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Raajiv Tripathi
DOHA
Ishfaq continued his hot run in Doha as he produced a splendid dash under British jockey Harry Bentley to win the Al Zubara Trophy on the opening day of the prestigious HH the Amir’s Sword Festival at the Qatar Racing and Equestrian Club Racecourse in New Al Rayyan on Thursday.
The six-year-old gray colt was the highest rated in the field at 111 and when 400m to go, he was fourth. But soon he made up the ground and launched the charge. Around 200m mark, he managed to catch up with leader She’ris, ridden by Eduardo Pedroza.
The Abdulatif al Emadi-owned She’ris, after pace-setting in the 2,000m race, failed to match the pace of Ishfaq, owned by Sheikh Khalifa bin Mohammed al Thani and trained by Jassim Ghazali. As the feature event drew to an exciting finish, Ishfaq just about drew some extra edge that was needed to win this kind of tight battle and he exactly overcame She’ris by quarter of a length to bag the second successive race here.
The Ishfaq’s win also enabled Bentley and trainer Ghazali wrap up a fine double - just as rider JP Guillambert and Ghazali’s son Mohammed Jassim did in previous races. Also this was the fifth winner in 11 races for the Jaafer Cup champion, including seven in Doha.
She’ris was fourth last year, when Reda won the trophy. Majeed and Damas were second and third on that occasion. But today, Reda (Stephan Ladjadj) was placed third, while Fahim, ridden by Ronan Thomas, grabbed the fourth spot, followed by Damas under Faleh Bughanaim.
Earlier, the action was kicked off in thrilling fashion by Theo Bachelot, who rode HH Sheikh Mohammed bin Khalifa al Thani-owned Annan to a close victory against Grnah in the Purebred Arabian Plate (4 years olds). The four-year-old gray colt, trained by Julian Smart, edged Al Shaqab Racing’s Gtnah by short head.
Gtnah, ridden by Ronan Thomas and trained by Alban de Mieulle, was looking for his hat-trick of wins. But he could not stop Annan from posting his first winner in four races. Third place went to Di Oco Py (Faleh Bughanaim).
Ibrahim al Malki owned and trained Shaman Bu Thaila put up a brilliant show of strength and style in the Local Thoroughbred Handicap 2,000. The five-year-old chestnut colt, under the inspired ride from Jimmy Quinn, pulled off his third win in seven races as he devastated the field, winning by nine lengths. Karim (Bachelot) was second, over three and a half lengths ahead of Musaiter Bu Thaila (Ivan Ross).
For Shaman Bu Thaila, this was his second consecutive victory in five races this season.
Capping his good run this season, AJS Al Moheeb, with Harry Bentley astride, won the Purebred Arabian Handicap 1,600m race, beating E’zaaz by one and a half lengths. Bsheer was third by the same distance, while AJS Al Maha and Stam Al Naif were fourth and fifth, respectively.
In seven races this season, The Jassim Ghazali trainee AJS Al Moheeb, owned by Mohammed al Attiya, has only once finished outside the top three. It was a typical Bentley finish with a late burst. Catching up with pace-setter E’zaaz (JP Guillambert) with less than 100m to go, this six-year-old gray rig got into the lead and went on to storm to the win for his second triumph in 12 races.
Al Shaqab Racing’s Haloul upstaged many favourites and bagged the Thoroughbred Handicap (Class 4) 2,000m with an easy three and a half lengths against More Than A Dream. Under Ronan Thomas, the four-year-old chestnut colt, a de Mieulle ward, rebounded from his 11th-place finish in the last race to emerge the winner. He launched the season with his first win in Doha and today, he was in a class of his own, securing second win in four runs. More Than Dream, Daneyan and Could Be were all rated at 85, much higher than Haloul (77), and finished in the second, third and fourth spots, respectively. Alizoom was fifth.
