November 28, 2013 Qatar Racing & Equestrian Club, Doha ~ Trainer Julian Smart hogged the day’s limelight with three winners and victories, including the Pure Arabian Fillies Championship and Doha Pure Arabian Oaks Trial during the 10th race meeting at the Qatar Racing and Equestrian Club on Thursday, 28 November, 2013.
HH Sheikh Mohammed Bin Khalifa Al Thani-owned Al Anga (Amer -x Kerbelle Du Loup) was ridden brilliantly by jockey Harry Bentley for Smart to an exciting win in the Pure Arabian Fillies Championship. Al Anga pipped stable-mate Djainka Des Forges (Richard Mullen up) in a thrilling contest that witnessed both of the Smart trainees fighting every inch of the ground till the winning post. It was Al Anga who emerged victorious by a shorthand in one of the most thrilling races witnessed in the recent past.
Smart’s second success came when Jockey Mullen, who missed out on Djainka Des Forges, rode a peach of a race on Aden (Burning Sand x Mayada) while thwarting the spirited challenge of Alban de Miuelle’s Haifaa in the Doha Pure Arabian Oaks Trial. Haifaa and Aden were involved in a grueling tussle in the final stages of the race, but it was Aden who grew stronger at the finish and won by three-fourths of a length.
Then for three Smart came through again with Raheel (Amer x Arc De Ciel), which was once again ridden by Mullen to an exciting win over Suwaida in the local bred Pure Arabian Graduation Plate, run over six furlongs.
“I am just happy the way the season has been going so far,”said trainer Smart. “This was a very small field, but I am delighted with the manner in which Harry handled Al Anga in the race. Al Anga’s objectives are Qatari based while Djainka Des Forges could go to Dubai as she has the pedigree to go there. We have got two nice fillies and they are maturing into good types. Our next target would be the Oaks and we will do our best to win that. Aden is a very nice filly and she ran a very good race. We ran her in Europe, but our horses were sick in Paris and could not do well there. They did not do themselves justice, but today she beat a very good filly,” Smart added.
Khalifa Bin Shaeil Al Kuwari-owned Al Safi (Dahess x Petite Classs) shed his maiden status with a comfortable victory in the Pure Arabian Maiden Plate. It turned out to be a two-horse race as TM Reagan Bret and Al Safi skipped away from the rest to dispute for the lead. The duo raced abreast till turning for home and after a brief tussle for supremacy, the Ghazali-schooled Al Safi surged ahead under the able riding of Stephen Ladjadj to win by two lengths. Ugo Des Vialettes was a faraway third.
The winning sequence for Ghazali and Ladjadj continued with Hab Reeh (Hatteen x Quinquinna) who had his debut win in the local bred Pure Arabian Maiden Plate. Sporting the colors of Khalifa Bin Sheail Al Kuwari, Hab Reeh came with a brilliant run in the last 50 metres to overhaul Maazouz in the shadow of the winning post. Kafayef was a close third ahead of Al Nefor.
Earlier in the day, Mohammed Hussain-saddled Shadeedah (Muneef x Najmat Al Sharq), ridden to victory by Declan Cannon in the Pure Arabian Handicap for horses rated 50 and below. Zelzal and Fiha fought out for the minor placings with the former taking the second place by a short head.
27th November 2013 ~ Mullen rides Maseh to Britha Cup victory
Julian Smart-trained Maseh (Burning Sand -x Magouia) with Richard Mullen astride won the Britha Cup. The nine-furlong trip for Pure Arabians was the highlight of the races held on the sand track of the Qatar Racing & Equestrian Club (QREC) on Wednesday, 24 November 2013. Maseh, sporting the colors of Al Shahania Stud, recorded a pillar to post victory while keeping Khabbab and Tameh at bay.
In the opening event of the day, jockey Stephen Ladadj steered Jassim Al Ghazali-trained Al Mawatheek ( Majd Al Arab x Barissa Lotoise) to a maiden victory in the local bred Pure Arabian Maiden Plate, run over 1,100 metres. Noorah had established a useful lead and looked set to land the spoils, but Ladjadj brought Mawatheek with a sustained run along the rails and passed the front-runner in the shadow of the winning post by three-fourths of a length. Robbamma finished a close third ahead of Melody.
The Pure Arabian Handicap for horses rated 40 to 70, witnessed Al Ghazali Stud’s Thawi (Mared Al Sahra x Gardenia Gora) record a convincing win over Waad. Haizum was a faraway third while Al Yarmouk was a distance behind in fourth. Jockey Gerald Avranche rode a well-judged race on the winner.
German lady jockey Rebecca Danz tasted her second success in Qatar while partnering Al Brooq Stud’s Guide Al Khal (USA)( Kador De Blaziet x Candie CS) to a fluent win in the Pure Arabian Handicap for horses rated 60 to 90. Tuyoorna, unable to match strides with the winner, staved off Al Mostarsil for second place.
November 26 ~Trainer Ghazali and jockey Ladjadj hog day’s limelight
Trainer Jassim Al Ghazali hogged the day’s limelight, saddling four winners of whom three captured Muraikh Cup, Al Nakhsh Cup and Zain Alesim Cup during the eighth race day of the Qatar racing season.The day was held as the 2 & 3 YEARS OLD Cups Day.
Jockey Stephen Ladjadj also excelled with three winners for Ghazali. Ghazali and Ladjadj started off the day’s proceedings with the influence of the win by Nahla (Hatteen x Digma) in the Muraikh Cup, a local bred Pure Arabian Maiden race, run over seven furlongs. Hector took the second place ahead of Rabha.
In the day’s other action, Alban de Mieulle-trained Karamah (Majd Al Arab x Adjaa D’Aroco) with David Bouland up was a comfortable winner of the Ghasham Cup, a Pure Arabian race for three-year old fillies. AJS Amjad was second ahead of Wejdan.
Hassan Ali Hassan Al Matwi shared the day’s honors with a double. Majd Al Uraiq (Majd Al Arab x Mezooh) with Gerald Avranche up, won the Umm Sawayyah Cup, a Pure Arabian race for three-year-old colts, while Al Naksh (Dormane x Kerina) decimated the opposition in the Sumayaimah Cup, a local bred Pure Arabian race for three years old. Al Naksh was simply unstoppable as the talented colt stepped up the pace on entering the homestretch and cantered away to win as he pleased, leaving AJS Qahir a faraway second.
The next race meetings are 3,4 December.
Photos by Juhaim
~ends