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DOHA
It was a familial fiesta for Umm Qarn as their Mehdi edged out his older half-brother Sealine by a nose to claim the Al Zubara Trophy – the feature event on the eight-race card on the opening day of the prestigious HH The Amir Sword Festival 2020.
At the Qatar Racing & Equestrian Club Racecourse in New Al Rayyan, the overcast conditions were lit up by the Umm Qarn duo who overtook the Abdulatif al Emadi-owned She’ris, who led most of the 2,000m race for four years and older local Purebred Arabian horses, soon after the final bend.
It was first Mehdi, a five-year-old grey horse from Majd Al Arab and Jaljalah, who passed a fading She’ris and began to shake himself off the field under Ronan Thomas. Soon Sealine, a six-year-old grey horse from Amer and Jaljalah, darted to the front from outside to join Mehdi.
Both began to create a big gap on others and were involved in a thrilling finish for the line. Mehdi took advantage of being younger and managed to clinch the race in the photo-finish for his first victory in four starts in Qatar. Overall it was his third winner in eight. Thomas had led Mehdi to his previous two wins last season as well.
Sealine, with Oliver Peslier astride, was looking for his third in a row and fourth triumph in six races this season, had to be content with the runner-up finish. Ridden by Eduardo Pedroza, She’ris was third more than eight lengths behind the top pair.
Ishfaq, the defending champion from Al Shahania Stud, got the fourth place under Harry Bentley. This was the first race of the Jassim Ghazali ward in the season after winning two out of two races last term. He beat AJS Al Moheeb, owned by Mohammed al Attiya, by two lengths and three quarters.
HH Sheikh Mohammed bin Khalifa al Thani-owned Woodkid and Dahra secured a fine double for rider Tomas Lukasek and trainer Julian Smart. Woodkid pulled himself two lengths clear of Sir Commander in the Thoroughbred Handicap (Class 3) 1,600m and the six-year-old bay horse posted his maiden win in five runs this season, taking his overall winners to four in 18 starts.
Mon’nia, a four-year-old grey filly, has been in a rich form this season after winning two out of three races this season. Lukasek steered her to the third winner as she outsprinted Jabir, ridden by Thomas, by four lengths to win the Purebred Arabian Plate 1,600m for four years olds. Two lengths behind was Maiuf under Faleh Bughanaim. This was an overall fourth victory in six starts for Mon’nia.
Luca Maniezzi helmed the Abdulhadi al Hajri-owned Dominus to a season’s second triumph with a convincing run in the Thoroughbred (Class 2) 1,200m sprint against Receding Waves. The Irish Lotto At totesport.com Handicap winner claimed the dash by a three-length margin. Mr Diamond, Mohammed Jassim Ghazali trainee, was third.
British jockey Bentley helped Jacko taste the first victory on the turf in the Thoroughbred Handicap (Class 4) 2,000m run. The four-year-old grey horse, owned by Shaheen al Ghanim and trained by Jassim Ghazali, beat What A Surprise, ridden by Soufiane Saadi, by a neck for his third victory in six races this season. The previous two wins came on the dirt track for Jacko.
Dahra, with Pedroza astride, recorded her first winner in Qatar with a half-a-length margin against Djamil in the Purebred Arabians Handicap 1,600m. It was a third race here out of four in the season for the four-year-old grey filly from Al Shahania Stud. Overall, it was the fourth triumph in eight starts for the Ibrahim al Malki’s trainee. Djamil, ridden by Thomas and trained by De Mieulle, got the better of Aneeq by a head in a tight finish.
Damon Runyon, owned by Al Murtages Racing Syndicate, and Al Shomos, owned by Mubarak al Naimi, were inspired by the Festival atmosphere and scripted victories. Damon Runyon was ridden to the triumph by Leo Salles in the Thoroughbred Maiden Plate (Class 6) 1,200m for his first victory in 16 races in three seasons.
