Al Shaqab Racing’s Al Naama leads one-two in Umm Bab Cup

By Armstrong Vas
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Updated: October 23, 2020
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Al Shaqab Racing’s AL NAAMA (Majd Al Arab x Entisar) led a one-two for the colours and trainer Alban Elie Marie De Mieulle in the UMM BAB CUP (Purebred Arabians) at the turf track of Al Rayyan Park on Thursday. In the mile long feature, the 6yo mare had Soufiane Saadi for company for only the second time in her career and the two kept their 100 % win record intact together. Having won over C&D twice earlier in 2020, Al Naama beat stablemate GTNAH (TM Fred Texas x Mayada), ridden by Ronan Thomas, with a length and a quarter to spare. Osama Omer Al Dafea’s GINKEAU (Divamer x Eauvation Des Cedres) rounded the top three under Alberto Sanna.

Abdulhadi Mana Al Hajri’s DOMINUS (Zoffany x Gwen Lady Byron) has formed quite a partnership with jockey Luca Maniezzi winning for the second time in 2020, besides a runner up finish on their last outing together. On Thursday, in the THOROUGHBRED CONDITIONS (Class 2), the penultimate race on the card, Stefano Ibido schooled colt took a comfortable one and a half length victory in the seven furlong run on turf, the 4yo’s fifth win overall.

Al Wasmiyah Farm’s THINK BIG (Night Of Thunder x Avenue Montaigne), coming of an impressive second in the Al Biddah Mile (Group 2) at HH The Amir Sword weekend, was back in the winner’s enclosure for the second time in Qatar. The 3yo colt, trained by Georges Mikhalides, had a C&D win with jockey Tomas Lukasek in February, and two got together again for a handsome victory in the seven furlong THOROUGHBRED PLATE (3 Year Olds) (Class 2) with three lengths and three quarters to spare.

Injaaz Stud’s DALILAK (Dahess x Amsara D’Aroco) had made it to the frame thrice out of five starts coming into Thursday’s race, including a runner up finish over C&D 10 months ago. In the LOCAL PUREBRED ARABIAN HANDICAP (85 & below), with Alberto Sanna in the saddle, the Mohammed Riyaz Ibrahim Kasim trained colt stayed his course coming out of Gate 1 in the four-strong field to win by three quarters of a length.

Al Bida Racing’s JABALALY (Moohaajim x Bahati) led a one-two for trainer Ibrahim Saeed Ibrahim Al Malki and in the process winning two out of his three starts in Qatar. Soufiane Saadi, who helmed the gelding for his first win in Qatar, was astride the 4yo again in the THOROUGHBRED HANDICAP (Class 4) (90 & below) again. The miler saw Jabalaly taking advantage on the home straight and then holding on to win by a length in front of Francois Herholdt ridden Hessdalen.

After finally getting off the mark in February, Al Murtages Racing Syndicate’s DAMON RUNYON (Charm Spirit x Tawaasul) didn’t take as long to notch his second career win. Trained by Mohammed Hamad Al Attiya, the gelding, who has often been thereabouts, had Alberto Sanna in the saddle for the first time, and two formed a cracking partnership as they won by a smashing six lengths in the mile long THOROUGHBRED NOVICE PLATE (Class 5) on Thursday.

Al Jeryan Stud debutantes AJS BEIRUT (AF AlBahar x Miss Ginioux) and AJS Berline swept the top two spots in the LOCAL PUREBRED ARABIANS (3-Year-Old Fillies Only) in thrilling fashion leaving the rest of the competition far behind. Rashid Al Ali saddled AJS Beirut had Alexander Reznikov for company and the business end of the seven furlong run saw the duo in the company of stablemate AJS Berline, ridden by Killian Reznikov, locked in a duel that the former won by a quarter of a length.

Mohammed Nasser Al Naimi’s VEVERKA PY (Nizam x Di Amantina Py) made full use of his weight advantage to shed his maiden status on his fifth career outing. Armed with a third place finish on Doha debut last week over C&D, the 3yo had Killian Leonard for company in the miler on turf on Thursday, and the duo did enough to edge out Saleh Salem Al Marri ridden Fahd De Faust for a short head victory in the PUREBRED ARABIAN MAIDEN PLATE.