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Al Eida Racing’s September Leaves got the new racing season off to a winning start, claiming the first silverware with an impressive victory in the Al Ghariyah Cup at the QREC's Al Rayyan Racecourse on Wednesday.The five-year-old bay mare showed plenty of determination to secure the fifth win of her career in the 1,200m Thoroughbred Fillies & Mares contest.Settling towards the rear early on, September Leaves gradually made up ground in the home straight before producing a strong finishing effort. She asserted her authority inside the final 100m and crossed the line 1½ lengths clear of her rivals to seal a well-deserved victory.In the process the mare completed a double on the day for both trainer Jassim al-Ghazali and jockey Alberto Sanna. The meeting also saw trainer Hamad al-Jehani record three wins. **media[503984]**Earlier in the day, Sanna guided Injaaz Stud’s Bin Narain to seven lengths victory in the 1700m race for Local Thoroughbred Maiden, three-six-year-olds, while al-Ghazal-trained Lord Deputy, in the silks of Al Ghazali Stud, won the 1700m contest for the thoroughbred Handicap 50-70.In the penultimate race of the day, jockey Lukas Delozier rode Rashid Awajan al-Khayarin-owned and Hamad al-Jehani-trained Toromona to a comfortable 7 ½ lengths victory in the Thoroughbred Handicap 75-95, for the three-year-old+ contest.Jalila Alghania, in the colours of Sheikh Talal Nasser al-Thani, won the Purebred Arabian Handicap 70-90 for three-year-old+ over 1200m.Al-Jehani added another victory when Guindol Dei Ribo, ridden by Nicolas Baudet, won the Purebred Arabian Novice by a length.Classical Style, trained by Hamad Ahmed Hassan al-Malki and ridden by Baudet, edged the Thoroughbred Maiden by a nose.Al-Jehani's first win of the day came in the card opener, when Lady De Faust, ridden by Arnaud De Lepine, won the Purebred Arabian Maiden by 1¾ lengths.Thursday’s Al Hamla Cup meeting will feature nine races. RESULTS1st Al Rayyan Race Meeting - Al Ghariyah CupWINNERS: Horse, Trainer, Jockey1 - Al Ghariyah Cup, Thoroughbred Fillies & MaresSeptember Leaves, Jassim al-Ghazali, Alberto Sanna2 - Thoroughbred Handicap 75-95Horse: Toromona, Hamad al-Jehani, Lukas Delozier3 - Purebred Arabian Handicap 70-90Jalila Alghania, Hadi al-Ramzani, Youssef Lachhab4 - Purebred Arabian NoviceGuindol Dei Ribo, Hamad al-Jehani, Nicolas Baudet5 - Thoroughbred Handicap 50-70Lord Deputy, Jassim al-Ghazal, Marco Casamento6 - Local Thoroughbred MaidenBin Narain, Jihad El Ahmad, Alberto Sanna7 - Thoroughbred MaidenClassical Style, Hamad Ahmed Hassan al-Malki, Nicolas Baudet8 - Purebred Arabian MaidenLady De Faust, Hamad al-Jehani, Arnaud De Lepine 

Nano Toro delivered a thrilling performance to land the Al Ghariyah Cup over 1200m, surging powerfully in the final strides to snatch victory and kick off the 2025-26 racing season in style at Al Rayyan Racecourse Wednesday. The five-year-old chestnut mare showed tremendous determination and late speed, showcasing both her class and grit under pressure. Trained by Debbie Mountain and ridden confidently by jockey Mohammed Hassan Ali Alabdulmalik, Nano Toro's win marked the first feature success of the new season and completed a swift double on the card for the team. The back-to-back victories were a rewarding start for owner Eng. Hassan Ali Alabdulmalik, underlining his strong presence in the early stages of the campaign. The winning connections were presented with the Al Ghariyah Cup trophies by Qatar Racing and Equestrian Club (QREC) Racing Manager Abdulla Rashid Al Kubaisi alongside Head of QREC Racing Operations Section Rashid Saed Adiba. Mountain and Alabdulmalik enjoyed their first victory when Cei Connah edged out opponents in the Thoroughbred Handicap (75-95) – the penultimate event on the opening day of the hectic 70-meeting season. There was also double delight for trainer Maayouf bin Hashim al-Shamari and jockey Salman Fahad al-Hajri, with Khaled Al Shahania (Purebred Arabian Handicap) and Nemr (Purebred Arabian Novice Plate) both landing victories. Prominent jockey Soufiane Saadi also walked away with a brace of titles, guiding Jassim Hamad al-Atteya-trained Al Theeba and Mohammed al-Ghazali-trained Aeon's Aegis to perfection in Local Thoroughbred Maiden Plate and Thoroughbred Maiden Plate respectively. Jockey Jefferson Smith opened the action guiding Damaah, trained by Hadi al-Ramzani, to land the Purebred Arabian Maiden Plate (Fillies & Mares). He also completed a pair of wins when he rode Ahmed Kobeissi-trained Roman Number to a massive six-length win in the 1700m Thoroughbred Handicap (50-70). Thursday’s second meeting at Al Rayyan also features eight races culminating with the Al Hamla Cup. RESULTS WINNERS: (Horse, Trainer, Jockey) 1 - Al Ghariyah Cup - Thoroughbred (Fillies & Mares) (Class 2) Nano Toro, Debbie Mountain, Mohammed Hassan Ali Alabdulmalik 2 - Thoroughbred Handicap (75-95) Cei Connah, Debbie Mountain, Mohammed Hassan Ali Alabdulmalik 3 - Purebred Arabian Handicap (70-90) Khaled Al Shahania, Maayouf bin Hashim al-Shamari, Salman Fahad al-Hajri 4 - Purebred Arabian Novice Plate Nemr, Maayouf bin Hashim al-Shamari, Salman Fahad al-Hajri 5 - Thoroughbred Handicap (50-70) Roman Number, Ahmed Kobeissi, Jefferson Smith 6 - Local Thoroughbred Maiden Plate Al Theeba, Jassim Hamad al-Atteya, Soufiane Saadi 7 - Thoroughbred Maiden Plate Aeon’s Aegis, Mohammed al-Ghazali, Soufiane Saadi 8 - Purebred Arabian Maiden Plate (Fillies & Mares) Damaah, Hadi al-Ramzani, Jefferson Smith