Late-charging Maysara sweeps to Al Noof Cup win

Doha, Qatar: The opening meeting of the season at Al Uqda Racecourse yesterday delivered a lively eight-race programme, headlined by a decisive win in the Al Noof Cup and a rare dead-heat in the feature supporting race.

Maysara stole the show in the day’s finale, producing a sharp late burst to take the Al Noof Cup, a Local Thoroughbred contest over 1300m.

Ridden confidently by Arnaud De Lepine for trainer Hamad Al-Jehani and owner Mohammed Abdulhadi Al-Hajri, the mare powered through from midfield to overhaul favourite Harb inside the final strides, securing an authoritative victory and setting the tone for a memorable season opener.

The penultimate race, the Local Purebred Arabian Handicap (60–80) over 1200m, delivered drama of its own as Afandem and Munhamik could not be separated at the finish.

Both launched powerful late challenges after sitting off the early pace, engaging in a thrilling duel through the straight.

Their simultaneous lunge at the line resulted in a dead heat—an outcome that electrified the crowd and underscored the competitiveness of the division.

Earlier on the card, Axis captured the Thoroughbred Maiden Plate; Mushaakis won the Local Thoroughbred Maiden Plate; Temple Of Hera extended unbeaten run in Thoroughbred Handicap; Liable surged late to take 2000m Handicap; Mesaieed dominated the Purebred Arabian Handicap; and See All Match made all to score in the Thoroughbred Handicap over 2000m.

11th Al Uqda Race Meeting Al Noof Cup
Winners: (Horse, Trainer, Jockey)
Al Noof Cup, Local Thoroughbred Open Race
Maysara, Hamad Al-Jehani, 
Arnaud De Lepine

Local Purebred Arabian Handicap (60-80)
Afandem, Ahmed Kobeissi, Mohammed Hassan Ali Alabdulmalik
Munhamik, Owaida Salem Al Hajri, Abdulla Rashid Al-Hajri

Thoroughbred Handicap
See All Match, Abdulaziz Ali A Al-Kathiri, Abdulla Rashid Al-Hajri

Purebred Arabian Handicap 
Mesaieed, Gassim Al Ghazali, Marco Casamento

Thoroughbred Handicap 
Liable, Ibrahim Saeed Ibrahim Al Malki, Tomas Lukasek 

Thoroughbred Handicap
Temple Of Hera, Nayef Batal Al-Otibi, Saleh Faraj Al-Otaibi

Local Thoroughbred Maiden Plate
Mushaakis, Zuhair Mohsen, Gavin Matt Ryan

Thoroughbred Maiden Plate
Axis, Ibrahim Saeed Ibrahim Al Malki, Tomas Lukasek