Al Shaman wins Thoroughbred Sand Championship on Day 1

On a day of thrilling action, the feature produced an impressive race as the Hamad Ahmed Hassan al-Malki al-Jehani-owned Al Shaman won the Thoroughbred Sand Championship with a bit to spare on the first day of the HH The Amir Sword Festival at Qatar Racing and Equestrian Club’s (QREC) Al Rayyan Park on Thursday.
Trainer Ahmed al-Jehani landed the day’s feature event, for the four-year-old+, as Tom Marquand always looked confident aboard the ten-year-old and got him to sprout wings in the final 100m to land the spoils by three quarters of a length.
Khalifa Hassan al-Jehani owned Account came second, while Saif Rashid Saif al-Khayarin’s Local Law, the six year-old gelding, finished third.
In the day’s penultimate race, The Purebred Arabian Sand Championship saw one of the day’s best performances as the Khalid Mohamed S al-Harami-owned Sun Amer bolted up under jockey Soufiane Saadi by seven lengths, completing a treble on the day for trainer Bader al-Balushi.
Earlier, the Sabhea Awad Ibrahim-owned Dhergham Bu Thaila ran out a comfortable one-length winner of the Local Thoroughbred Sand Championship for trainer Ibrahim Khaled Elahmed and completed a quick-fire double on the card for jockey Lukas Delozier.
Al-Balushi was in the winners’ enclosure earlier, as he saddled Rashid Mohamed al-Athba’s homebred Makarim to prevail by a length in the 1700m open race under Lukas Delozier and land the Local Purebred Arabian Sand Championship.
Ibrahim Saeed al-Malki saddled Jungle Mate to win the Thoroughbred three-year-old Sand Championship, which saw a close finish, but it was the Saeed Ibrahim Saeed al-Malki-owned gelding who stuck on the best under jockey Tomas Lukasek, just defeating the Hadi al-Ramzani-trained Foehn by a head.
The Premium Maiden Cup for Purebred Arabians also saw a stunning performance from Al Jeryan Stud’s homebred AJS Falak, who opened his account with an impressive victory as he stretched four and a half lengths clear of the field under jockey Szczepan Mazur for trainer M.H.K al-Attiyah.
Owner and breeder Abdulatif Hussain M Z al-Emadi, trainer Bader al-Balushi and jockey Maxime Guyon were quickly on the board as Al Faisal took the Premium Maiden Cup for Local Thoroughbreds by a length ahead of the nearest rival.
The 2024 edition of the festival began with the Premium Maiden Cup race for Local Purebred Arabians and it was the Nasser Owaida Salem al-Hajri-owned Munhamik who took the first prize for trainer Owaida Salem al-Hajri. Faleh Bughanaim rode the six-year-old to a cosy length victory.
The second day of the Festival will feature 10 races today, concluding with the US$400,000 Al Rayyan Breeders Cup for Local Thoroughbred (Class 1).

RESULTS
HH the Amir Sword Festival 2024 - Day 1
WINNERS: 25th Al Rayyan Meeting- Sand Championships

1 - Thoroughbred Sand Championship, 4YO+, 1700m
Horse: Al Shaman
Owner: Hamad Ahmed Hassan al-Malki al-Jehani
Trainer: Ahmed al-Jehani
Jockey: Tom Marquand

2 - Purebred Arabian Sand Championship
Horse: Sun Amer (FR)
Owner: Khalid Mohammed S al-Harami
Trainer: Bader al-Balushi
Jockey: Soufiane Saadi

3 - Local Thoroughbred Sand Championship
Horse: Dhergham Bu Thaila
Owner: Sabhea Awad Ibrahim
Trainer: Ibrahim Khaled Elahmed
Jockey: Lukas Delozier

4 - Local Purebred Arabian Sand Championship
Horse: Makarim
Owner: Rashid Mohamed al-Athba
Trainer: Bader al-Balushi
Jockey: Lukas Delozier

5 - Thoroughbred three-year-old Sand Championship
Horse: Jungle Mate
Owner: Saeed Ibrahim Saeed al-Malki
Trainer: Ibrahim Saeed al-Malki
Jockey: Tomas Lukasek

6 - Premium Maiden Cup, Purebred Arabians
Horse: AJS Falak
Owner: Al Jeryan Stud
Trainer: MHK al-Attiyah
Jockey: Szczepan Mazur

7 - Premium Maiden Cup, Local Thoroughbreds
Horse: Al Faisal (QA)
Owner: Abdulatif Hussain MZ al-Emadi
Trainer: Bader al-Balushi
Jockey: Maxime Guyon

8 - Premium Maiden Cup, Local Purebred Arabians
Horse: Munhamik (QA)
Owner: Nasser Owaida Salem al-Hajri
Trainer: Owaida Salem al-Hajri
Jockey: Faleh Bughanaim