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| Staff Writer |
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The winners of the His Highness's Cups and Trophy were crowned by His Highness Sheikh Abdullah Bin Khalifa Al Thani at the Al Rayyan turf racecourse. The race meeting featured nine cup races, including the Gr.2 PA HH Sheikh Abdullah Bin Khalifa Al Thani Cup and the HH Sheikh Abdullah Bin Khalifa Al Thani Silver Cup, leading up to the main event, the HH Sheikh Abdullah Bin Khalifa Al Thani Trophy race. His Excellency Issa Bin Mohammed Al Mohannadi was also present during the trophy presentation ceremony.
In the 1600m race for Local Purebred Arabians, it was Razy who emerged victorious and won the HH Sheikh Abdullah Bin Khalifa Al Thani Trophy for owner Wathnan Racing, trainer Alban de Mieulle, and jockey Mickael Barzalona. The winning trio registered their third victory on the day, and it was an impressive 1-2-3 for the owner and trainer, with Nesrine finishing second and Bakir finishing third. The three horses got into a heated battle in the final strides, with only a head and a further head separating them up to the finishing line.
Eifrit, owned by Sheikh Ahmad Bin Mohamed F N Al-Thani and trained by Mohammed Salama Ashour, won the HH Sheikh Abdullah Bin Khalifa Al Thani Cup, a Gr.2 race for Purebred Arabians over 1600m. In a thrilling blanket finish, Eifrit beat his tough rivals AJS Jamran and Al Wakrah by a nose and neck, respectively, under jockey Jefferson Smith, who doubled up on the day. The runner-up was owned by Al Jeryan Stud and trained by M.H.K Al Attiyah, and the third-placed horse was owned by Al Shaqab Racing and trained by Jean de Mieulle.
AJS Lattam, owned and bred by Al Jeryan Stud, won the HH Sheikh Abdullah Bin Khalifa Al Thani Silver Cup, a 1600m race for Purebred Arabians, thanks to trainer M.H.K Al Attiyah and jockey Szczepan Mazur. The 4YO colt won the race by a length and three-quarters, taking his career record to five wins in seven starts. The runner-up was Saeed Mohammed Shafi Al Shafi-owned and trained Shagraan, and AJS Jassas finished third, giving the winning owner and trainer another placed finish.
AJS Berline won the Gr.3 PA Majd Al Arab Sprinter Championship for the second time in the last three years, returning the title to her owner and breeder Al Jeryan Stud and trainer M.H.K Al Attiyah. Jockey Szczepan Mazur guided the 7YO mare to speed two and a half lengths clear of the field to win the 1100m race impressively. The runner-up was Mohammed Khalifa T R Al-Sowaidi-owned and Hamad Al-Jehani-trained Posuelo Py, and the third-placed horse was Sharida Bin Nasser Bin Sharida Al-Kaabi-owned and Mohammed Ghazali-trained Shgarde.
The trainer/jockey pair of Alban de Mieulle and Mickael Barzalona teamed up with Bolthole and won the Umm Qarn Trophy, an open race for Thoroughbreds, by a length. The 5YO horse took the 2000m contest cosily by getting one better in his second start in Qatar. The runner-up was Rashid Awajan K A Al-Khayarin-owned and Hamad Al-Jehani-trained Toromona, and the third-placed horse was Khalifa Bin Sheail KH J Al Kuwari-owned and Gassim Ghazali-trained King Pacha.
Equinoxe, owned by Wathnan Racing, won the French King Cup, a 1600m Local Thoroughbreds race, by scoring a head victory. In doing so, the 7YO horse retained the same title for the third year in a row for Wathnan Racing and trainer Alban de Mieulle, with Mickael Barzalona onboard this time around. The runner-up was Al Rabban Racing-owned and Rashid Al Jehani-trained Harb, and Balzac finished further two lengths and a quarter behind in third, completing the frame with another placed finish for the winning owner and trainer.
Maraseem, owned by Al Wasmiyah Farm and trained by Georges Mikhalides, won the Yasmeen Cup, a handicap for Thoroughbreds, by coming with a late charge from the outside in the final strides and winning the 2000m contest by three-quarters of a length with Jefferson Smith in the saddle. The runner-up was Al Shaqab Racing-owned and Jean de Mieulle-trained AUSTRAL, and the third-placed horse was Mohammed Khalifa T R Al-Sowaidi-owned and Ahmed Al Jehani-trained ENFORCED.
Sherood, owned by Fatima Rashid A Alnaimi and trained by Ahmed Al Jehani, landed the spoils in the Charm Spirit Cup, a 1400m Thoroughbred Handicap, by prevailing by a head after a heated battle with Karakoul. The runner-up was owned by Al Jeryan Stud and trained by M.H.K Al Attiyah, and Opera Legend finished third under jockey Gerald Mosse.
The Al Ghazali Stud-owned and Nasser Ghazali-trained Pavise won the Very Nice Name Cup, a Thoroughbred Novice Plate over 1600m, by pulling two and a half lengths clear of the field under jockey Soufiane Saadi. The runner-up was Sheikh Ahmad Bin Mohamed F N Al-Thani-owned and Mohammed Salama Ashour-trained Prince Nabeel, and the third-placed horse was Abdulaziz Ali A Al-Kathiri-owned and Zuhair Mohsen-trained Shivraj.