Champion trainer Jassim Mohamed Ghazali followed up his four victories from the opening day with a treble in the second race meeting at the Qatar Racing and Equestrian Club’s (QREC) Al Rayyan Park yesterday.
And his wards did so in style as Injaaz Stud’s Wayside Flower led a Ghazali sweep of the frame winning the Al Ghariya Cup, yesterday’s Thoroughbreds feature for fillies and mares on the turf.
Even a last minute jockey change, after Alexis Pouchin hit the ground in the opening race of the day, could not stop Ghazali from a win with Italian Luca Maniezzi taking Wayside Flower into the lead early on in the seven-furlong race and the duo holding on for a fine win ahead of Anas al-Seyabi-ridden Mualah, trained by Ghazali’s son, Mohamed.
Senior Ghazali’s Festive rounded up the top three, with Mohamed’s Flying Empress made it to the frame too.
“After Pouchin fell down, I needed a change, and Luca was available and I asked him to ride Wayside Flower. I only asked him one thing – please do what I need you to do. Go front, take lead and you will win. He was unsure, but well, we won,” Ghazali told Gulf Times after the win.
“Pouchin is ok now, Alhumdullilah. He felt a little bit of pain in the neck, and he was sent to the clinic, but he is fine now. 
“I am very happy, but the season is long and hard. I think God gave me two great days.”
In the penultimate race of the day, Ghazali-trained Al Hareth managed to hold off a fast-closing Abha, ridden by Al Moatasem al-Balushi for Hadi Nasser al-Ramzani, in the final 100m of the six furlong Local Thoroughbreds sprint to make it a double for the champion trainer.
Earlier in the evening, Ghazali’s fifth winner of the season was Noble Masterpiece, who registered his fourth career victory, winning the Thoroughbred Handicap event for horses rated 70-90. The win under JP Guillambert was the first of the season for last year’s leading owner Khalifa bin Sheail al-Kuwari.With al-Seyabi in the saddle, Evolution Du Croate held off a spirited challenge from Guillambert and his mount Al Neksh at the post in the mile-long Purebred Arabian Handicap event for horses rated 90 and below.
Osama Omer al-Dafea’s colt followed early leader Diese before charging forward on the outside over the bend. As al-Seyabi and his mount took the advantage in the final furlong, Ghazali’s Al Neksh too joined the party up front but ran out of real estate to finish runner-up by a head at the post, with Alban de Mieulle-trained Diese in third. French recruit Al Hazm emerged as the first winner of the season for the famous colours of Umm Qarn and trainer De Mieulle, when the colt won the mile-long Purebred Arabian Plate event for three-year-olds comfortably yesterday.
With two solid performances in Group level races in France before his Al Rayyan Park debut yesterday, the colt had little trouble brushing aside a weight disadvantage, running the heaviest in the field, as Soufiane Saadi guided him to a victory with a little more than two lengths to spare.
Ryan Curatolo registered two victories on the day, having helmed Ahmed Kobeissi-trained Majhool Al Zaeem in a maiden miler earlier in the day, before guiding Mohamed Khaled Elahmed-schooled Sarmad Bu Thaila to a breezy victory in a Local Thoroughbred Handicap later in the evening.
Earlier in the day, Stefano Ibido-saddled Ifreet made a smashing debut in Qatar to shed his maiden status on his fifth career attempt under Luca Maniezzi with eight-and-a-half lengths to spare.
 
RESULTS
Race 1: 1. Ifreet (Luca Maniezzi), 2. Rosasa (Ryan Curatolo), 3. Ijtihaad (JP Guillambert), 4. Irtiqaa (Al Moatasem al-Balushi). Won by: 8 1/2, 3/4, 1 1/4. Time: 1:11.89. Owner: Abdulhadi Mana al-Hajri. Trainer: Stefano Ibido.
Race 2: 1. Majhool Al Zaeem (Ryan Curatolo), 2. Lawainah (Soufiane Saadi), 3. Sharifa Bu Thaila (Mustafa Manav), 4. Gazwa (Faleh Bughanaim). Won by: 1. Nk, 6, 6. Time: 1:38.20. Owner: Dr Ahmed Mohamed Hasan al-Sulaiti & Sons. Trainer: Ahmed Kobeissi.
Race 3: 1. Noble Masterpiece (JP Guillambert), 2. Shaheen (Anas al-Seyabi), 3. Cloak and Dagger (Eduardo Pedroza), 4. French Encore (Ryan Curatolo). Won by: 1 1/2, 1/4, Hd. Time: 1:09.85. Owner: Khalifa bin Sheail al-Kuwari. Trainer: Jassim Mohamed Ghazali
Race 4: 1. Sarmad Bu Thaila (Ryan Curatolo), 2. Latamah (Tomas Lukasek), 3. Look At Me (Eduardo Pedroza), 4. Mister Mahjoob (Anas al-Seyabi). Won by: 2 1/2, 3 1/4, 1/4. Time: 1:38.10. Owner: Subaiya Awad Ibrahim. Trainer: Mohamed Khaled Elahmed.
Race 5: 1. Al Hazm (Soufiane Saadi), 2. Joudy (Tomas Lukasek), 3. AJS Sabeeha (Al Moatasem al-Balushi), 4. Faadi (Anas al-Seyabi). Won by: 2 1/4, 6 1/4, 8 1/4. Time: 1:46.18. Owner: Umm Qarn. Trainer: Alban de Mieulle.
Race 6: 1. Evolution Du Croate (Anas al-Seyabi), 2. Al Neksh (JP Guillambert), 3. Diese (Soufiane Saadi), 4. Di Oco Py (Ryan Curatolo). Won by: Hd, 3/4, 3 1/2. Time: 1:48.19. Owner: Osama Omer al-Dafea. Trainer: Osama Omer al-Dafea.
Race 7: 1. Al Hareth (JP Guillambert), 2. Abha (Al Moatasem al-Balushi), 3. Bab Al Rayyan (Eduardo Pedroza), 4. Moaddie (Tomas Lukasek). Won by: 1 1/4, Nk, 4 1/4. Time: 1:10.58. Owner: Meshaal bin Ali al-Attiyah. Trainer: Jassim Mohamed Ghazali.
Race 8: 1. Wayside Flower (Luca Maniezzi), 2. Mualah (Anas al-Seyabi), 3. Festive (JP Guillambert), 4. Flying Empress (Al Moatasem al-Balushi). Won by: 1 1/2, 1/4, 3. Time: 1:22.71. Owner: Injaaz Stud. Trainer: Jassim Mohamed Ghazali.