Doha: The commanding Noor Al Hawa of Al Wasmiyah Farm yesterday landed the HE Sheikh Joaan Bin Hamad Al Thani Rifle with a dominating show in the feature 2,200m contest for Thoroughbreds in the 32nd Race Meeting – HE Sheikh Joaan Bin Hamad Al Thani Rifle Day – at the Al Rayyan racecourse.
The winners of the prestigious event were honoured by H E Sheikh Joaan bin Hamad Al Thani, President of the Qatar Olympic Committee.
In what was a superbly run final race of the Rifle Day, the nine-year-old chestnut Noor Al Hawa, trained by Georges Mikhalides and ridden by jockey Alberto Sanna, showed great sense, timing and robustness to emerge on top in the 13-horse race.
Staying with the pack and following pace-makers in Qatari Gold, On The Line and Seeyoubyme, Noor Al Hawa was made hold on till the two standard deviations and till almost the 800m marker before Sanna let the horse break free to go past the others in a jiffy and stay ahead and steady before crossing the winning post for a thumping three and three-fourths length victory - a double on the memorable day for owners Al Wasmiyah Farm, trainer Mikhalides and Sanna.
Noor Al Hawa needed only 2:15.20secs to ace the race where Hellenistique of Injaaz Stud, trained by Zuhair Mohsen and ridden by Maxime Guyon, stood second; the Khalifa bin Sheail Al Kuwari-owned King Pacha, saddled by David Allan, was third; H Abdulmalik’s Seeyoubyme, ridden by E Pedroza, was fourth; and N Al Kubaisi-owned Leopards Park, jockeyed by L Delozier, finished fifth.
Setting up the stage for the finale earlier, Al Shaqab Racing’s homebred Mwarid scored his 6th straight win to claim the Gr3 PA HE Sheikh Joaan Bin Hamad Al Thani Trophy, giving jockey Soufiane Saadi a double and trainer Alban de Mieulle a fifth win of the day.
Also stealing the show on the day was Mohammed bin Fahad Al Attiya’s Gr3 winner Sahab which won the HE Sheikh Joaan Bin Hamad Al Thani Trophy claiming the 4YO Purebred Arabians 1,750m race under Maxime Guyon, giving trainer Alban de Mieulle a quick-fire double and a fourth win. QREC Racing Manager Abdulla Rashid Al Kubaisi crowned the winners.
Abdullah bin Fahad Al Attiyah’s HM Jalfane emerged supreme in the HE Sheikh Joaan Bin Hamad Al Thani Trophy for 4YO+ Purebred Arabians with Soufiane Saadi guided the 5YO to top the race by 3¼ lengths, recording a 3rd win for trainer Alban de Mieulle. Taleb Meteb Al Saaq crowned the winners of this race.
Returning to winning ways was Al Bida Racing’s Jabalaly as it took the HE Sheikh Joaan Bin Hamad Al Thani Trophy dominating the 1,500m contest for four-year-old+ Thoroughbreds by four lengths for trainer Ibrahim Saeed Al Malki and jockey Tomas Lukasek.
Claiming a sixth win in a row was Umm Qarn’s homebred Equinoxe, landing the HE Sheikh Joaan Bin Hamad Al Thani Trophy for Local Thoroughbreds in the 1,750m race. The win also registered a double for trainer Alban de Mieulle and jockey Ronan Thomas. QREC Acting CEO Bader Mohammed Al Darwish crowned the winners of the race.
Al Wasmiyah Farm’s Scherzo opened his account in Qatar with a big victory as he won the HE Sheikh Joaan Bin Hamad Al Thani Trophy for 3YO Thoroughbreds for trainer Georges Mikhalides and jockey Alberto Sanna. Al Uqda Complex Dept Manager Abdulaziz Jassim Al Boenain presented the trophies to the winners of the race.
The Eng. Osama Omer Al Dafea-owned & trained Taxiwala regained the winning thread taking the HE Sheikh Joaan Bin Hamad Al Thani Trophy, a Thoroughbred Sprint for 3YO+. Ronan Thomas rode the 5YO gelding to a two-length win. QREC Racing Manager Abdulla Rashid Al Kubaisi crowned the winners of this 1,200m race.
In Al Azraq Stable’s colours, Inqath won the 1,400m Local Purebred Arabian Novice Cup for 4YO+ by three quarters of a length for trainer Bader Al Balushi and jockey Lukas Delozier. The winners of the Local Purebred Arabian Novice Cup 1400m contest were awarded by Abdulla Rashid Al Kubaisi.
Umm Qarn’s homebred Blue Star kick-started the HE Sheikh Joaan Bin Hamad Al Thani Rifle Day winning the 1,750m Maiden for local Purebred Arabians as Carlos Henrique rode the Alban de Mieulle-trained filly to victory.
Meanwhile, the Al Sabiq Ride held as part of the events of HE Sheikh Joaan Bin Hamad Al Thani Rifle Day was won by Saleh Salem Al Marri astride AJS Barzan.
WINNERS
(Horse, Trainer, Jockey)
1 - HE Sheikh Joaan Bin Hamad Al Thani Rifle - Thoroughbreds (Class 2)
Noor Al Hawa, Georges Mikhalides, Alberto Sanna
2 - HE Sheikh Joaan Bin Hamad Al Thani Trophy (Gr3 Pa) - Purebred Arabians
Mwarid, Alban Elie de Mieulle, Soufiane Saadi
3 - HE Sheikh Joaan Bin Hamad Al Thani Trophy - 4yo Purebred Araabians
Sahab, Alban Elie de Mieulle, Maxime Guyon
4 - HE Sheikh Joaan Bin Hamad Al Thani Trophy - Purebred Arabians
HM Jalfane, Alban Elie de Mieulle, Soufiane Saadi
5 - HE Sheikh Joaan Bin Hamad Al Thani Trophy - Thoroughbreds (Class 2)
Jabalaly, Ibrahim Saeed Al Malki, Tomas Lukasek
6 - HE Sheikh Joaan Bin Hamad Al Thani Trophy - Local Thoroughbreds
Equinoxe, Alban Elie de Mieulle, Ronan Thomas
7 - HE Sheikh Joaan Bin Hamad Al Thani Trophy - 3yo Thoroughbreds (Class 2)
Scherzo, Georges Mikhalides, Alberto Sanna
8 - HE Sheikh Joaan Bin Hamad Al Thani Trophy - Thoroughbred Sprint (Class 2)
Taxiwala (IRE), Osama Al Dafea, Ronan Thomas
9 - Local Purebred Arabian Novice Cup
Inqath, Bader Al Balushi, Lukas Delozier
10 - Local Purebred Arabian Maiden Plate
Blue Star, Alban Elie de Mieulle, Carlos Henrique
