. Time: 2:02.55. Owner: Dr Ahmed Mohamed Hasan al-Sulaiti & Sons. Trainer: Ahmed Kobeissi.
Race 6: 1. Al Mustafiz (Alexis Pouchin), 2. Rassan (Al Moatasem al-Balushi), 3. Kasser (Faleh Bughanaim), 4. Al Muntathar (Eduardo Pedroza). Won by: 2 1/4, 3/4, Shd. Time: 1:20.20. Owner: Injaaz Stud. Trainer: Jassim Mohamed Ghazali.
Race 7: 1. Izzthatright (Alexis Pouchin), 2. Munira Eyes (Eduardo Pedroza), 3. Receding Waves (JP Guillambert), 4. Catch A Wave (Ryan Curatolo). Won by: 3 3/4, Nk, 1/2. Time: 1:05.04. Owner: Injaaz Stud. Trainer: Jassim Mohamed Ghazali.
Race 8: 1. Rajeh (Tomas Lukasek), 2. Baker De Saularie (Ryan Curatolo), 3. Al Walid (Faleh
Bughanaim), 4. Jabal Aramoon (Anas al-Seyabi). Won by: 10, 5 3/4, 2. Time: 2:16.01. Owner: Al Shahania Stud. Trainer: Jassim Mohamed Ghazali.
Prominent former jockey Taleb Saeq (centre) and Qatar Racing and Equestrian Club (QREC) Racing manager Abdulla al-Kubaisi (right) with the winners of the Owners Cup after Al Shahania Stud’s Rajeh won the 1900m feature at Al Rayyan Park yesterday. PICTURES: Juhaim
