The Qatar Racing and Equestrian Club (QREC) organised the seventh race meeting in the 2022-23 season at the Uqda Racecourse on Saturday, 10 January. The seven-race card day was closed out by the Al Ghazali Stud-owned Sha’alan (FR) (Amer x Mizabelle), who took the feature, a 1400m Premium Maiden for 4-6YO Purebred Arabians by a length and a half, and in doing so landed the Athbah Cup and completed a double for trainer Mohammed Ghazali and jockey Hugo Besnier on the day as the due had won the second race earlier on the day. The Al Shaqab Racing-owned and Eric Lemartinel-trained Shamlowl (FR) (Al Mamun Monlau) finished second under Lukas Delozier only a neck a head of the Hassan Ali A M Alabdulmalik-owned and Debbie Mountain-trained Aria Du Soleil (GB) (General), who was ridden by Jefferson Smith.
Abdulla Rashid Al Kubaisi, QREC Racing Manager, crowned the winners after the final race of meeting.
Ghazali: Sha’alan top class
The winning trainer, Mohammed Gahzali, said: “We are pleased with this victory. Sha’alan’s performances have been good since the last season. He was ready for running, but we preferred to wait for a cup race and things went very well according to the plan. He is a top-class horse and we look forward to more victories for Al Ghazali Stud during this season.”
Soomia
Wathnan Racing’s Soomia (QA) (Migwar x Rahibah) was the first winner in the Meeting as she made a successful debut for trainer Alban de Mieulle. Ridden by Ronan Thomas, she won the 1200m Maiden for 3YO Local Thoroughbreds by a length and a half.
Manakel
In a thrilling finish to the second race, a 1400m Maiden for 4-6YO Local Purebred Arabians, the Salman Mohammed Al Emadi-owned Manakel (QA) (Amer x Brasilya), got the better of Ebrah (QA) (No Risk Al Maury) by a neck. The Mohammed Ghazali-trained five-year-old mare showed a willing attitude under Hugo Besnier to get her head in front.
Al Muheeb
The Khalid Rashid Saif Al Khayarin-owned Al Muheeb (GB) (Cracksman x Princess Cammie) took victory in the third race of the meeting, a 1400m Maiden for three-year-old Thoroughbreds, giving trainer Bader Al Balushi and jockey Soufiane Saadi a winner on the day by half a length.
Jefred
In the fourth race, a 2100m Handicap (0-75) for 4YO+ Purebred Arabian, it was Hamad Ahmed Hassan Al Malki Al Jelani’s Jefred (FR) (TM Fred Texas x Jelza) who took the spoils under jockey Arnaud De Lepine for trainer Hamad Al Jehani. The six-year-old made good on his recent promising performances to score by half a length.
Black Granite
The 1300m Handicap (0-75) for 3YO+ Thoroughbreds served up a finish to savour as the elven-year-old Black Granite (IRE) (Dark Angel x Glisten) was very game and pulled out extra to win for owner Saeed Jaber Al Marri, trainer Khalifa Hamed Nasser Al Sawai and jockey Saleh Salem Al-Marri by a neck and a further head ahead of the runner-up Geno (IRE) (Holy Roman Emperor) and the third-placed Cruella Dovil (IRE) (Clodovil).
High And Wide
It was a close finish in the penultimate race, a 1200m Handicap (65-85) for 3YO+ Thoroughbreds, but the Yousuf Bakhit Al Kuwari-owned and Ibrahim Saeed Al Malki-trained High And Wide (Bungle Inthejungle x Convidad) came out on top by a quarter of a length under jockey Tomas Lukasek.
Source: Qatar Racing & Equestrian Club