Sports
Al Shaman wins Thoroughbred Sand Championship on Day 1
Account came second, while Local Law, the six year-old gelding, finished third
February 15, 2024 | 11:47 PM
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).RESULTSHH the Amir Sword Festival 2024 - Day 1WINNERS: 25th Al Rayyan Meeting- Sand Championships1 - Thoroughbred Sand Championship, 4YO+, 1700mHorse: Al ShamanOwner: Hamad Ahmed Hassan al-Malki al-JehaniTrainer: Ahmed al-JehaniJockey: Tom Marquand2 - Purebred Arabian Sand ChampionshipHorse: Sun Amer (FR)Owner: Khalid Mohammed S al-HaramiTrainer: Bader al-BalushiJockey: Soufiane Saadi3 - Local Thoroughbred Sand ChampionshipHorse: Dhergham Bu ThailaOwner: Sabhea Awad IbrahimTrainer: Ibrahim Khaled ElahmedJockey: Lukas Delozier4 - Local Purebred Arabian Sand ChampionshipHorse: MakarimOwner: Rashid Mohamed al-AthbaTrainer: Bader al-BalushiJockey: Lukas Delozier5 - Thoroughbred three-year-old Sand ChampionshipHorse: Jungle MateOwner: Saeed Ibrahim Saeed al-MalkiTrainer: Ibrahim Saeed al-MalkiJockey: Tomas Lukasek6 - Premium Maiden Cup, Purebred ArabiansHorse: AJS FalakOwner: Al Jeryan StudTrainer: MHK al-AttiyahJockey: Szczepan Mazur7 - Premium Maiden Cup, Local ThoroughbredsHorse: Al Faisal (QA)Owner: Abdulatif Hussain MZ al-EmadiTrainer: Bader al-BalushiJockey: Maxime Guyon8 - Premium Maiden Cup, Local Purebred ArabiansHorse: Munhamik (QA)Owner: Nasser Owaida Salem al-HajriTrainer: Owaida Salem al-HajriJockey: Faleh Bughanaim
February 15, 2024 | 11:47 PM