Thomas shines as Cristofano Allori wins feature

Jockey Ronan Thomas capped a treble when he rode Cristofano Allori to the Muraikh Cup victory at the dirt track of the Qatar Racing and Equestrian Club’s Al Rayyan Park yesterday.The gelding won by a little more than a length in the Thoroughbred feature, edging out Eduardo Pedroza-ridden Munira Eyes, to earn owner-trainer Abdulaziz Ali al-Kathiri his first victory of the season.Earlier in the day, Thomas had helmed two Umm Qarn horses — Meelad and Badda — to victories.Meelad had opened the day’s proceedings with his first victory around Al Rayyan Park having made the move from France to Qatar last year. Alban de Mieulle-trained colt had shown promise in his outings in Qatar, finishing in the frame four times out of five outings, but with Thomas in the saddle for the first time, the five-year-old finally made it into the winner’s circle with a narrow quarter-length victory over Jassim Mohamed Ghazali-trained Annab.The owner-trainer-jockey trio returned to the winner’s circle with a handicap victory after Badda topped the Purebred Arabian Handicap event for horses rated 90 and below by a little more than a length, beating a Ghazali ward yet again. AJS Al Moheeb, helmed by JP Guillambert, finished runner-up for the third straight time this month.Champion trainer Ghazali saddled a winner in the penultimate race of the day with Marco Casamento riding Yaarmen to a Thoroughbred Handicap victory in the colours of Shaheen bin Khalid Shaheen al-Ghanim. The victory was the gelding’s first in over a year.For the second straight time, Khalifa bin Sheail al-Kuwari’s Tilal emerged as a winning ride for champion jockey Harry Bentley. The filly, saddled by Mohamed Jassim Ghazali, won a handicap event for local Thoroughbreds over six furlongs, the four-year-olds second victory over the course and distance.Even Abu Fas Stud’s Volatile notched his second straight victory of the season when Pier Convertino guided Mohamed Riyaz-trained gelding to a fine handicap win yesterday. The win was the second on the day for the trio, after Tayish shed his maiden status with a comfortable victory in the 1700m race for local Thoroughbreds. Convertino helmed Riyaz’s ward to almost a three-length victory, which was the colt’s first in four races.Also registering his second career victory on the day was Khalifa bin Ali bin Mohamed al-Attiyah-trained Numuthej, with Qatari apprentice jockey Saleh Salem al-Marri guiding his second winner of the season. The colt won the graduation race for local Thoroughbreds, and the victory has already taken al-Marri past his last year’s winnings. RESULTSRace 1: Meelad (Ronan Thomas), 2. Annab (Harry Bentley), 3. Texas (Gary Sanchez), 4. Murihk (Tomas Lukasek). Won by: ¼, 7, 5 ¾. Time: 2:17.76. Owner: Umm Qarn. Trainer: Alban Elie Marie de Mieulle.Race 2: 1. Tayish (Pier Convertino), 2. Al Adheed (Eduardo Pedroza), 3. Aamal (Marco Casamento), 4. Al Qamar (Harry Bentley). Won by: 2 ¾, 2 ½, 4 ¾. Time: 1:54.97. Owner: Abu Fass Stud. Trainer: Mohamed Riyaz.Race 3: 1. Numuthej (Saleh Salem al-Marri), 2. Sky Blue (Ronan Thomas), 3. Musaiter Bu Thaila (Carlos Henrique), 4. The Shark (Ryan Curatolo). Won by: 1 ½, ¾, ½. Time: 2:08.84. Owner: Jassim bin Ali al-Attiyah. Trainer: Khalifa bin Ali bin Mohamed al-Attiyah.Race 4: 1. Tilal (Harry Bentley), 2. Sarat Abha (Carlos Henrique), 3. Attaf (JP Guillambert), 4. Al Uraiq Weapon (Gary Sanchez). Won by: 1, 6 ½, 3 ¼. Time: 1:13.96. Owner: Khalifa bin Sheail al-Kuwari. Trainer: Mohammed Gassim Ghazali.Race 5: 1. Badda (Ronan Thomas), 2. AJS Al Moheeb (JP Guillambert), 3. Jahfal (Anas al-Seyabi), 4. Nomas Al Shajaa (Rashid Ali al-Marri). Won by: 1 ¼, 4, 1 ½. Time: 2:01.47. Owner: Umm Qarn. Trainer: Alban de Mieulle.Race 6: 1. Volatile (Pier Convertino), 2. Connery (Ivan Rossi), 3. French Encore (Rashid Ali al-Marri), 4. Izzer (Ryan Curatolo). Won by: 1 ¼, 2 ¼, 4 ¾. Time: 1:12.27. Owner: Abu Fass Stud. Trainer: Mohamed Riyaz.Race 7: 1. Yaarmen (Marco Casamento), 2. Rich History (Tomas Lukasek), 3. Bluebeard (Gary Sanchez), 4. First To Post (Abdulaziz Jaber Dharman). Won by: 3 ¾, ½, 3. Time: 2:03.64. Owner: Shaheen bin Khalid Shaheen al-Ghanim. Trainer: Jassim Mohamed Ghazali.Race 8: 1. Cristofano Allori (Ronan Thomas), 2. Munira Eyes (Eduardo Pedroza), 3. Astley Hall (JP Guillambert), 4. Receding Waves (Marco Casamento). Won by: 1 ¼, ¾, 1 ½. Time: 1:105.59. Owner: Abdulaziz Ali al-Kathiri. Trainer: Abdulaziz Ali al-Kathiri.