Champion trainer Jassim Mohamed Ghazali and champion jockey Harry Bentley notched up two feature wins out of three at the Qatar Racing and Equestrian Club’s (QREC) Al Rayyan Park yesterday, with Qatari trainer Hadi Nasser al-Ramzani saddling four winners, including the third feature.
Ghazali’s wards have had an impressive strike rate in the features in the short season so far, and the trend continued when Khalifa bin Sheail al-Kuwari’s Alignement topped the Wathnan Cup for Thoroughbreds before Qatari International Cup winner Molheb Al Naif grabbed his third six-furlong sprint victory in the Losail Cup.
Bentley was palpably excited after guiding his mounts to victory. “I have been here for two weeks and I have had six winners. I can’t complain. Obviously I want to win all of them but it doesn’t always work that way. Just have to accept that. Happy enough start, and there is still plenty of time,” he told Gulf Times yesterday. 
After Alignement’s win, Ghazali said, “I am very lucky that I have started the season well. This race had top quality competition. I removed The Blue Eye from this race and kept him for next week, and Alignement showed me he could win.”
Asked about Molheb Al Naif, he said, “First run this season and the race is short for him a little. He is a mile horse but I came for the Cup.”
Earlier in the evening, Al Lusail capped a fantastic evening of racing for Qatari handler Hadi Nasser al-Ramzani and the colours of Al Jeryan Stud.
The five-year-old was also the third winner on the day for jockey Carlos Henrique when they passed the post a little more than two lengths ahead of Ibrahim al-Malki’s Shaman Bu Thaila in the miler. Earlier, al-Ramzani saddled his third winner of the evening when Djelamer bounced back from a winless season to win his first race of the current season under Henrique in the Purebred Arabian Handicap event for horses rated 90 and above.
The Al Jeryan Stud horse beat Al Shaqab Racing’s Al Naama and Injaaz Stud’s Melk for a short head victory at the post.
Qatar-bred AJS Al Maha was the second winner of the evening for al-Ramzani when the mare topped the Purebred Arabian Handicap event for horses rated 90 and below yesterday.
Alexander Reznikov had the six-year-old stay midfield even as Umm Qarn’s Gold Amer set the pace up front. As the field opened wide coming off the bend, Reznikov had his mount gradually move forward on the outside, eventually beating JP Guillambert-ridden AJS Al Moheeb at the post by half-a-length.
Jockey Soufiane Saadi rode his second winner this season when he helmed Akmar for French trainer Alban de Mieulle in the mile-long Purebred Arabian Claiming Race for horses rated 60-90. 
Saadi, riding in the colours of Saif Ali Owaida al-Hajri, bided his time before giving a go-ahead in the final 400m, making good use of a gap between Nisal and early leader Anees, eventually holding on for a fine victory with a little over a length to spare over Faleh Bughanaim-ridden Ellianka.
Mohamed Khaled Elahmed trained Wadhah was unstoppable in the seven furlong Plate event for local Thoroughbreds with the filly going pillar to post up front for a fantastic victory under Ryan Curatolo. 
The winner was Curatolo’s ninth this season, with the Frenchman currently leading the jockeys’ championship.


RESULTS
Race 1: 1. Venedegar (Carlos Henrique), 2. Show Of Strength (Eduardo Pedroza), 3. Lucipherus (Ryan Curatolo), 4. Jacko (Marco Casamento). Won by: ¾, 2 ¼, ¼. Time: 1:11.09. Owner: Al Jeryan Stud. Trainer: Hadi Nasser al-Ramzani.
Race 2: 1. Al Gazi (Eduardo Pedroza), 2. Rex Place (Carlos Henrique), 3. Lahessar (Saleh Salem al-Marri), 4. Frontman (Luca Maniezzi). Won by: 1 ½, 1 ¾, Shd. Time: 1:36.31. Owner: Sheikh Faisal bin Hamad bin Jassim al-Thani. Trainer: Ibrahim al-Malki.
Race 3: 1. Wadhah (Ryan Curatolo), 2. Al Duhail (Faleh Bughanaim), 3. Sea The Light (Anas al-Seyabi), 4. Mutamez (Luca Maniezzi). Won by: 4 ¼, ¾, 5. Time: 1:25.33. Owner: Saif Rashid Saif al-Khayarin. Trainer: Mohamed Khaled Elahmed.
Race 4: 1. Akmar (Soufiane Saadi), 2. Ellianka (Faleh Bughanaim), 3. Nisal (Adnan Hawa), 4. Anees (JP Guillambert). Won by: 1 ¼, 5 ¾, 5 ¼. Time: 1:46.44. Owner: Saif Ali Owaida al-Hajri. Trainer: Alban de Mieulle.
Race 5: 1. AJS Al Maha (Alexander Reznikov), 2. AJS Al Moheeb (JP Guillambert), 3. Deebaj (Marco Casamento), 4. Djalmessa (Eduardo Pedroza). Won by: ½, 1, 1 ¼. Time: 1:31.20. Owner: Al Jeryan Stud. Trainer: Hadi Nasser al-Ramzani.
Race 6: 1. Djelamer (Carlos Henrique), 2. Al Naama (Faleh Bughanaim), 3. Melk (Marco Casamento). Won by: Shd, 1 ¼. Time: 2:22.06. Owner: Al Jeryan Stud. Trainer: Hadi Nasser al-Ramzani.
Race 7: 1. Al Lusail (Carlos Henrique), 2. Shaman Bu Thaila (Luca Maniezzi), 3. Mosayter (Harry Bentley), 4. Surra Man Raa (Anas al-Seyabi). Won by: 2 ¼, 3, No. Time: 1:35.56. Owner: Al Jeryan Stud. Trainer: Hadi Nasser al-Ramzani.
Race 8: 1. Alignement (Harry Bentley), 2. Noor Al Hawa (Tom Marquand), 3. Quelindo (Ivan Rossi), 4. Shabbab (Ryan Curatolo). Won by: 2 ½, No, ½. Time: 2:02.63. Owner: Khalifa bin Sheail al-Kuwari. Trainer: Jassim Mohamed Ghazali.
Race 9: 1. Molheb Al Naif (Harry Bentley), 2. Almuheet (Ryan Curatolo), 3. Qassy (Luca Maniezzi), 4. Caid De L’Ardus (JP Guillambert). Won by: 3 3/4, 1/2, 1/4. Time: 1:16.59. Owner: Al Naif Racing. Trainer: Jassim Mohamed Ghazali.