Saeed Nasser al-Qadi’s Zarandi capped a fantastic day at office for trainer Hamad al-Jehani, who celebrated a treble with a win in the Al Wajba Cup, the feature race at the Qatar Racing and Equestrian Club’s Al Rayyan Park yesterday.
The five-year-old bay horse was a runner-up for two straight starts last month, after having won twice in December. Yesterday, he was partnered with Ronan Thomas, himself a winner in the opening race, in the 1,900m run for Class 2 Thoroughbreds.
Thomas and his mount tracked early leaders as Daira Prince and Shakour set the pace on the back straight. Zarandi seized the advantage on the final bend and then pulled away on the home straight to win by three lengths. In second place was JP Guillambert-ridden High Commander, while Soufiane Saadi and his partner Ernest Aldrich finished third.
Two of al-Jehani wards had earlier topped novice plates. First up was Yousuf Mubarak al-Kuwari’s I Am Thunder who landed the 1,100m Thoroughbred Novice Plate under Alberto Sanna in a close finish. Half-an-hour later, Ahmed Hassan al-Malki al-Jehani’s Shaweesh entered the winner’s enclosure for the second time in his busy season, with both the victories orchestrated by apprentice rider Rashid Ali al-Marri. Yesterday’s win was the Qatari jockey’s 12th this term.
Qatari trainer Ibrahim al-Malki too celebrated a treble yesterday. Al-Malki opened the nine-race card with a double with Thomas guiding Al Gamamah to her maiden victory, while Carlos Henrique helmed Lehwaila in the colours of Mohamed Khamis Eisa al-Kaabi to her second career win in a novice event.
Al-Malki capped his treble with another novice win, this time for Purebred Arabians, when Al Shaqab Racing’s Latam built on the promise he showed over a string of minor places over course and distance this season to land the 1,900m run on dirt yesterday. Under a fantastic ride by Tomas Lukasek, the grey son of TM Fred Texas won with three lengths to spare. 
In the other race for maidens yesterday, it was another apprentice rider, Khalid al-Balushi, who was astride the winner, Khalifa bin Sheail al-Kuwari’s Wakeel. Saddled by Mohamed Ghazali, the five-year-old edged out Message, schooled by Ghazali’s father, Jassim, by a length.Al-Kuwari’s colours entered the winner’s enclosure one more time yesterday with Mohamed Riyaz-trained Huwaiteb in the 1,900m Thoroughbred Handicap for horses rated 65-75. 
Alberto Sanna was astride the four-year-old, who had a run of impressive results over course-and-distance, including a victory earlier this season. Yesterday, the bay gelding won by three-and-a-half lengths.
In the penultimate race of the day, also a Thoroughbred Handicap, but this time a sprint for horses rated 85 and below, Zuhair Mohsen celebrated his winner ward Superior Moment. 
Helmed by Soufiane Saadi in the colours of Abdulaziz Jassim al-Buainain, the colt won for the second straight time, with his Al Uqda outing almost two weeks ago a fruitful one also under Saadi. Yesterday, he won the 1,100m by a little more than two lengths.


RESULTS
Race 1: LOCAL THOROUGHBRED MAIDEN PLATE (3 Year Olds) (Distance: 1,100m)
1. Al Gamamah (Ronan Thomas), 2. Suheal Qatar (Khalid al-Balushi), 3. Mutahaffiz (Meteb Ali al-Marri), 4. Sakher (Ivan Rossi). Won by: 3 ¾, 9 ½, 4. Time: 1:07.06. Owner: Ibrahim al-Malki. Trainer: Ibrahim al-Malki.


Race 2: LOCAL THOROUGHBRED HANDICAP (85 & below) (Distance: 1,000m)
1. Lehwaila, 2. Tilal, 3. Dalal Al Brooq, 4. Al Uraiq Weapon. Won by: 2, 1, 2. Time: 1:00.46. Owner: Mohamed Khamis Eisa al-Kaabi. Trainer: Ibrahim al-Malki.


Race 3: THOROUGHBRED MAIDEN PLATE (Class 6) (Distance: 1,900m)
1. Wakeel (Khalid al-Balushi), 2. Message (JP Guillambert), 3. Pinatar (Ronan Thomas), 4. Riktar (Marco Casamento). Won by: 1, 4, Nk. Time: 2:04.24. Owner: Khalifa bin Sheail al-Kuwari. Trainer: Mohamed Ghazali.


Race 4: THOROUGHBRED NOVICE PLATE (Class 6) (Distance: 1,100m)
1. I Am Thunder (Alberto Sanna), 2. Angelic Queen (Meshaal Abdlatif al-Mohannadi), 3. Tuff Rock (Ali Khalid al-Mosallam), 4. Waad (Rashid Ali al-Marri). Won by: ¾, ½, 8. Time: 1:05.07. Owner: Yousuf Mubarak al-Kuwari. Trainer: Hamad al-Jehani.


Race 5: LOCAL PUREBRED ARABIAN NOVICE PLATE (Distance: 1,700m)
1. Shaweesh (Rashid Ali al-Marri), 2. Texas (Khalid al-Balushi), 3. Rahaf HA (Marco Casamento), 4. Al Addaaj (Alberto Sanna). Won by: 3 ¼, 1 ½, ¾. Time: 2:00.28. Owner: Ahmed Hassan al-Malki al-Jehani. Trainer: Hamad al-Jehani.


Race 6: PUREBRED ARABIAN NOVICE PLATE (Distance: 1,900m)
1. Latam (Tomas Lukasek), 2. Al Rayyan (Ivan Rossi), 3. Quitham (Rashid Ali al-Marri), 4. Badi Al Cham (Michael Forest). Won by: 3, 3 ½, 1 ½. Time: 2:15.82. Owner: Al Shaqab Racing. Trainer: Ibrahim al-Malki.


Race 7: THOROUGHBRED HANDICAP (Class 5) (65-75) (Distance: 1,900m)
1. Huwaiteb (Alberto Sanna), 2. Jurz (Meshaal Abdlatif al-Mohannadi), 3. Alizoom (Ivan Rossi), 4. Myboyhenry (Saleh Salem al-Marri). Won by: 3 ½, 2 ¼, 1. Time: 2:03.64. Owner: Khalifa bin Sheail al-Kuwari. Trainer: Mohamed Riyaz.


Race 8: THOROUGHBRED HANDICAP (Class 4) (85 & below) (Distance: 1,100m)
1. Superior Moment (Soufiane Saadi), 2. Catch A Wave (Alberto Sanna), 3. Shellbrook (Marco Casamento), 4. Life Of Riley (Jason Watson). Won by: 2 ¼, 2, 3 ¼. Time: 1:05.20. Owner: Abdulaziz Jassim al-Buainain. Trainer: Zuhair Mohsen.


Race 9: AL WAJBA CUP (Class 2 T/B) (Distance: 1,900m)
1. Zarandi (Ronan Thomas), 2. High Commander (JP Guillambert), 3. Ernest Aldrich (Soufiane Saadi), 4. Daneyan (Marco Casamento). Won by: 3, 1 ¾, 1 ¼. Time: 2:03.06. Owner: Saeed Nasser al-Qadi. Trainer: Hamad al-Jehani.