Mohamed bin Hamad Khalifa al-Attiyah’s Venedegar made a spectacular debut on dirt when Alexander Reznikov guided the gelding to a fine victory in the Qatar Cup at Qatar Racing and Equestrian Club’s Al Rayyan Park yesterday.
In the Thoroughbred Conditions feature, Reznikov had Hadi Nasser al-Ramzani’s ward track the leader, Faleh Bughanaim-ridden Shabbab, early on before moving up front coming on to the home straight. The four-year-old held on to his advantage through to the post, winning by two lengths in front of JP Guillambert-ridden Daneyan. It was Venedegar’s first win in almost a year.
Ibrahim al-Malki had three winners on the day, with Francois Herholdt guiding Mohamed Khamis al-Kaabi’s Lehwaila to a maiden victory, and Soufiane Saadi guiding Abdulatif Hussain al-Emadi’s Ernest Aldrich to a novice win.
Saadi and al-Malki combined well for a spectacular victory in the penultimate race of the day as Al Thumama Racing’s X Force topped the 1,100m Thoroughbred Handicap for horses rated 75-95 in dominant fashion. Saadi guided his mount to the front of the pack in the sprint early on and not only did the duo not relinquish, they built on the gap on the home straight to win by a mammoth 17 lengths.
Majed Seifeddine-trained Ajal was unstoppable in the local Thoroughbred Handicap event for horses rated 75 and below as the colt and his handler Alberto Sanna raced to almost a 10-length victory leaving the competition gasping in their pursuit. Ali bin Saeed al-Jafali al-Nuaimi’s four-year-old has now opened the new season with two straight wins, with one each over turf and dirt.
In the first Handicap race of the evening, a run for Purebred Arabians rated 70 and below, Qatari apprentice rider Saleh Salem al-Marri guided his fifth winner of the season, as Jassim Mohamed Ghazali-trained gelding won for the first time in almost three years, topping the 1,700m run by a little more than a length.
Earlier, Hamad Ahmed al-Malki al-Jehani’s Leafy Moss registered his first career victory under Qatari rider Rashid Ali al-Marri.
Trainer Julian Smart registered his first victory of the season with Tomas Lukasek guiding Ghali Al Athman to a comfortable three-length victory in the Purebred Arabian Maiden Plate in the colours of His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Khalifa al-Thani.
RESULTS
Race 1: LOCAL THOROUGHBRED MAIDEN PLATE
1. Lehwaila (Francois Herholdt), 2. Sheikha (Rashid Ali al-Marri), 3. Umm Thaga (Luca Maniezzi), 4. Qawaafi (Ronan Thomas). Won by: 10, 2, 5. Time: 1:15.13. Owner: Mohamed Khamis al-Kaabi. Trainer: Ibrahim al-Malki.
Race 2: THOROUGHBRED MAIDEN PLATE (Class 6)
1. Leafy Moss (Rashid Ali al-Marri), 2. Better Than Ever (Alberto Sanna), 3. Dreaming Away (Meteb Ali al-Marri), 4. Holy Art (Marco Casamento). Won by: 8 ¾, 4 ½, 7. Time: 1:11.00. Owner: Hamad Ahmed al-Malki al-Jehani. Trainer: Hamad Ahmed al-Malki al-Jehani.
Race 3: PUREBRED ARABIAN MAIDEN PLATE
1. Ghali Al Athman (Tomas Lukasek), 2. Abida (Ronan Thomas), 3. Maysoon Al Naif (Alberto Sanna), 4. Mkayns (Soufiane Saadi). Won by: 3, 1 ½, ½. Time: 2:00.13. Owner: His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Khalifa al-Thani. Trainer: Julian Smart.
Race 4: THOROUGHBRED NOVICE PLATE (Class 5)
1. Ernest Aldrich (Soufiane Saadi), 2. Star Of War (Mickael Berto), 3. Ethic (Ronan Thomas), 4. Braemar (Saleh Salem al-Marri). Won by: 3, 5, 1 ¼. Time: 2:03.37. Owner: Abdulatif Hussain al-Emadi. Trainer: Ibrahim al-Malki.
Race 5: PUREBRED ARABIAN HANDICAP (70 & below)
1. Anees (Saleh Salem al-Marri), 2. Tasslam (Carlos Henrique), 3. Full Risk De Lassos (Alberto Sanna), 4. Satam (Tomas Lukasek). Won by: 1 ¼, 1 ½, 3 ¾. Time: 2:02.57. Owner: Nasser Saeed al-Eida. Trainer: Jassim Mohamed Ghazali.
Race 6: LOCAL THOROUGHBRED HANDICAP (75 & below)
1. Ajal (Alberto Sanna), 2. Sky Blue (Tomas Lukasek), 3. Al Qamar (Killian Leonard), 4. Al Ayyar (Meteb Ali al-Marri). Won by: 9 ¾, 14, 1 ½. Time: 1:50.45. Owner: Ali bin Saeed al-Jafali al-Nuami. Trainer: Majed Seifeddine.
Race 7: THOROUGHBRED HANDICAP (Class 3) (75-95)
1. X Force (Soufiane Saadi), 2. Skip The Queue (Rashid Ali al-Marri), 3. Masked Defender (JP Guillambert), 4. Zarandi (Carlos Henrique). Won by: 17, ¾, Hd. Time: 1:03.15. Owner: Al Thumama Racing. Trainer: Ibrahim al-Malki.
Race 8: QATAR CUP (THOROUGHBRED CONDITIONS (Class 2)
1. Venedegar (Alexander Reznikov), 2. Daneyan (JP Guillambert), 3. High Commander (Alberto Sanna), 4. Shabbab (Faleh Bughanaim). Won by: 2, Nk, Shd. Time: 1:48.47. Owner: Mohamed bin Hamad Khalifa al-Attiyah. Trainer: Hadi Nasser al-Ramzani.
Winners of Qatar Cup pose with Qatar Racing and Equestrian Club’s Abdulla Rashid al-Kubaisi (third from right) after Venedegar won the Thoroughbred Conditions feature at Al Rayyan Park yesterday.
