Faleh Suwayed al-Ajami’s Glitter Queen was the first Qatar Oaks (QA Group 3) winner for trainer Hamad Ahmed al-Malki al-Jehani after a fantastic ride by Ronan Thomas saw the filly race to a convincing victory at the Qatar Racing and Equestrian Club’s Al Rayyan Park turf track yesterday.
In the 2,000m feature for three-year-old Thoroughbreds, Thomas and his mount briefly fell back coming off the back straight but as the seven-strong field widened on to the home straight, there was little stopping the bay daughter of Night Of Thunder. Glitter Queen won comfortably by a little less than three lengths in front of Faleh Bughanaim-ridden She’s Our Queen, trained by Deborah Mountain.
The win capped a fantastic evening for Thomas who rode a quartet of winners, including three for trainer Alban de Mieulle, who celebrated four winners.
Al Shaqab Racing’s Al Efreeta stayed unbeaten in Qatar after Thomas guided the Dahess filly to her second straight victory since her arrival from France earlier this year. The bay horse landed the Qatar Oaks for four-year-old Arabian fillies.
Al Efreeta, stepping up from a mile last time round to a mile-and-a-quarter, was in the rear half of the pack to start with before snatching the lead on the back straight. Even as the pursuers closed the huge gap by the time the action reached the business end, Al Efreeta dipped into her reserves to hold off the challenge, winning by two lengths.
In the Qatar Oaks for local Thoroughbred three-year-old fillies, Umm Qarn’s Al Khisah upheld the promise she showed in the Trial last month, landing the miler yesterday in a dominant finish.
Helmed by Thomas, the bay filly was unstoppable as she won by more than five lengths to stay unbeaten in her short two-race career so far.
In another miler, the Purebred Arabian Plate event for three-year-old fillies, De Mieulle’s Umm Qarn fillies Muqla and Yaqhar locked the top two spots in fine fashion. Tabarak filly Muqla too had Thomas for company, just like her previous two course-and-distance outings this season, but this time Muqla, staying on the rails, bagged a win with a little more than a length to spare in front of her stablemate Yaqhar, with Soufiane Saadi in the saddle.
Earlier, it was Al Shaqab Racing’s filly Mkayns, who raced to her second consecutive course-and-distance victory despite carrying the most weight in the field at 61kgs, having landed a maiden two weeks ago. Apprentice rider Ali Khalid al-Mosallam was in the saddle once again, and the two combined just as well in the mile-long Arabian handicap, winning by a length-and-a-half.
After hitting the frame on three earlier occasions yesterday, Julien Auge rode his first winner of the Oaks and Derby weekend when he guided Mohamed Hussain-trained Soldierpoy in the silks of Sheail bin Khalifa al-Kuwari to a spectacular Al Rayyan Stakes victory.
In the process, the gelding, who showed some incredible pace on the home stretch in the seven-furlong run for two-year-old Thoroughbreds, completed a hat-trick having won his first two starts in Qatar earlier this season. Soldierpoy won by four-and-a-half lengths in front of Ivan Rossi-ridden Jimmy Sparks.
Al Shahania Stud’s Alf Lyla entered the winner’s enclosure for the first time in her career when the Julian Smart-schooled filly landed the Local Purebred Arabian Plate event comfortably. Ridden by Tomas Lukasek in the mile-long run for three-year-old fillies, Alf Lyla built on her debut second place and won yesterday by a cozy two-and-a-half lengths on her second start.
Wards of Jassim Mohamed Ghazali and his son Mohamed swept the frame in the Sawda Natheel Stakes for Thoroughbreds fillies and mares with Ghazali Senior-trained Unbutton exploiting a huge weight advantage to land the six-furlong sprint under Marco Casamento.
Ridden in the colours of Sheail bin Khalifa al-Kuwari, Unbutton, carrying 50.5kgs on her first start in Qatar since arrival from Britain, beat Alberto Sanna-ridden Luchador (58kgs) by a length at the post. JP Guillambert guided Wayside Flower, schooled by the younger Ghazali, to third ahead of Tomas Lukasek ridden Hillside Dream, saddled by Ghazali Senior.
The win was second on the day for Casamento, who, in the nine-race card opener, rode another Ghazali ward, Qatar Gold, to the local Thoroughbred colt’s maiden win.