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| Staff Writer |
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The QREC Al Rayyan Racecourse hosted the HH Sheikh Mohammed Bin Khalifa Al Thani Trophy race meeting, which was attended by HH Sheikh Mohammed bin Khalifa Al Thani and QREC senior executives. The turf track featured a bumper nine-race card with a massive prize pool of QAR 2,220,000. The third race, Jaafer Thoroughbred Handicap Cup, was crowned by HH Sheikh Mohammed bin Khalifa Al Thani.
In the evening's feature and final event, Aemilianus, a 5YO gelding owned by Sheikh Mohammed bin Salman M Al Thani, won the Gr. 2 HH Sheikh Mohammed Bin Khalifa Al Thani Trophy, securing a black-type victory and taking his career to new heights. Ridden by Marco Casamento, Aemilianus powered to victory by a length in the 2000m race for 4YO and older Thoroughbreds. Trainer Gassim Ghazali marked his stamp on both the opener and the final race of the meeting with this double victory.
King Pacha, the Acclamation-bred horse owned by Khalifa Bin Sheail KH J Al Kuwari and trained by Julian Smart, finished second under jockey Alberto Sanna, while Bolthole, the Free Eagle-bred horse owned by Wathnan Racing and trained by Alban de Mieulle, completed the frame in third under jockey Soufiane Saadi.
Dean Lavy, Director of Al Shahania Stud, crowned the winners of the event.
Tareq, a 4YO Purebred Arabian gelding owned by Al Rufaa Racing and trained by Gassim Ghazali, won the 2000m Mared Al Sahra Premium Maiden Cup, a Group Six race for 4-to-6YO horses, under jockey Alberto Sanna. Dean Lavy, Director of Al Shahania Stud, presented the awards.
AJS Jassas, a 4YO Local Purebred Arabian, won the Djendel Novice Cup, a 1500m Group Five race for 4YO and older horses. Under jockey Szczepan Mazur, he won by two-and-a-quarter lengths. This marked his first victory in nine career starts, and he has never finished outside of the top four. The awards were presented by Dean Lavy, Director of Al Shahania Stud.
Ends Of The Earth won the Jaafer Thoroughbred Handicap Cup, a 1500m Group Three contest for 3YO and older horses rated 70-90. Under jockey Anas Al Seyabi, the Injaaz Stud-owned colt secured a one-and-a-half-length victory. Trainer Zuhair Mohsen won the title for the second year in a row.
Fayq Al Shahania won the Aziz Purebred Arabian Handicap Cup, a 1400m race for horses rated 70-90. Trainer Rudy Nerbonne steered the 5YO to a convincing victory, with jockey Lukas Delozier piloting the roan horse to a one and a half-length win. The winners were crowned by Bader Mohammed Al Darwish, QREC Acting CEO.
Kerindia from Injaaz Stud won the Assy Thoroughbred Filly & Mare Cup for the second year in a row. Under jockey Faleh Bughanaim, the 4YO filly secured a dominant three and a half length victory in the 1500m Group Two contest. Trainer Zuhair Mohsen claimed his second win of the evening. The winners were crowned by Hamad bin Abdulrahman Al Attiya, President of the Asian Equestrian Federation and Vice Chairman of QREC.
Al Jeryan Stud's AJS Lattam won the Mared Al Sahra Cup with ease, securing Trainer M.H.K Al Attiyah and Jockey Szczepan Mazur their second win of the evening. A confident AJS Lattam cruised through the 1400m race for Local Purebred Arabians, finishing five and a half lengths ahead of the competition. The winners were presented with their trophy by Bader Mohammed Al Darwish, QREC Acting CEO.
Al Jeryan Stud's team, consisting of trainer M.H.K Al Attiyah and jockey Szczepan Mazur, secured their third win of the evening with Al Buraq winning the Gazwan Cup. The 5YO gelding won the 1400m Group Two Conditions for 4YO and older Local Thoroughbreds by a neck, with Harb finishing second. The runner-up, owned by Al Rabban Racing and trained by Ibrahim Saeed Al Malki, tried to challenge the winner in the last moments but fell short. Dean Lavy, Director of Al Shahania Stud, crowned the winners.
Jockey Szczepan Mazur continued his winning streak by securing his 4th win of the evening, riding Layeq to victory in the Ebraz Cup. The 5YO horse, owned by Khalifa Bin Sheail KH J Al Kuwari and trained by Julian Smart, won the 2000m Group One race for 4YO and older Local Purebred Arabians by a length and a quarter. This is Layeq's second consecutive win in the Ebraz Cup. The winners were crowned by Dean Lavy, Director of Al Shahania Stud.