Lekhraib ensured an Injaaz Stud sweep of the week’s features as the six-year-old bagged the Al Shaqab Cup in spectacular fashion at the Qatar Racing and Equestrian Club’s Al Rayyan Park yesterday.
It was Injaaz Stud’s filly, Gaby De Faust, that had won the Dukhan Cup at the same track on Wednesday.
Yesterday’s dirt feature for local Arabians saw Marco Casamento guide a winner after three straight near-misses earlier yesterday as Mohamed Jassim Ghazali-saddled AF AlBahar colt won the 1,700m run by over five lengths.
Casamento had his mount stay on the heels of early leader Lama, helmed by Ali Khalid al-Mosallam, before upping the pace and taking the lead coming off the final bend. Lekhraib kept building the gap on the competition eventually finishing ahead of Soufiane Saadi-ridden Hazm Al Sulaimi, while Lama had to settle for third.
Hadi Nasser al-Ramzani-saddled Southernmachoman won an intriguing duel in the final stages of the Thoroughbred Handicap for horses rated 75 and below. Helmed by Qatari apprentice rider al-Mosallam in the colours of Abdulaziz Saleh al-Jaber, the four-year-old colt was locked with Casamento-ridden Unbutton in a battle for supremacy in the 1,200m sprint. At the post, Southernmachoman eked out a short head win, topping for the first time since October 2019. It was al-Mosallam’s 13th win this season.
Casamento lost out on a victory again when he was astride Ghazali-schooled Immoral in the Thoroughbred Handicap for horses rated 85 and below. This time it was Deborah Mountain-saddled Alizoom that edged out Casamento and his partner by a short head in the 1,900m run. Alizoom was helmed to his fourth overall victory by Ivan Rossi in the colours of Ali Hassan Ali al-Abdulmalik.
The string of near-misses for Casamento stretched when Saadi helmed Hamad Ahmed al-Malki al-Jehani-trained Zarandi to a quarter-length victory in the Thoroughbred Handicap for horses rated 95 and below. Casamento-ridden Return To Senders was second, the colt’s best finish this season.
In the penultimate race yesterday, Al Sakab Stud’s versatile filly Al Faisaliya landed her third career victory when Ronan Thomas guided the Ibrahim al-Malki charge to a fine win in the six-furlong local Thoroughbred Handicap sprint.
The bay filly’s busy schedule has seen her line up for seven races since the season began in October and only once has she finished outside the money, including two wins.
Earlier yesterday, Injaaz Stud’s Mister General shed his maiden status in dominant fashion with apprentice jockey Khalid al-Balushi guiding the Mohamed Riyaz-trained colt to a fantastic win in the Purebred Arabian maiden for four-year-olds with almost six lengths to spare.
Two fillies owned by Khalifa bin Sheail al-Kuwari registered their first career wins with Marco Casamento riding Salsabiel in an Arabian maiden sprint, while Michael Forest was astride the topper Qawaafi in a 1,700m local Thoroughbred maiden.
RESULTS
Race 1: PUREBRED ARABIAN MAIDEN PLATE (4 Year Olds) (Distance: 1,700m)
1. Mister General (Khalid al-Balushi), 2. Bakir (Soufiane Saadi), 3. Khattab De Faust (Ali Khalid al-Mosallam), 4. Guyloud De Carrere (Marco Casamento). Won by: 5 ¾, ¼, 8 ¾. Time: 2:00.33. Owner: Injaaz Stud. Trainer: Mohamed Riyaz.
Race 2: PUREBRED ARABIAN MAIDEN PLATE (No Official Rating) (Distance: 1,200m)
1. Salsabiel (Marco Casamento), 2. Hadjira De Faluzins (Faleh Bughanaim), 3. Al Rayyan (Ivan Rossi), 4. Rahaf HA (Tomas Lukasek). Won by: 3 ½, 2 ¾, 3 ¾. Time: 1:21.02. Owner: Khalifa bin Sheail al-Kuwari. Trainer: Mohamed Jassim Ghazali.
Race 3: LOCAL THOROUGHBRED MAIDEN PLATE (Distance: 1,700m)
1. Qawaafi (Michael Forest), 2. Maksab (Tomas Lukasek), 3. Sereen (Meteb Ali al-Marri), 4. Wukair (Ronan Thomas). Won by: 2 ½, 1 ½, 3. Time: 1:54.86. Owner: Khalifa bin Sheail al-Kuwari. Trainer: Mohamed Riyaz.
Race 4: THOROUGHBRED HANDICAP (Class 5) (75 & below) (Distance: 1,200m)
1. Southernmachoman (Ali Khalid al-Mosallam), 2. Unbutton (Marco Casamento), 3. Doha Incanto (Meteb Ali al-Marri), 4. War Order (Faleh Bughanaim). Won by: Shd, 4, 3 ½. Time: 1:12.82. Owner: Abdulaziz Saleh al-Jaber. Trainer: Hadi Nasser al-Ramzani.
Race 5: THOROUGHBRED HANDICAP (Class 5) (85 & below) (Distance: 1,900m)
1. Alizoom (Ivan Rossi), 2. Immoral (Marco Casamento), 3. Comrade In Arms (Faleh Bughanaim), 4. Roman Legend (Meteb Ali al-Marri). Won by: Shd, 1 ¼, 7 ¾. Time: 2:04.20. Owner: Ali Hassan Ali al-Abdulmalik. Trainer: Deborah Mountain.
Race 6: THOROUGHBRED HANDICAP (Class 4) (95 & below) (Distance: 1,200m)
1. Zarandi (Soufiane Saadi), 2. Return To Senders (Marco Casamento), 3. The Singer (Carlos Henrique), 4. Catch A Wave (Faleh Bughanaim). Won by: ¼, 1 ¼, 7 ¼. Time: 1:11.26. Owner: Saeed Nasser al-Qadi. Trainer: Hamad Ahmed al-Malki al-Jehani.
Race 7: LOCAL THOROUGHBRED HANDICAP (70-90) (Distance: 1,200m)
1. Al Faisaliya (Ronan Thomas), 2. Sarmad Bu Thaila (Killian Leonard), 3. Dhergham Bu Thaila (Michael Forest), 4. Mizoun (Francois Herholdt). Won by: 2, 4, 2. Time: 1:12.96. Owner: Al Sakab Stud. Trainer: Ibrahim al-Malki.
Race 8: AL SHAQAB CUP (Local PA) (Distance: 1,700m)
1. Lekhraib (Marco Casamento), 2. Hazm Al Sulaimi (Soufiane Saadi), 3. Lama (Ali Khalid al-Mosallam), 4. Fahim (Ronan Thomas). Won by: 5 ¼, 8 ¼, 3. Time: 1:59.76. Owner: Injaaz Stud. Trainer: Mohamed Jassim Ghazali.
Qatar Racing and Equestrian Club’s Abdulla Rashid al-Kubaisi (second from right) with the winners of Al Shaqab Cup after Injaaz Stud’s Lekhraib won the 1,700m feature at Al Rayyan Park yesterday. PICTURES: Juhaim
