Alkass Digital
After falling short of the triumph last season, Abdulaziz Saleh Al Jaber-owned Habes secured the End of Year Cup title racing to victory in the feature under jockey Jefferson Smith at the Al Uqda Racecourse yesterday.
The Qatar Racing and Equestrian Club’s (QREC) Ninth Al Uqda Meeting had seven races on the cards with the feature – the Graduation for Local Purebred Arabians – producing thrilling action to wrap up another exciting year for racing fans.
Trained by Hadi Al Ramzani, Habes, who finished runner-up behind champion Mubadir in the last year’s End of Year Cup, prevailed in an exciting 1300m race to clinch victory by three quarters of a length and end the year on a winning note.
The connections of Habes celebrate after winning the End of Year Cup title at the Al Uqda Racecourse yesterday.
Ridden by Szczepan Mazur, Al Jeryan Stud-owned AJS Haizum was second while Munhamik with Abdulla Rashid Al Hajri in the saddle took third place in the feature.
Habes’ victory also completed a double for Al Ramzani and Smith, who also won the penultimate race of the day when Chrome reigned supreme in the 2000m Purebred Arabian Handicap.
Trainer Hamad Al Jehani also enjoyed a brace of wins yesterday with Opera Legend under Mazur giving him his second title of the day after winning the Thoroughbred Handicap.
Earlier, jockey Rashid Ali Al Marri took the best out of Lagtaifia in the Purebred Arabian Maiden Plate to give the trainer his first win.
Jockey Jefferson Smith guides Habes to End Of Year Cup victory.
Al Marri, earlier, had also guided Khaeer Al Shahania to win in the 1300m Local Purebred Arabian Maiden Plate.
In the Thoroughbred Handicap, Soufiane Saadi rode Gassim Ghazali-trained De Bruyne to title, while Mohammed Ghazali-trained Elighe De Zamaglia won the day’s opening race - Purebred Arabian Handicap – with Hamed Al Busaidi in the saddle.
Ninth Al Uqda Meeting: End of Year Cup Day
WINNERS (Horse, Trainer, Jockey)
End Of Year Cup, Local Purebred Arabian Graduation Plate
Habes, Hadi Al Ramzani, Jefferson Smith
Purebred Arabian Handicap (65-85)
Chrome, Hadi Al Ramzani, Jefferson Smith
Thoroughbred Handicap (60-80)
Opera Legend, Hamad Al Jehani, Szczepan Mazur
Thoroughbred Handicap (50-70)
De Bruyne, Gassim Ghazali, Soufiane Saadi
Purebred Arabian Maiden Plate
Lagtaifia, Hamad Al Jehani, Rashid Ali Al Marri
Local Purebred Arabian Maiden Plate
Khaeer Al Shahania, Abdulla Mesfer Al Shahwani, Rashid Ali Al Marri
Purebred Arabian Handicap (45-65)
Elighe De Zamaglia, Mohammed Ghazali, Hamed Al Busaidi