Umm Qarn’s Yazeed won The Late Sheikh Jassim Bin Mohammed Al Thani Trophy - Qatar National Day Trophy for the second straight year with Ronan Thomas riding the six-year-old at the Qatar Racing and Equestrian Club’s Al Rayyan Park yesterday.
The turf may have been softer due to recent rains, but Alban de Mieulle-trained colt had little trouble stamping his authority in the 2,000m race for Purebred Arabians, following up his excellent fifth-place finish at the Qatar Arabian World Cup in October with a win at home.
Yazeed, a contender for all top Arabian races around the world, beat Hadi Nasser al-Ramzani-schooled Akmar by a little more than a length, while stablemate Tayf, helmed by Soufiane Saadi in the Umm Qarn colours, completed the top three. Two-and-a-half weeks after landing a dirt feature under Thomas, Abdulaziz Ali al-Kathiri’s Cristofano Allori made a successful switch to turf with the jockey in the saddle yet again.
In the Thoroughbred Conditions event, a six-furlong sprint, the five-year-old had little trouble negotiating the soft ground for a memorable win with a little more than a length to spare at the post.
Mohamed Jassim Ghazali saddled two winners on the day — Deebaj and Mr Diamond — both for the colour of Khalifa bin Sheail al-Kuwari.
Qatari apprentice rider Saleh Salem al-Marri continued showing promise as he helmed Deebaj in the Purebred Arabian Handicap event for horses rated 95 and below and did well to win the miler by half-a-length.
In the Thoroughbred Plate event for three-year-old horses, J P Guillambert rode Mr Diamond to a close victory, the gelding’s first in Qatar. On his debut at Al Rayyan Park, the Mr Diamond had finished midfield in a Group 3 and did well over seven furlongs yesterday.
Ghazali’s father and champion trainer, Jassim, was denied a winner for two straight races. Ibrahim al-Malki-trained Al Haitham and Ahmed Kobeissi-schooled Shobrom held off two contenders each from Ghazali Senior’s stables to emerge winners in two Thoroughbred Handicap events. However, it was the trusty old Molheb Al Naif that saw the champion trainer enter the winner’s circle yesterday. Coming into the race Local Purebred Arabian Conditions (National Day Cup), the Amer colt had finished outside the money only twice in his 21-race career, including 15 victories.
Yesterday, the seven-year-old, ridden by champion jockey Harry Bentley in the colours of Al Naif Racing, only improved his strike rate when he landed the seven-furlong run in spectacular fashion, going past the post almost six lengths ahead of Umm Qarn’s Aahil.
For Hamad Ahmed al-Malki al-Jehani-schooled French Encore, it was a return to the winner’s circle after a gap of three-and-a-half years as the gelding won the Thoroughbred Handicap event for horses rated 75-95 by half-a-length. The six-year-old was helmed by Al Moatasem al-Balushi in the mile-long race. In the first race of the day, Osama Omer al-Dafea’s Tahar shed his maiden status in a close finish that saw jockey Ryan Curatolo notch his 17th victory of the season.


RESULTS
Race 1: 1. Tahar (Ryan Curatolo), 2. AJS Al Uraiq (Al Moatasem al-Balushi), 3. Florin De Faust (Gary Sanchez), 4. Forgehill Chiraz (Saleh Salem al-Marri). Won by: ½, 1 ½, ¾. Time: 1:46.97. Owner: Osama Omer al-Dafea. Trainer: Osama Omer al-Dafea.
Race 2: 1. Deebaj (Saleh Salem al-Marri), 2. Mehdi (Ronan Thomas), 3. Diese (Soufiane Saadi), 4. Haddaj Dukhan (Ivan Rossi). Won by: ½, 1 ½, 2 ½. Time: 1:46.63. Owner: Khalifa bin Sheail al-Kuwari. Trainer: Mohamed Jassim Ghazali.
Race 3: 1. Al Haitham (Anas al-Seyabi), 2. Yaarmen (Marco Casamento), 3. Tremendous Leap (Harry Bentley), 4. Qatar Bolt (Ronan Thomas). Won by: Hd, Hd, ¼. Time: 2:05.33. Owner: Sheikh Faisal bin Hamad bin Jassim al-Thani. Trainer: Ibrahim al-Malki.
Race 4: 1. Shobrom (Ivan Rossi), 2. Noble Masterpiece (Harry Bentley), 3. Midsummer Knight (JP Guillambert), 4. Catch A Wave (Ryan Curatolo). Won by: ½, 1, 1. Time: 00:58.89. Owner: Al Jasra Stud. Trainer: Ahmed Kobeissi.
Race 5: 1. Mr Diamond (JP Guillambert), 2. Zarandi (Anas al-Seyabi), 3. Venedegar (Alexander Reznikov), 4. Cococabala (Ivan Rossi). Won by: ½, ¾, Shd. Time: 1:24.32. Owner: Khalifa bin Sheail al-Kuwari. Trainer: Mohamed Jassim Ghazali.
Race 6: 1. French Encore (Al Moatasem al-Balushi), 2. Beachwalk (Luca Maniezzi), 3. Shaheen (Eduardo Pedroza), 4. Hajaj (Carlos Henrique). Won by: ½, Nk, Shd. Time: 1:37.34. Owner: Ahmed Hassan al-Malki al-Jehani. Trainer: Hamad Ahmed al-Malki al-Jehani.
Race 7: 1. Cristofano Allori (Ronan Thomas), 2. Munira Eyes (Eduardo Pedroza), 3. Receding Waves (Marco Casamento), 4. Midaawi (Pier Convertino). Won by: 1 ¼, ¾, 1 ¾. Time: 1:11.55. Owner: Abdulaziz Ali al-Kathiri. Trainer: Abdulaziz Ali al-Kathiri.
Race 8: 1. Molheb Al Naif (Harry Bentley), 2. Aahil (Ronan Thomas), 3. Jenjal (JP Guillambert), 4. Kasser (Meteb Ali al-Marri). Won by: 5 ¾, 5, No. Time: 1:31.16. Owner: Al Naif Racing. Trainer: Jassim Mohamed Ghazali.
Race 9: 1. Yazeed (Ronan Thomas), 2. Akmar (Luca Maniezzi), 3. Tayf (Soufiane Saadi), 4. Djelamer (Carlos Henrique). Won by: 1 ¼, Shd, Nk. Time: 2:16.02. Owner: Umm Qarn. Trainer: Alban de Mieulle.