Al Shomos, a five-year-old bay mare, got the success in five starts under Carlos Henrique when she beat Al Adheed by a length in the Local Thoroughbred Handicap 2,000m. Rawdat Al Khail was third by three quarters of a length.HH The Amir Sword Festival reSULTS (day 1)30th Race Meeting
PUREBRED ARABIAN PLATE (4 Year Olds) 1,600m
Prize Money: $30,000 (1st 17,100 2nd 6,600 3rd 3,300)
1.Mon’nia (Tomas Lukasek), 2. Jabir (Ronan Thomas), 3. Maiuf (Faleh Bughanaim)
Won by 4, 2. Time 1:43.53
Owner: HH Sheikh Mohammed bin Khalifa al Thani. Trainer: Julian Smart
THOROUGHBRED MAIDEN PLATE (Class 6) 1,200m
Prize Money: $30,000 (1st 17,100 2nd 6,600 3rd 3,300)
1.Damon Runyon (Leo Salles), 2.Dreaming Away (Tom Marquand), 3. Rate Exchanged (Eduardo Pedroza)
Won by 2.75, 2.75.Time 1:11.41
Owner: Al Murtages Racing Syndicate. Trainer: Mohammed al Attiya
LOCAL THOROUGHBRED HANDICAP 2,000m
Prize Money: $30,000 (1st 17,100 2nd 6,600 3rd 3,300)
1.Al Shomos (Carlos Henrique), 2. Al Adheed (Leo Salles), 3. Rawdat Al Khail (Theo Bachelot)
Won by 1, 0.75. Time 2:04.92
Owner: Mubarak al Naimi. Trainer: Majed Seifeddine
PUREBRED ARABIAN HANDICAP 1,600m
Prize Money: $30,000 (1st 17,100 2nd 6,600 3rd 3,300)
1.Dahra (Eduardo Pedroza), 2.Djamil (Ronan Thomas), 3. Aneeq (Ryan Curatolo)
Won by 0.5, head. Time 1:45.92
Owner: Al Shahania Stud. Trainer: Ibrahim al Malki
THOROUGHBRED HANDICAP (Class 4) 2,000m
Prize Money: $30,000 (1st 17,100 2nd 6,600 3rd 3,300)
1.Jacko (Harry Bentley), 2. What A Surprise (Soufiane Saadi), 3.Al Mujahaz (Marco Casamento)
Won by neck, 1. Time 2:02.82
Owner: Shaheen al Ghanim. Trainer: Jassim Ghazali
THOROUGHBRED HANDICAP (Class 3) 1,600m
Prize Money: $30,000 (1st 17,100 2nd 6,600 3rd 3,300)
1.Woodkid (Tomas Lukasek), 2.Sir Commander (Marco Casamento), 3. Tremendous Leap (Theo Bachelot)
Won by 2, neck. Time 1:35.38
Owner: HH Sheikh Mohammed bin Khalifa al Thani. Trainer: Julian Smart
THOROUGHBREDS (Class 2) 1,200m
Prize Money: $30,000 (1st 17,100 2nd 6,600 3rd 3,300)
1.Dominus (Luca Maniezzi), 2.Receding Waves (JP Guillambert), 3. Mr Diamond (Marco Casamento)
Won by 3, 2. Time 1:10.79
Owner: Abdulhadi al Hajri. Trainer: Stefano Ibido
AL ZUBARA TROPHY 2,000m
Conditions: LOCAL PUREBRED ARABIANS 4 Year Olds & Older Colts & Geldings to carry 58kg, Fillies & Mares 56kg Less WFA Allowances
Prize Money: $150,000 (1st 85,500 2nd 33,000 3rd 16,500 4th 9,000 5th 6,000)
1.Mehdi (Ronan Thomas), 2.Sealine (Olivier Peslier), 3.She’ris (Eduardo Pedroza), 4. Ishfaq (Harry Bentley) 5.AJS Al Moheeb (Theo Bachelot)
Won by nose, 8.5, 5.25, 2.75. Time 2:13.66
Owner: Umm Qarn. Trainer: Alban de Mieulle
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21/02/2020
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