IRISH THOROUGHBRED MARKETING CUP (Gr 2)
Champion Trainer Jassim Mohammed Ghazali Jahromi completed a hat-trick of wins to cap an impressive day at Al Rayyan Racecourse when Injaaz Stud’s PLEASELETMEWIN (Power x Jacaranda Ridge) won the Day Two feature of HH The Emir’s Sword Festival in an exciting finish on Friday. Ridden by Martin Harley, the 4yo tracked early leader Third Dimension staying on the rails after breaking out of gate 1. Coming off the bend, he picked up pace and in the last furlong had the Hadi Nasser Rashid Al Ramzani-trained VITALLY IMPORTANT (Pivotal x Kirkinola), ridden by Qatari jockey Faleh Bughanaim, for company. The duel was decided at the post when a timely lunge won it for Pleaseletmewin, even as Bughanaim registered his second runner-up finish of the day. German raider DIPLOMAT (Teofilo x Desidera) went one better than his last year’s performance in the race under Alexander Pietsch, while Ireland trainer Tom Hogan’s Gordon Lord Byron had to settle for fourth under Billy Lee.
GULF CUP (4yo & older PA)
A superb turn of foot by Omani contender MEBLSH (Amer x Nyriad) on the home straight saw the 6yo Qatar-bred horse race to a big win in the penultimate race of the day, the feature for Purebred Arabians. Coming off the final bend, the Julian Colin Smart-trained Majnona moved up to take the lead before the likes of Jassim Mohammed Ghazali Jahromi’s Rassan and ZAHWA (Aaber ASF x Mataleb ASF), and Pierre Jehan Andre Deymonaz’s ward, SHARESA (Burning Sand x Margouia), began a pursuit. Almotasem Al Balushi, riding Meblsh in the colours of Badar Bin Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Hajri, had his mount pick up pace on the outside, and blitzed past for a two and a half-length victory, while the Gerald Avranche-ridden Zahwa managed edge out the Cristian Demuro-helmed Sharesa by a head for the runner-up spot.
PUREBRED ARABIAN SPRINT CUP (4yo & older)
Khalifa Bin Sheail Al Kuwari’s CAID DE L’ARDUS (Mahabb x Jelfa De L’Ardus) had a 50% strike rate from 20 starts coming into Friday’s six-furlong contest. Jassim Mohammed Ghazali Jahromi’s ward enhanced that success rate after the 6yo put up a fantastic run on the straight under Harry Bentley, pulling away for almost a three-length victory. The Ahmed Mohamad Kobeissi-saddled ALMUHEET’s (Af Albahar x Maboud) late surge under Pierantonio Convertino saw the 6yo beat the Mohammed Ali Yousef Al Sheeb-trained KASSER (Af Albahar x Wujdan) by three quarters of a length at the line.
LOCAL THOROUGHBRED TROPHY (4yo & older)
A move up in trip did not go according to plan, but Khalifa Bin Sheail Al Kuwari’s MOSAYTER (Country Reel x Red Bravo) was back in the winners enclosure over seven furlongs. Jassim Mohammed Ghazali Jahromi’s ward was held well over a mile and a half last month, but on Friday, under Champion Jockey Harry Bentley’s ride, the 5yo managed to edge out the Hadi Nasser Rashid Al Ramzani-trained AL LUSAIL (Footstepsinthesand x Gooey), ridden by Qatari jockey Faleh Bughanaim, by a short head at the line, while another ward of the Champion Trainer, MURAQABAH (Great Journey x Magic Kaldoun), managed to stay ahead of the Mohammed Nasser Al Naimi-schooled Aseer by a nose for the third spot.
THOROUGHBREDS (Fillies & Mares) (Class 3)
The Ibrahim Saeed Ibrahim Al Malki-trained MANGO TANGO (Siyouni x Alexandrina), running her shortest distance in Qatar so far, notched up her fourth victory this season in the mile long run for the ladies. Eduardo Pedroza held the Abdulatif Hussain Al Emadi-owned 5yo just long enough before giving her a go, and she was off going past half the field on the home straight and eventually winning with a length and a half to spare. Mohammed Riyaz Ibrahim Kasim’s BOTANICA (Clodovil x Bent Al Fala) was second under JP Guillambert, while Oisin Murphy was third for the second straight time in the day, this time on Jassim Mohammed Ghazali Jahromi’s STARS N ANGELS (Dark Angel x Passage to India).
THOROUGHBRED PLATE (3 Year Olds) (Class 4)
In a thrilling finish at the line, the Deborah Amanda Clare Mountain-trained BLACK ORANGE (Pastoral Pursuits x Mrs Snaffles) beat Jassim Mohammed Ghazali Jahromi’s duo for his second victory in Qatar. In the six-furlong sprint, Pierantonio Convertino had the 3yo on the heels of early leader BECKTON (Finjaan x Stormy Weather), helmed by JP Guillambert. As the pace upped on the home straight, Black Orange steadily went past Beckton and eventually won by half a length, while MASKED DEFENDER (First Defence x Costume), under Oisin Murphy, held off a challenge from the Ibrahim Saeed Ibrahim Al Malki-trained Shobrom for a third place finish.
PUREBRED ARABIAN MAIDEN PLATE (4yo – 6yo)
After finishing a creditable second behind the Julian Colin Smart-trained Al Ghawja on debut earlier this month, Sheikh Khalifa Bin Mohammed Bin Khalifa Al Thani’s ISHFAQ (Asraa Min Al Barq x Djazie) stepped up in distance and won a thrilling 2000m contest under Martin Harley’s ride. The Pierre Jehan Andre Deymonaz-trained 5yo beat the competition – the Smart-trained duo MOHSSN (Almas x Nisaee) and HATEM (Amer x Massamarie) – by only a neck. While Cristian Demuro guided 6yo Mohssn to second, Theo Bachelot helmed Hatem to third for the third straight time.
LONGINES WORLD FEGENTRI CHAMPIONSHIP (Local PA for Lady Riders)
Swiss rider Naomie Heller guided Umm Qarn’s SEMAISIMA (Amer x Mashaael) to her second career victory from three starts in the day’s opening race. Running over a mile, Semaisima, who had shed her maiden status over seven furlongs, finished a comfortable three lengths ahead of H.H. Sheikh Mohammed Bin Khalifa Al Thani’s Al Ghawja, helmed by 2015 Fegentri champion Josephine Chini of Sweden. AL GHAWJA (No Risk Al Maury x Gadir ASF) edged out Al Shahania Stud’s E’ZAAZ (Amer x Naama ASF), ridden by Virginia Drexler, by a nose. Qatar’s Khadija Abdulwahed guided the Mohamed Nasser Al Naimi-trained Saab to fourth.
