Qatar Racing and Equestrian Club
The Qatar Racing and Equestrian Club (QREC) organised the seventh race meeting in the 2021-22 season at the Uqda Racecourse on Saturday, 8 January.
The six-race card day was run on turf and was wrapped up with the feature event, Athbah Cup, a 1400m contest for 4-6YO Unraced Purebred Arabians.
The Cup went to H.H. Sheikh Mohammed Bin Khalifa Al Thani’s ESSA (FR) (Assy x Assefa D’aroco), who won the day’s feature by a length under Alberto Sanna for trainer Rudy Nerbonne.
The Umm Qarn-owned and Alban de Mieulle-trained Matraz (FR) (Tabarak)finished second under Ronan Thomas 2¼ lengths in front of the H.H. Sheikh Mohammed Bin Khalifa Al Thani-owned and Jassim Ghazali-trained Azooz (QA) (Aziz), who was ridden by Marco Casamento.
Abdulla Rashid Al Kubaisi, QREC Racing Manager, crowned the winners after the final race of the day.
MAJD AL ARAB
In the penultimate race, Al Jeryan Stud’s MAJD AL ARAB (IRE) (The Gurkha X Celtic Filly) completed a double, winning the Thoroughbred Handicap (0-85) for 3YO+. The Mohammed Hamad Khalifa Al Attiyah-saddled 4YO gelding made all in 1200m run to land the spoils by a length under Szczepan Mazur.
THIRD ORDER
In the fourth race in the card, the Rashid Ali Al Saaq-owned and ridden THIRD ORDER (IRE) (Hat Trick x Fifth Commandment) came with a strong late run to land the 1300m Thoroughbred Handicap (0-75) for 3YO+. The Ali Al Saaq-trained 8YO took a while to engage top gear, but really knuckled down in the closing stages and got up close home to win by a neck.
OSAILA
Al Shaqab Racing’s OSAILA (QA) (Amer x Redjila) took the 2100m Local Purebred Arabian Handicap (0-75) for 4YO+ by 1½ lengths, doubling her account on her 5th time of asking. The Eric Lemartinel-trained 4YO filly was ridden to success by Faleh Bughanaim.
SELOUS
In the second race of the day, Khalid Abdulaziz Al Kuwari’s SELOUS (FR) (Lope De Vega x Bella Qatara) on his 4th career start went one better to win the 1400m Thoroughbred Maiden Plate by 2½ lengths for trainer Zuhair Mohsen and jockey Soufiane Saadi.
SWEET DREAM
The first race of the day went the way of Umm Qarn’s SWEET DREAM (QA) (Amer x Zabieh) who won comfortably by 1¾ lengths on her 3rd time of asking. The Alban de Mieulle-trained 4YO filly was pushed clear by jockey Ronan Thomas in the closing stages of the 1400m Local Purebred Arabian Maiden Plate for 4-6 YO fillies and mares.