Doha: Qatar-trained horses impressed as they made their first appearance at the Saudi Cup meeting in Riyadh on Friday.
The opening day of the two-day meeting saw two victories for Qatar, including the day’s feature and a one-two earlier. It was a day of doubles for Qatar, trainer Alban de Mieulle and jockey Ronan Thomas.
In the colours of Nayef bin Saad bin Sharida Al Kaabi, First Classs (USA) became the second Qatari winner, taking the Listed Al Mneefah Cup for four-year-old and older Purebred Arabians, worth $1m.
De Mieulle and Thomas teamed up again for the victory, having been responsible for the historic first ever Qatari victory at the Saudi Cup earlier in the afternoon with Lauderdale.
First Class jumped well from an inside draw and sat in third place just behind race favourite, the French Group One winner and placed Soko (Nieshan) and Tallaab Alkhalediah (Jalood Alkhalidiah).
He travelled easily throughout the 2,100m contest, relaxed on the rail. Coming off the turn, First Classs came smoothly up to join the Olivier Peslier-ridden Soko, still on the bridle.
The racing field were already under pressure behind the first two, and when Thomas asked First Classs to lengthen, he flew to lead and galloped easily to the line for a two-length victory in front of the H Alalawi-trained Soko.
The M Dagash-trained Dergham Athbah (GB) (Af Albahar) was further two and a quarter lengths in third under F Jara.
“I rode him confidently as he has really good form. First Classs won the Qatar International Derby (Gr2 PA) at Doha in front of a good horse in Abbes (TM Fred Texas). Today, he took the lead easily and showed a magnificent acceleration. I never touched him with the whip. First Classs was well-named today,” Thomas said after the race.
Sharida bin Nasser Bin Sharida Al Kaabi received the Cup after the race.
Khalfan bin Mohammed Al Suwaidi receives the winner's trophy after Lauderdale won the Saudi International Handicap.
One-two for Qatar with Lauderdale and King Shalaa
Earlier on the day, Lauderdale (IRE) (Siyouni x Freedom’s Light) and King Shalaa (FR) led home the 13 runners, in the fourth of the eight-race card, recording a one-two for Qatar in the Saudi International Handicap for four-year-old and older Thoroughbreds rated 86-110, over 2,100m, worth $500,000.
Both horses are trained by De Mieulle, Qatar’s leading trainer, who had a superb day. Lauderdale carries the colours of Mohammed Bin Hamad Khalifa Al Attiyah while King Shalaa has been a successful flagbearer for his owner H H Sheikh Abdullah bin Khalifa Al Thani on multiple occasions.
Ridden by Thomas, Lauderdale sat alongside stablemate King Shalaa towards the rear in a smartly paced race under leaders Domi GO (Ivawood) and Qaader (Night Of Thunder). Coming into the final turn, Lauderdale began to make up ground on the inside rail, coming to sit in fifth position just off the pacemakers, with King Shalaa in last position. Switched to the centre ground in the home straight, Lauderdale showed an impressive acceleration to quickly hit the lead and continue strongly to the line.
King Shalaa made up an extraordinary amount of ground under jockey Olivier Peslier to reach the leaders, finishing just three quarters of a length behind Lauderdale. The S S Al Kahtani-owned My Frankel (Frankel) finished in third, another three quarters of a length further back under J Rosario.
Khalfan Mohammed Al Suwaidi received the winner's trophy.
