The Peninsula
Full Moon, ridden by French star Ryan Curatolo, last night produced a spectacular late surge to win the $500,000 Qatar Derby (Gr 1) at the Qatar Racing and Equestrian Club (QREC).
Trailing second-placed Mr Satchmo just before the finish line, Full Moon exhibited class under pressure as he raced to win in the 2000m marathon under lights at QREC.
Curatolo, 26, won the top prize of $285,000 after Full Moon claimed victory in a dramatic photo-finish. Trained by Deborah Amanda, Full Moon’s winning time was 2:02.17.
Just a touch behind was O Peslier astride Mr Satchmo. Peslier won $110,000. Es’hail, ridden by Stephan Ladjadj, finished in third spot. Ladjadj won $55,000 in a field of 11 entries.
Owner Abdullah Hassan Ali Abdulmalik said: “I thank God for this glory and honour. It is a deserving win for us. It was a careful ride by Ryan at the start but the finish was brilliant. Full Moon is rated highly by all. It was a superb ride. We are happy with this win.”
Earlier Julien Auge produced a classy late surge with Rijm to win the Qatar Derby (Gr 2 PA) ahead of Rajeh trained by Jassim Al Ghazali.
Rijm clocked a time of 2:13.23 to win the 2000m marathon ahead of Rajeh who was ridden by Theo Bachelot. Auge won $85,500 while Bachelot bagged $33,000. The Al Ghazali-trained Easter De Faust ridden by Harry Bentley sealed the third spot worth $16,500.
Auge beamed from ear to ear as Amir Al Cham helped the French jockey clinch top honours in the Qatar Derby for Group 3 Pure Arabians.
Amir Al Cham thrilled the Al Shaqab Racing camp as he galloped to the top spot in the 1600m battle ahead of Daloob, ridden by Faleh Bughanaim.
Trained by Thomas Fourcy, Amir Al Cham clocked a time of 1:44.67 as Auge won $57,000.
Daloob, trained by Alban Elie Marie De Mieulle, yesterday finished ahead of AJS Moaddie ridden by Lukasek. Bughanaim won $22,000 while Lukasek got richer by $11,000.
Also yesterday Pedroza guided Surra Man Raa to a credible win in the Qatar Derby worth $70,000.
Owned by Shiekh Faisal bin Hamad bin Jassim Al Thani, three-year-old gelding Surra Man Raa stormed to win in a time of 1:59.28 as Pedroza won $39,900.
Surra Man Raa finished the 1850m battle some 3.25 furlongs ahead of Nahaab ridden by Ronan Thomas. Trained by Ibrahim Saeed, Nahaab failed to match the speed of Surra Man Raa as Thomas won $15,400. Said Khamis Al Mutani-trained Al Motanaa, ridden by JP Guillambert, finished in third place.
Guillambert won $7,700.
Popular British jockey Bentley scorched to his second win of the night with Qatari trainer Al Ghazali as Al Junood galloped in style to win the Local Purebred Arabian Plate.
Bentley won the 1600m race - for three-year-olds - in a time of 1:47.15. The Briton got richer by $11,400.
Fahim, ridden by Ronan Thomas, finished second. Thomas won $4,400. Anas Al Seyabi, astride Da’aas, secured the third place worth $2,200.
The popular duo of Bentley and Al Ghazali sailed to win the Class 3 competition. Bentley was in the saddle as Hydroxide gave trainer Al Ghazali the day’s first win in the 1400m race in a time of 1:22.59.
Bentley won $11,400 as Hydroxide finished ahead of Top Face by a neck’s length. Top Face was ridden Lukasek who won $4,400. First to Post, ridden by Eduardo Pedroza, finished in third spot.
In the day’s third race, Meteb Ali Al Marri clinched the honours with ride Reem Brooq who clocked a winning time of 1:38.16. Al Marri won $11,400 in the 1600m race. Faleh Bughanaim, astride Shaman Bu Thaila, finished second to bag the prize of $4,400. Third-placed Anas Al Seyabi (Khoud) picked up $2,200.
In the day’s second race, jockey Faleh Bughanaim emerged hero with Haloul who finished the 1850m race 1.75 furlongs ahead of second-placed Istibdad.
Haloul, trained by Alban Elie Marie De Mieulle, clocked a time of 1:54.93 as Bughanaim got richer by $8,550. Istibdad, trained by Mohammed Riyaz, helped rider Guillambert take home $3,300. Suprematism, ridden by Lukasek, finished. Lukasek won $1,650.
In the day’s opening race, jockey Tadgh O’Shea yesterday guided Arbed to a narrow win over Bentley-ridden Elwan in the 1850m dash. Arbed clocked a time of 2:06.43 in the turf race as O’Shea won the top prize of QR25,650. Bentley won QR9,900 while AJS Al Maha - ridden by Tomas Lukasek - finished in third spot.