Meshaal al Attiyah’s 10-year-old bay gelding Sandbetweenourtoes ended his wait for the victory this season. The Mohamed Kasim’s trainee chose a perfect day to do this as he won the Thoroughbred Handicap (Class 2) 1,200m sprint. Gerald Avranche set him well and enabled him to win by over three lengths, holding off a big group of hotly chasing horses.
Munira Eyes (Eduardo Pedroza) was second by head against Lawless Louis (Thomas) and Holy Shambles beat Binzart also by head to finish fourth. For the winner, it was his 14th triumph in 57 races.
After a fine run in his January’s Thoroughbred Classic over 2,000m, Tawahid took advantage of the shorter distance and the Khalifa bin Sheail al Kuwari’s four-year-old bay colt got the better of Crafted by two lengths in the Thoroughbred Handicap (Class 3) 1,600m. Marco Cosamento guided Shakour to the third place by three quarters of a length.
Tawahid, trained by Mohammed Jassim Ghazali, made a debut in January and was third behind winner Alhazm and Full Moon. But today, he was determined and clinched the victory, holding onto his superb charge for his overall fifth triumph in 13 races. Oryx (Bachelot) was placed fourth, while French Encore secured the fifth spot.
Receding Waves also looked committed to improve on his worst finish of the current season - a fifth place in the Thoroughbred Sprint Trial (Class 2) held earlier this month. The six-year-old bay colt from Khalifa bin Shail al Kuwari’s stud, trained by Mohammed Jassim Ghazali, managed to do it by winning the Thoroughbreds (Class 2) over 1,200m.
In a close battle for the finish line, Guillambert pushed Receding Waves at the right time to see him through by three quarters of a length against Shobrom, ridden by Jimmy Quinn. Further one length and a quarter adrift was Itorio, the highest rated entry at 100. Vona and Black Beach were fourth and fifth.
This was the second victory of the season for the Umm Al Afai Cup champion Receding Waves in six races, which took his tally to six in 24 races. It also helped the connections complete a fine double – the first of the day.
DOHA
Ishfaq continued his hot run in Doha as he produced a splendid dash under British jockey Harry Bentley to win the Al Zubara Trophy on the opening day of the prestigious HH the Amir’s Sword Festival at the Qatar Racing and Equestrian Club Racecourse in New Al Rayyan on Thursday.
The six-year-old gray colt was the highest rated in the field at 111 and when 400m to go, he was fourth. But soon he made up the ground and launched the charge. Around 200m mark, he managed to catch up with leader She’ris, ridden by Eduardo Pedroza.
The Abdulatif al Emadi-owned She’ris, after pace-setting in the 2,000m race, failed to match the pace of Ishfaq, owned by Sheikh Khalifa bin Mohammed al Thani and trained by Jassim Ghazali. As the feature event drew to an exciting finish, Ishfaq just about drew some extra edge that was needed to win this kind of tight battle and he exactly overcame She’ris by quarter of a length to bag the second successive race here.
The Ishfaq’s win also enabled Bentley and trainer Ghazali wrap up a fine double - just as rider JP Guillambert and Ghazali’s son Mohammed Jassim did in previous races. Also this was the fifth winner in 11 races for the Jaafer Cup champion, including seven in Doha.
She’ris was fourth last year, when Reda won the trophy. Majeed and Damas were second and third on that occasion. But today, Reda (Stephan Ladjadj) was placed third, while Fahim, ridden by Ronan Thomas, grabbed the fourth spot, followed by Damas under Faleh Bughanaim.
Earlier, the action was kicked off in thrilling fashion by Theo Bachelot, who rode HH Sheikh Mohammed bin Khalifa al Thani-owned Annan to a close victory against Grnah in the Purebred Arabian Plate (4 years olds). The four-year-old gray colt, trained by Julian Smart, edged Al Shaqab Racing’s Gtnah by short head.
