Georges Mikhalides-trained Noor Al Hawa was in a league of his own as the Al Wasmiyah Farm horse landed the Al Safliya Cup (Listed) for the second straight year at the Qatar Racing and Equestrian Club’s Al Rayyan Park yesterday.
The 2400m turf feature for Thoroughbreds had Alberto Sanna in the saddle and there was little stopping them as they coasted to a scintillating win by more than four lengths.
Behind the winners were Michael Forest-ridden Otwo and Soufiane Saadi-helmed Jewel House with only a head separating the second- and third-placed runners.
More than a year after he last won, Mohamed Nasser al-Naimi’s Akmar returned to the winner’s enclosure in thrilling fashion with Hadi Nasser al-Ramzani’s ward topping the penultimate race yesterday, a Purebred Arabian Conditions event over 2000m. Helmed by Qatari rider Faleh Bughanaim, Akmar won by half-a-length at the post handing the jockey his second win of the season.
Jockey Mickael Berto’s third winner of the season was Osama Omer al-Dafea’s Taxiwala in the six-furlong Thoroughbreds sprint yesterday. The gelding had a win over course and distance in march, and since then had moved up to 1400m and a mile earlier this term. Yesterday, Taxiwala was in his sweet spot winning comfortably by one and a half lengths.
Ibrahim al-Malki’s Zyzzyva continued with her promising form at Al Rayyan Park this season when Ronan Thomas guided the gelding to his second victory from three starts this term.
In the Thoroughbred Handicap event for horses rated 70-90, Zyzzyva beat the competition by a little more than a length for his fourth win overall.
Qatari apprentice rider Saleh Salem al-Marri racked up his 11th win of the season when he guided Hamad bin Abdulrahman al-Attiyah’s Thierry to a comfortable victory in the Thoroughbred Handicap event for horses rated 75 and below.
In the 2000m race for Qatari riders only, Jassim Mohamed Ghazali-trained gelding won by two-and-a-half lengths.
Earlier in the day, Marco Casamento was astride two Purebred Arabians who shed their maiden status. First up was Hadi Nasser al-Ramzani-trained AJS Berline in the six-furlong local Arabian maiden sprint, and then it was Mohamed Jassim Ghazali-schooled Djalnor in the 2000m run.
Another horse to register his first win was Mohamed Hamad al-Attiyah trained SK Shawaheen, ridden to victory in the local Thoroughbred maiden sprint by Alberto Sanna in the colours of Jassim bin Hamad al-Attiyah.
RESULTS
Race 1: LOCAL PUREBRED ARABIAN MAIDEN PLATE (3 Year Olds) (Distance: 1200m)
1. AJS Berline (Marco Casamento), 2. Alf Lyla (Tomas Lukasek), 3. Gosar (Rashid Ali al-Marri), 4. Habes (Francois Herholdt). Won by: 7 ½, 2 ¼, 2. Owner: Al Jeryan Stud. Trainer: Hadi Nasser al-Ramzani.
Race 2: LOCAL THOROUGHBRED MAIDEN PLATE (3 Year Olds) (Distance: 1200m)
1. SK Shawaheen (Alberto Sanna), 2. Mater (Faleh Bughanaim), 3. Al Sareh (Mickael Berto), 4. Wsayef (Killian Leonard). Won by: ½, 3 ¼, 1 ½. Owner: Jassim bin Hamad al-Attiyah. Trainer: Mohamed Hamad al-Attiyah.
Race 3: PUREBRED ARABIAN MAIDEN PLATE (Distance: 2000m)
1. Djalnor (Marco Casamento), 2. Al Malhouf (Michael Forest), 3. Goldamer (Ronan Thomas), 4. Khattab De Faust (Ivan Rossi). Won by: ¼, ¼, Dh. Owner: Salman Mohammned al-Emadi. Trainer: Mohamed Jassim Ghazali.
Race 4: THOROUGHBRED HANDICAP (Class 5) (Qatari Riders Only) (Distance: 2000m)
1. Thierry (Saleh Salem al-Marri), 2. Al Mikdam (Meteb Ali al-Marri), 3. Shes Our Queen (Faleh Bughanaim), 4. Reem Seattle (Rashid Ali al-Marri). Won by: 2 ½, 3 ¾, 5 ¼. Owner: Hamad bin Abdulrahman al-Attiyah. Trainer: Jassim Mohamed Ghazali.
Race 5: THOROUGHBRED HANDICAP (Class 3) (Distance: 1200m)
1. Zyzzyva (Ronan Thomas), 2. Sir Commander (Marco Casamento), 3. Doha Incanto (Meteb Ali al-Marri), 4. Random Decision (Tomas Lukasek). Won by: 1 ¼, 2 ½, ¼. Owner: Ibrahim al-Malki. Trainer: Ibrahim al-Malki.
Race 6: THOROUGHBREDS (Class 3) (Distance: 1200m)
1. Taxiwala (Mickael Berto), 2. Luchador (Marco Casamento), 3. Arabic Channel (Alberto Sanna), 4. Pretty Boy (Jason Watson). Won by: 1 ½, Hd, ½. Owner: Osama Omer al-Dafea. Trainer: Osama Omer al-Dafea.
Race 7: PUREBRED ARABIAN CONDITIONS (Distance: 2000m)
1. Akmar (Faleh Bughanaim), 2. AJS Moaddie (Alberto Sanna), 3. Aziznafs (Ivan Rossi), 4. Baker De Saularie (Mickael Berto). Won by: ½, 3 ¼, 1 ½. Owner: Mohamed Nasser al-Naimi. Trainer: Hadi Nasser al-Ramzani.
Race 8: AL SAFLIYA CUP (QA Listed) (Thorougbreds) (Distance: 2400m)
1. Noor Al Hawa (Alberto Sanna), 2. Otwo (Michael Forest), 3. Jewel House (Soufiane Saadi), 4. Esteve (Jason Watson). Won by: Hd, 4 1/4, Nk. Owner: Al Wasmiyah Farm. Trainer: Georges Mikhalides.
Qatar Racing and Equestrian Club’s Abdulla Rashid al-Kubaisi (fourth from right) with the winners of the Al Safliya Cup (QA Listed) after Al Wasmiyah Farm’s Noor Al Hawa won the 2400m feature race at Al Rayyan Park yesterday. PICTURES: Juhaim
