Unstoppable Equinoxe claims Al Rayyan Breeders Cup

Wathnan Racing’s Equinoxe recorded his fourth straight win to claim the Al Rayyan Breeders Cup on the second day of the HH The Amir Sword Festival on Friday.At the Qatar Racing and Equestrian Club’s (QREC) Al Rayyan Race Course, it was Alban de Mieulle trained-Equinoxe’s 14th win in 20 career starts as he stretched clear under jockey Ronan Thomas. In the final furlong of the 2000m race for four-year-old+ Local Thoroughbreds, Thomas unleashed Equinoxe’s turn of foot and he sauntered clear to win by two and quarter lengths. QREC chairman Issa bin Mohamed al-Mohannadi crowned the winners.Thomas guided Equinoxe to the HE Sheikh Joaan Bin Hamad Al Thani Trophy – local thoroughbreds (far bend) win on January 21, Halul Island Cup (National Day Cup) – Local Thoroughbreds (Far Bend) victory on December 16, 2022 and Lekhraib Cup’s Local Thoroughbred Conditions race win on November 24, 2022.Al Jeryan Stud’s homebred AJS Sarhan gave a good performance in the day’s penultimate race, a 2000m race for four-year-old+ Local Purebred Arabians, to land the Al Zubara Trophy by half a length, recording a second victory for the owner, a third for trainer Gassim Ghazali and even a fourth for jockey Maxime Guyon on the day. QREC vice-chairman Hamad bin Abdulrahman al-Attiyah crowned the winners.Another very close finish was in the PA Listed Purebred Arabian Sprint Cup and it eventually went the way of Sharida bin Nasser bin Sharida al-Kaabi’s Shgarde, who edged out AJS Berline to win by a neck, completing a double and a treble on the day for trainer Mohamed Khaled Elahmed and jockey Maxime Guyon respectively. Vice-chairman of Al Emadi Real Estate Enterprises Jassim Mohamed al-Emadi crowned the winners.Abdullah Saeed Abdullah al-Mesnad’s Hadlan dazzled yet again, landing the Gulf Cup. Under jockey David Egan, the Wasim al-Sahn-trained four-year-old colt bolted up by three lengths in the 1500m contest for four-year-old+ Purebred Arabians bred in the GCC, recording his fourth victory in his fifth career start. President of 3-2-1 Qatar Olympic & Sports Museum HE Sheikh Mohamed bin Abdullah al-Thani crowned the winners.Gassim Ghazali doubled up as he annexed the Thoroughbred Oryx Cup for thrre-year-old+ fillies and mares, with his two stablemates, Make A Wish (IRE) (No Nay Never x Saturn Girl) and Gold Fleece (GB) (Nathaniel) only separated by a nose at the line. The race went to the Injaaz Stud’s Make A Wish with Jim Crowley in the saddle for the victory. The Duke of Richmond crowned the winners.Trainer Rudy Nerbonne and jockey Lukas Delozier teamed up to good effect once again as HE Sheikha Yasmeen bint Mohamed bin Khalifa al-Thani’s Divine Princess took the Purebred Arabians Seada Cup for four-year-old+ fillies and mares by a quarter of a length. Hassan Yousef al-Obaidly, Head of Program’s Research and Evaluation Section of the Social & Sport Contribution Fund (Daam), crowned the winners.Noora Racing Limited’s Roma came with a rattle in in the straight to win the 1750m Local Purebred Arabians Al Na’ama Cup for four-year-old+ fillies and mares. The final winning margin for Mohamed Khaled Elahmed-trained four-year-old was one and three quarter lengths under jockey Maxime Guyon, who completed a double on the day. Hassan Ismael al-Mohamed, assistant vice-president, Events Management, QNB, crowned the winners.The 1750m Local Thoroughbred Desert Rose for four-year-old+ fillies and mares went the way of Al Jeryan Stud’s homebred Latamah (QA) (Pivotal x Poseidon’s Bride), from the stable of M.H.K al-Attiyah, as the eight-year-old picked up strongly under jockey Szczepan Mazur to run out a comfortable one and three-quarter length victory. Jaber Abdullah al-Hmaidi, Board Member Zoomarts Company, crowned the winners.There was a thrilling finish to the 1750m Purebred Arabian Open Cup for four-year-old+ as HE Sheikha Reem bint Mohamed bin Khalifa al-Thani’s AA Feel The Burn prevailed by a head from Ghaliya. The pair were locked together in the final stages, but the Rudy Nerbonne-trained colt found a little extra to win under Lukas Delozier.Nasser Saeed al-Eida’s Mystical Music began the day winning the Thoroughbred Open Sprint Cup. Saddled by trainer Gassim Ghazali and ridden by jockey Maxime Guyon, the four-year-old gelding took the 1200m race for four-year-old+ by three quarters of a length, recording a fourth win in his last five runs.Spectators, who turned out in good numbers, were also entertained with many activities organised by the QREC.Today, the final day of the Festival will feature a total of seven races with the world’s best horses set to compete in the prestigious HH The Amir Sword (Gr1 PA) and the HH The Amir Trophy (Gr1 QA) races.

Results

HH The Amir Sword Festival

33rd Race Meeting – Al Zubara Trophy & Al Rayyan Breeders Cup Day(Horse, Trainer, Jockey)1 - Al Rayyan Breeders Cup - Local Thoroughbreds (Far Bend)Equinoxe, Alban Elie De Mieulle, Ronan Thomas2 - Al Zubara Trophy - Local Purebred Arabians (Far Bend)AJS Sarhan, Gassim Ghazali, Maxime Guyon3 - Purebred Arabian Sprint Cup (Pa Listed) (Far Bend)Shgarde, Mohamed Khaled Elahmed, Maxime Guyon4 - Gulf Cup - For Purebred Arabians Bred In The GCC (Far Bend)Hadlan, Wasim al-Sahn, David Egan5 - Filly And Mare Thoroughbred Oryx Cup (Class 2) (Far Bend)Make A Wish, Gassim Ghazali, Jim Crowley6 - Filly And Mare Purebred Arabians Seada Cup (Far Bend)Divine Princess, Rudy Andre Nerbonne, Lukas Delozier7 - Filly And Mare Local Purebred Arabians Al Na’ama Cup (Far Bend)Roma, Mohamed Khaled Elahmed, Maxime Guyon8 - Local Thoroughbred Filly And Mare Desert Rose (Far Bend)Latamah, MHK al-Attiyah, Szczepan Mazur9 - Purebred Arabian 4yo Open Cup (Far Bend)AA Feel The Burn, Rudy Andre Nerbonne, Lukas Delozier10 - Thoroughbred Open Sprint Cup (Class 2) (Far Bend)Mystical Music, Gassim Ghazali, Maxime Guyon