El Ghazi claims Al Gharafa Cup after blistering run

Representing the colours of HE Mansoor bin Ebrahim bin Saad al-Mahmoud, El Ghazi shed his maiden tag in style, claiming the day’s feature race - the Al Gharafa Cup at the Al Uqda Racecourse on Wednesday.
Trained by Jassim Ghazali and ridden by Marco Casamento, the four-year-old Purebred Arabian son of Gazwan settled mid-pack before unleashing a blistering turn of foot in the final 200m to overtake the long-time leaders, secure a comfortable victory and complete a remarkable hat-trick for the trainer-jockey duo.
Abdulla Rashid al-Kubaisi, QREC Racing Manager, crowned the winners.
The trainer-jockey duo won the penultimate race of the day as Dubawi Spectre, in the colours of HE Mansoor bin Ebrahim bin Saad al-Mahmoud, won the Thoroughbred Handicap (80-105), for the four-year-old+. The five-year-old bay gelding beat Saif Rashid Saif al-Khayarin’s Local Law by a length to win the 2,200m contest.
Earlier, Ghazali and Casamento were into the winners’ enclosure when Al Rufaa Racing’s Townsend Manor won the 1,100m contest for the Thoroughbred Handicap (80-100) for four-year-old+.
In the card opener, Al Shaqab Racing’s Mohimma won the 2,000m contest – the Purebred Arabian Maiden Plate for four-year-olds. Jockey Faleh Bughanaim guided the Jean de Mieulle-trained bay colt to victory over Al Shahania Stud’s Jeb’ran Al Shahania. In other races, Youssef Lachhab rode Al Amir to Local Purebred Arabian Maiden Plate title while Proud Samaritan was fastest in the Thoroughbred Novice Plate with Alberto Sanna in the saddle.

RESULTS
20th Al Rayyan Race Meeting - Al Gharafa Cup at Al Uqda Racecourse
WINNERS: (Horse, Trainer, Jockey)
1 - Al Gharafa Cup - 4yo Purebred Arabian (Class 2) El Ghazi, Jassim Ghazali, Marco Casamento
2 - Thoroughbred Handicap 80-105 (Class 2)
Dubawi Spectre, Jassim Ghazali, Marco Casamento
3 - Thoroughbred Handicap 80-100 (Class 2)
Townsend Manor, Jassim Ghazali, Marco Casamento
4 - Purebred Arabian Handicap 70-90 (Class 3)
Al Nati Up, Mohd Ahmed Mohd Hasan
al-Sulaiti, Faleh Bughanaim
5 - Local Thoroughbred Handicap 50-70 (Class 3)
Al Nasr Al Washeek, Zuhair Mohsen, Abdulla Rashid al-Hajri
6 - Purebred Arabian Handicap 65-85 (Class 4)
Khatar Des Forges, Zuhair Mohsen, Abdulla Rashid al-Hajri
7 - Thoroughbred Novice Plate (3yo Only) (Class 5) Proud Samaritan, Hamad al-Jehani, Alberto Sanna
8 - Local Purebred Arabian Maiden Plate (Class 6)
Al Amir, Alban Elie De Mieulle, Youssef Lachhab
9 - Purebred Arabian Maiden Plate
(4yo only) (Class 6)
Mohimma, Jean de Mieulle, Faleh Bughanaim