Alkass Digital
Abdulaziz Jassim Al Buainain’s Superior Moment (Pivotal x Superior Charm) won for the second time this season when he landed the finale at the dirt track of the newly opened Al Uqda Equestrian Complex on Saturday.
Schooled by Zuhair Mohsen, the 4yo colt was kept on the rails by Soufiane Saadi after the start from Gate 3 in the Thoroughbred Handicap (70-80). On the home straight in the six-furlong sprint, the bay colt was in the front alongside many of his rivals after the field widened. However, in the final furlong, the colt took the advantage and drove home to victory by a length and three quarters to spare. Marco Casamento rode Owaida Salem Al Hajri trained Doha Incanto to second place, while Faleh Bughanaim guided Hamad Al Jehani schooled Warsaan to third-place finish.
Abdullah Nasser Al Attiya’s Ras Mlaejy (Pivotal x Sumorta) bounced back from a forgettable finish last time around on his season debut in November. The rest since then seems to have done the Hossin Ashour-saddled 10yo a world of good as the chestnut won for the first time in almost three years. Helmed by Carlos Henrique for the first time, the horse opened his run wide from Gate 13 but did well to exploit his weight advantage, having carried 55kgs, to win the 2200m Thoroughbred Handicap (70 & below) by a length and three quarters as JP Guillambert rode Barbarous Relic to second place.
H.E. Sheikha Iman Bint Mohammed Bin Khalifa Al Thani’s Saad (Munjiz x Massroura) made a handsome debut at Al Uqda’s dirt track on Saturday. Trained by Julian Colin Smart, the 4yo had Francois Herholdt in the saddle in the 2000m Local Purebred Arabian
Maiden Plate. The grey colt went astray going wide coming off the final bend after tracking early leader Al Hoot for the bulk of the race. However, the jockey managed to keep Saad in line on outer rails to beat Ronan Thomas ridden Bakir, trained by Alban Elie De Mieulle, by a length at the post.
Al Gaiah Stud’s FAJR (No Risk Al Maury x Al Anqa) landed his first career victory when he landed the Purebred Arabian Handicap (75 & below) in fine fashion on Saturday. Helmed by apprentice jockey Khalid Al Balushi, the Khaled Mohamad Alahmad trained 7yo bounced back from forgettable outing earlier this month at Al Rayyan Park when he finished tenth, to win the 1300m run on dirt with a length to spare. Ali Khalid Al Mosallam rode Badira to a runner up place.
Injaaz Stud’s Cotai Again (Kodiac x Incessant) had not finished higher than fourth since arrival in Qatar last year. However, that changed for the Gassim Ghazali trained gelding on Saturday at the Al Uqda facility as Marco Casamento guided the 4yo to the bay horse’s first win in 14 starts. In the 1300m Thoroughbred Maiden Plate, Cotai Again pulled away a furlong out on the home straight and was unstoppable as he won the affair with three lengths to spare.
Noora Racing Limited’s Umm Bab (AF AlBahar x Djelfa CS) made history winning the first race ever at the new Al Uqda Equestrian Complex on Saturday, herself building on the promise she had shown on her debut in November at Al Rayyan Park to shed her maiden status in comfortable fashion. Helmed by Carlos Henrique, the Alban Elie De Mieulle trained filly tracked early leaders in the 1300m Purebred Arabian Maiden Plate before Henrique got his mount to up the pace. As the field jostled for the advantage on the home straight, Umm Bab managed to take advantage 100m out and then went past the post-one-and-a-half lengths in front of Michael Forest ridden Starlit D’Ibos.