Abdulatif Hussain Al Emadi’s PAZEER (Siyouni x Parandeh) made a dazzling return to the Al Rayyan Park with a thrilling victory in the BARZAN CUP (QA Gr 3) (THOROUGHBREDS (Class 1) 85 & Above) on the turf on Thursday. Helmed by Soufiane Saadi for the second straight time, Ibrahim Saeed Ibrahim Al Malki saddled Pazeer grabbed the lead inside the final 100m of the mile long feature with Stefano Ibido’s trainee DOMINUS (Zoffany x Gwen Lady Byron) breathing down his neck under Luca Maniezzi. The 6yo Pazeer, however, held on to his slim advantage, crossing the finish line with a quarter of a length to spare. The win was Pazeer’s second Group level victory. Zuhair Mohsen Zuhair Maki schooled ALIGNEMENT (Pivotal x Soldata), briefly a leader on the straight under JP Guillambert, had to settle for third.
Al Jeryan Stud’s AL LUSAIL (Footstepsinthesand x Gooey) stayed unbeaten this season racing to his second straight victory under Ronan Thomas on Thursday. In the LOCAL THOROUGHBREDS event, the 6yo, saddled by Hadi Nasser Rashid Al Ramzani, chased down Ibrahim Saeed Ibrahim Al Malki’s Shaman Bu Thaila, helmed by Tomas Lukasek, in a home straight duel and did enough to edge out his chestnut rival by a quarter of a length for his 12th career win. Qatari ride Saleh Salem Al Marri rode Khalifa Bin Sheail Al Kuwari’s Abu Samrah to a distant third in the 2000m race.
H.H. Sheikh Mohammed Bin Khalifa Al Thani’s MON’NIA (Amer x Margouia) improved her strike rate in Doha with Tomas Lukasek guiding the filly to her fourth win in five starts around Al Rayyan Park on Thursday. Julian Colin Smart’s filly, who had a C&D victory on her Qatar debut a year ago, had little trouble taking the advantage in the UMM SALAL OAKS TRIAL (PUREBRED ARABIANS 4yo Fillies) once on the home straight. She went past the post two lengths and three quarters in front of JP Guillambert ridden Arguya, runner up on Qatar debut.
Alban Elie Marie De Mieulle’s wards swept the top three spots in the UMM SALAL OAKS TRIAL (LOCAL PUREBRED ARABIANS 4yo Fillies) with Al Rabban Racing’s RS RASHEEDA (AF AlBahar x Agdalya) managing to stay ahead of two Umm Qarn fillies in the tense final moments of the 1850m run on Thursday. With Carlos Henrique in the saddle, the filly was comfortable compared to her previous starts in higher company. Once she took the lead, she held on against a challenge by Umm Qarn duo – Soufiane Saadi ridden Ashoura and Ronan Thomas ridden Abida – by a neck.
Meshaal Bin Ali Al Attiyah’s FORCED (Lethal Force x Danehill Revival) went against the expectations to put up a fantastic performance in the UMM SALAL OAKS TRIAL (THOROUGHBREDS (3yo Fillies) (Class 2)) on Thursday. It was a massive step up in distance for the Gassim Mohammad Ghazali trained filly, moving up from six furlongs to 1850m. Despite running at the back of the pack under Marco Casamento, the filly on the day had little trouble accelerating on the straight and edging out Michael Forest ridden She’s Our Queen by a quarter of a length for her first career win.
Umm Qarn’s AL KHISAH (Toast of New York x Bint Al Sahra) showed some fantastic turn of foot to make an impressive career debut on Thursday. In the 1600m UMM SALAL OAKS TRIAL (LOCAL THOROUGHBREDS 3yo Fillies), the Alban Elie Marie De Mieulle trained filly was not too far away from the leaders under Ronan Thomas. As the pace quickened, Thomas had his mount move up on the outside, and soon they were up front a furlong out, holding on to their advantage for a breezy win with a length and quarter to spare.
Khalifa Bin Sheail Al Kuwari’s SOLDIERPOY (Sepoy x Lamps Of Heaven) won the battle of new recruits from the UK in the THOROUGHBRED PLATE (2 Year Olds) (Class 2) on Thursday. Mohammed Hussain Afroz saddled 2yo stayed within striking distance early on in the six furlong sprint under JP Guillambert, before taking the advantage closer home. The victory, in front of Majd Al Arab and Golden bear, was the gelding’s second overall but first in Qatar.
Abdulaziz Jassim Al Buainain’s SUPERIOR MOMENT (Pivotal x Superior Charm) build on his promising Qatar debut over C&D when he finished third a week ago. On Thursday, in the THOROUGHBRED HANDICAP (Class 5) (75 & below), the colt had Soufiane Saadi in the saddle, and the duo sprinted to a comfortable victory in the six furlong run, winning by one and a half lengths. It was the 3yo’s first career win.
H.H. Sheikh Mohammed Bin Khalifa Al Thani’s EAZ QATAR (Amer x Djainka Des Forges) made a fantastic career debut winning the PUREBRED ARABIAN MAIDEN PLATE (3 Year Olds) (F) (Div 2) in thrilling fashion. Helmed by Alberto Sanna for trainer Julian Colin Smart, the filly stayed at the back of the pack for much of the miler. On the bend, Eaz Qatar began her move forward, and she was in prime spot to attack coming on to the home straight. She held a slight advantage in a furlong out, and then held on by a head in front of Ronan Thomas ridden Muqla.
After a promising fifth on Qatar debut three weeks ago over C&D, Patrice Alexandre Nicolet’s QUEPOS (Al Tair x Bonnett) finally shed his maiden status in thrilling fashion on Thursday. Saddled by Alban Elie Marie De Mieulle, the 3yo started widest of them all from Gate 12 in the mile long PUREBRED ARABIAN MAIDEN PLATE (3 Year Olds) (C & G) (Div 1), but ran a determined race under Ronan Thomas who timed his move just right to be able to go past the post ahead of Mohammed Hussain Afroz trained Hidalgo Du Croate, another Qatar debutant, by three quarters of a length.