Hazaa Al Shahania crosses the finish line with a late surge for End Of Year Cup win

Al Ghazali Stud’s Hazaa Al Shahania finished strongly to register a ¼ of a length victory to clinch the End Of Year Cup on Saturday.At the Al Uqda Racecourse, the four-year-old gelding confirmed his promising debut with a hard-fought win in the 1,300m Graduation for Local Purebred Arabians. Trained by Mohammed Ghazali and expertly ridden by Marco Casamento, the son of Aziz ASF delivered a perfectly timed late surge to claim his second victory in just three career starts.The win also completed a treble by the Italian jockey, concluding the day and the year’s racing in style.His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Khalifa al-Thani-owned Galeb Al Shahania came second, while HE Sheikha Yasmeen bint Mohammed bin Khalifa al-Thani’s Mastoora finished third. Abdulla Rashid al-Kubaisi, QREC Racing Manager, crowned the winners.Casamento started the day as he guided Heater, in the silks of Mohammed Abdulhadi al-Hajri, to victory in the 1,300m race for the Thoroughbred Handicap (50-70) (Div. 1) for three-year-old+.The Gassim Ghazali trained colt finished half-a-length ahead of the Al Majd Stud’s Insignia. Casamento was again in the winners’ enclosure with Gassim Ghazali-trained Elliptical in the colours of Mansoor Ebrahim SI al-Mahmoud, in the 1,300m contests for the Thoroughbred Handicap (60-80), three-year-old+.In the card opener - Purebred Arabian Handicap (45-65) for three-year-olds - Injaaz Stud’s Ghayat Al Matloub emerged winners. Jockey Abdulla Rashid al-Hajri rode Zuhair Mohsen-trained grey colt to three lengths victory over – Khalid Ali al-Obaidli’s Kanz Al Adeed.RESULTSEnd Of Year Cup DayWINNERS (Horse, Trainer, Jockey)1 - End Of Year Cup, Local Purebred Arabian Graduation PlateHazaa Al Shahania, Mohammed Ghazali, Marco Casamento2 - Purebred Arabian Handicap (65-85) Al Nati Up, Mohd Ahmed Mohd Hasan al-Sulaiti, Fayos Martin Borja3 - Thoroughbred Handicap (60-80)Elliptical, Jassim Ghazali, Marco Casamento4 - Thoroughbred Handicap (50-70) (Div. 2)Tomorrownevercomes, Rashid Mohammed al-Athba, Maikon De Souza5 - Thoroughbred Handicap (50-70) (Div. 1)Heater, Jassim Ghazali, Marco Casamento6 - Purebred Arabian Maiden PlateAzraq, Alban de Mieulle, Youssef Lachhab7 - Local Purebred Arabian Maiden PlateZa’eer Al Shahania, Osama Omer E al-Dafea, Jefferson Smith8 - Purebred Arabian Handicap (45-65)Ghayat Al Matloub, Zuhair Mohsen and Abdulla Rashid al-Hajri