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| Staff Writer |
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Hamad Al Jehani is savouring his first season training in Britain, relishing the challenge of competing against "the greatest trainers in the world". As the curtain falls on his debut campaign, the Qatari handler is reflecting on a year of learning and achievement.
Arriving in Newmarket this spring, Al Jehani set up a satellite operation at Tom Clover's Kremlin House Stables. The move marked a significant shift for the leading Qatari trainer, swapping the familiar desert climate for the historic training grounds of British Flat racing's heartland.
Al Jehani's British venture has yielded seven winners, a respectable tally for a newcomer to the competitive UK racing scene. However, it's not just on home soil that the trainer has tasted success.
The highlight of Al Jehani's inaugural British season came across the Channel, with Make Me King securing a Gr.3 victory in the Prix Quincey at Deauville. This French triumph underscored the potential of Al Jehani's string and hinted at greater things to come.
The Prix Quincey boasts an illustrious list of past victors, including the likes of Ribchester, who went on to claim four Gr.1 races, and Palace Pier, subsequent winner of the St James's Palace Stakes and Queen Elizabeth II Stakes.
Al Jehani's ambitions were further evidenced when Defence Minister became his first runner in a British Gr.1 on Saturday. While victory may have eluded them this time, the mere presence of a runner at this level speaks volumes about the trainer's aspirations.
"It's totally different training in the UK to the Middle East and I need more time to understand the racing here," Al Jehani admits. "We are looking to understand more about racing over here in the UK and good performances from the horses is the main thing we are hoping for. There are no targets, we just want to see our horses produce a good performance every time."
One of the season's most poignant moments came at Goodwood on Wednesday, when Solar Aclaim clinched victory in a class four handicap. The win was made all the sweeter by the fact that fellow Qatari Faleh Bughenaim was in the saddle.
Bughenaim, known for his successes in Arab races and as part of Al Shaqab's endurance team, has joined Al Jehani in Newmarket. Their partnership, which previously yielded victory in the Qatar Derby with Jeff Koons, has now notched its first British success.
"Faleh had his first winner in England so it means a lot for all the team," Al Jehani enthuses. "We prepared one horse for Faleh and he went and won at one of the greatest racecourses in the world. Solar Aclaim handled the ground very well and Faleh gave him a great ride. It was very special for us."
As the season draws to a close, Al Jehani's British adventure is just beginning. With a string of promising performances behind him and valuable experience gained, the Qatari trainer is well-positioned to make an even bigger impact in the seasons to come.