Gtnah, ridden by Ronan Thomas and trained by Alban de Mieulle, was looking for his hat-trick of wins. But he could not stop Annan from posting his first winner in four races. Third place went to Di Oco Py (Faleh Bughanaim).
Ibrahim al Malki owned and trained Shaman Bu Thaila put up a brilliant show of strength and style in the Local Thoroughbred Handicap 2,000. The five-year-old chestnut colt, under the inspired ride from Jimmy Quinn, pulled off his third win in seven races as he devastated the field, winning by nine lengths. Karim (Bachelot) was second, over three and a half lengths ahead of Musaiter Bu Thaila (Ivan Ross).
For Shaman Bu Thaila, this was his second consecutive victory in five races this season.
Capping his good run this season, AJS Al Moheeb, with Harry Bentley astride, won the Purebred Arabian Handicap 1,600m race, beating E’zaaz by one and a half lengths. Bsheer was third by the same distance, while AJS Al Maha and Stam Al Naif were fourth and fifth, respectively.
In seven races this season, The Jassim Ghazali trainee AJS Al Moheeb, owned by Mohammed al Attiya, has only once finished outside the top three. It was a typical Bentley finish with a late burst. Catching up with pace-setter E’zaaz (JP Guillambert) with less than 100m to go, this six-year-old gray rig got into the lead and went on to storm to the win for his second triumph in 12 races.
Al Shaqab Racing’s Haloul upstaged many favourites and bagged the Thoroughbred Handicap (Class 4) 2,000m with an easy three and a half lengths against More Than A Dream. Under Ronan Thomas, the four-year-old chestnut colt, a de Mieulle ward, rebounded from his 11th-place finish in the last race to emerge the winner. He launched the season with his first win in Doha and today, he was in a class of his own, securing second win in four runs. More Than Dream, Daneyan and Could Be were all rated at 85, much higher than Haloul (77), and finished in the second, third and fourth spots, respectively. Alizoom was fifth.
Meshaal al Attiyah’s 10-year-old bay gelding Sandbetweenourtoes ended his wait for the victory this season. The Mohamed Kasim’s trainee chose a perfect day to do this as he won the Thoroughbred Handicap (Class 2) 1,200m sprint. Gerald Avranche set him well and enabled him to win by over three lengths, holding off a big group of hotly chasing horses.
Munira Eyes (Eduardo Pedroza) was second by head against Lawless Louis (Thomas) and Holy Shambles beat Binzart also by head to finish fourth. For the winner, it was his 14th triumph in 57 races.
After a fine run in his January’s Thoroughbred Classic over 2,000m, Tawahid took advantage of the shorter distance and the Khalifa bin Sheail al Kuwari’s four-year-old bay colt got the better of Crafted by two lengths in the Thoroughbred Handicap (Class 3) 1,600m. Marco Cosamento guided Shakour to the third place by three quarters of a length.
Tawahid, trained by Mohammed Jassim Ghazali, made a debut in January and was third behind winner Alhazm and Full Moon. But today, he was determined and clinched the victory, holding onto his superb charge for his overall fifth triumph in 13 races. Oryx (Bachelot) was placed fourth, while French Encore secured the fifth spot.
Receding Waves also looked committed to improve on his worst finish of the current season - a fifth place in the Thoroughbred Sprint Trial (Class 2) held earlier this month. The six-year-old bay colt from Khalifa bin Shail al Kuwari’s stud, trained by Mohammed Jassim Ghazali, managed to do it by winning the Thoroughbreds (Class 2) over 1,200m.
In a close battle for the finish line, Guillambert pushed Receding Waves at the right time to see him through by three quarters of a length against Shobrom, ridden by Jimmy Quinn. Further one length and a quarter adrift was Itorio, the highest rated entry at 100. Vona and Black Beach were fourth and fifth.
This was the second victory of the season for the Umm Al Afai Cup champion Receding Waves in six races, which took his tally to six in 24 races. It also helped the connections complete a fine double – the first of the day.
