Mohamed Saad
The Qatar Racing and Equestrian Club (QREC) organised the fourth race meeting in the 2022/23 season at the Al Rayyan Racecourse turf track on Thursday, 20 October.
The Mohammed Abdulhadi Saad Al Hajri-owned Selected (IRE) (Mehmas x Sodashy) won the feature and eighth race in the card when he annexed the Sealine Cup. It was a tough performance by the four-year-old colt, facing and challenging the title holder Taxiwala (Holy Roman Emperor), and he managed to win the challenge complete a double on the day for the trainer-jockey duo of Ibrahim Saeed Al Malki and Tomas Lukasek. It was a very special week for Lukasek as he won both feature races on Wednesday and Thursday.
Six runners took part in the feature race, a Conditions for 3YO+ Thoroughbreds over 1200m, and all of the them broke well and strongly. Soon, it was Cristofano Allori (IRE) (Shamardal) who led the pack and Taxiwala was behind him from outside with Millau (FR) (Wootton Bassett) tracking them in third. After the first bend, Selected progressed to take the third position, while the first two remained unchanged. Once in the straight, Taxiwala accelerated well and took the lead and looked as if he were going to kick away and keep the title for the second year in a row. However, in the final 100m, Selected showed a stronger challenge with a nice turn of foot to take the lead and win the race by a quarter of a length in front of the Osama Omer Al Dafea-owned & trained Taxiwala, who was ridden by Faleh Bughanaim. The Nasser Saeed Al Eida-owned Return To Senders (IRE) (Sir Prancealot) finished well as he came fast from behind to take the third place for trainer Gassim Ghazali and jockey Marco Casamento. He was a further length behind the runner-up.
Following the feature race, Abdulla Rashid Al Kubaisi, QREC Racing Manager, presented the trophies to the winners.
Shgarde
In the penultimate race, Sharida Bin Nasser Bin Sharida Al Kaabi’s Shgarde (USA) (AF AlBahar x Dormania CS) regained winning thread with a fifth success. The Mohamed Khaled Elahmed-trained 4YO colt was ridden by Alberto Sanna to prevail by ½ a length in a 1500m Handicap (80-100) for 4YO+ Purebred Arabians.
Majalh
In the sixth race, Mohammed Bin Hamad Khalifa Al Attiyah’s Majalh (IRE) (Siyouni x Musaanada) won a 1500m Conditions for 3YO Thoroughbreds by 1½ lengths for trainer Gassim Ghazali and jockey Marco Casamento, enhancing his strike rate to 3 victories in 7 starts so far.
Aziza Al Zaeem
In the fifth race, Faisal Bin Ali Bin Mohammed Al Attiya’a homebred Aziza Al Zaeem (QA) (Taigan x Omission) completed a double and remained unbeaten this season. The Ibrahim Saeed Al Malki-trained 4YO filly won a 1750m Handicap (0-70) for 3YO+ Local Thoroughbreds by 2¼ lengths with Tomas Lukasek in the saddle.
Kabeer
In the fourth race, Trainer Hamad Al Jehani and jockey Hugo Besnier teamed up for a 2nd success on the day and it was through Khalid Yousuf Al Jehani’s Kabeer (FR) (Mared Al Sahra x Nisaee), who topped a 1750 Novice for 3YO Purebred Arabians by 1¼ lengths. It was also a treble on the day for the French jockey, who gave a fine start to his career in Qatar.
AJS Medawi
In the third race, M.H.K Al Attiyah saddled the first two home in a 1400m Novice for 3YO Purebred Arabians as AJS Medawi (BEL) (AF AlBahar x Mindza), under Szczepan Mazur, got the better of stablemate AJS Jamran (BEL) (AF AlBahar) by 1¼ lengths. It was also a 1-2 in the colours of Al Jeryan Stud.
Aajel
In the second race, Al Shaqab Racing’s homebred Aajel (FR) (TM Fred Texas x Haija) got off the mark on Qatar debut, winning a 1500m Maiden for 4YO Purebred Arabians. Hugo Besnier made it a quick-fire double as he rode the Eric Lemartinel-trained colt to a ½ length victory.
Admiraal
In the opener, Nasser Saif Al Kubaisi’s Admiraal (GB) (Pivotal x Sweet Nicole) kickstarted the meeting with a comfortable 2½-length win in a 1500m Maiden for 3-6YO Thoroughbreds. It was Hugo Besnier, who rode the Hamad Al Jehani-trained 3YO gelding to open his account in his 3rd career start.
Source: Qatar Racing & Equestrian Club