Alkass Digital
Jockey Soufiane Saadi wrapped up the racing season in memorable fashion guiding Wathnan Racing’s Band Width to End Of Season Cup – Thoroughbreds (Class 2) – triumph to complete a treble at Al Rayyan Racecourse yesterday.
The Qatar Racing and Equestrian Club’s (QREC) 52nd Race Meeting, which was the last event of the thrilling season, witnessed a total of nine races on the eventful day.
Saadi piloted the Alban de Mieulle-trained Band Width to one-and-a-half length victory over Emperor Maximus, ridden by Szczepan Mazur, in the day’s feature to cap a fine day.
This was his second major win as in penultimate contest of the day, Saadi had guided Wathnan Racing’s Jabalah, trained by Gassim Ghazali, to Al Utouriya Cup title. The seven-year-old ran on strongly inside the straight, winning the 1600m contest for 4YO+ Purebred Arabians, with five and a half lengths to spare at the line for trainer De Mieulle.
Saadi notched up his first victory of the day when he rode Al Ghazali Stud’s Seulomonde to a comfortable two-and-a-half length win in the 1600m Novice for 3YO+ Thoroughbreds – the second race on the card yesterday.
Meanwhile, Al Jeryan Stud’s homebred AJS Lattam remained unbeaten on second career start. The trainer-jockey combination of MHK Al Attiyah and Mazur teamed up with the black colt to win the Al Karana Cup, a 1400m Novice Plate for 3YO Purebred Arabians, by one length and a half and secure a double of their own on the day.
Also yesterday, Sheikh Mohammed bin Salman Al Thani-owned Uffington was rewarded for a string of fine efforts as he got off the mark in the 2000m Handicap (0-90) for 3YO Thoroughbreds under Alberto Sanna. The Gassim Ghazali-saddled gelding did well enough to win by three lengths, completing a double on the day for his trainer.
Trainer Saeed Al Shafi also got his name on the score sheet, as Al Ezz Stud’s Toyota came two lengths and three quarters clear in the 2000m Handicap (0-85) for 4YO+ Local Thoroughbreds, giving jockey Al Moatasem Al Balushi a second winner on the day.
Earlier yesterday, Al Balushi steered Abdulatif Hussain Al Emadi-owned Kaliysta to 1400m Handicap (55-75) for 3YO+ Thoroughbreds win. The Bader Al Balushi-trained four-year-old filly scored the victory by three quarters of a length.
The Purebred Arabian Graduation Plate saw Al Shaqab Racing’s homebred Felowah recording her second straight win with a bang as the Eric Lemartinel-trained four-year-old bay filly bolted up in the 1600m race under jockey Faleh Bughanaim, scoring impressively by five lengths.
Kicking off the finale of the season, trainer MHK Al Attiyah was the first in the winners’ enclosure after Al Jeryan Stud’s homebred AJS Haizum came out on top by a quarter of a length under jockey Mazur in the 1600m Maiden for 4-6YO Local Purebred Arabians.
The QREC season racing programme included 52 race days at Al Rayyan Racecourse and 17 at Al Uqda, making a total of 69 days of thrilling contests on both turf and sand over six months and 12 days.