Jassim al-Ghazali receives the trainer’s trophy from Qatar Racing and Equestrian Club general manager Nasser Sherida al-Kaabi after Rassan won the Al Rumailah Cup yesterday. PICTURES: Juhaim

By Mikhil Bhat/Doha
 

Trainer Jassim al-Ghazali and jockey Harry Bentley kicked off right from where they left last season. Yesterday at the Qatar Racing and Equestrian Club, the Qatari-British duo won four out of seven races, including the feature race of the day, the QR 120,000 Al Rumailah Cup.
Riding Jassim bin Ali al-Attiyah’s Rassan in the 1900m race for Local Purebred Arabians, Bentley kept the five-year-old Amer progeny in the mix coming out of Gate 1, and made the move coming on to the home straight with two furlongs to go.“It was just a matter of coming at the right time. Pushing the button really. I think there is more to come from him,” said Bentley, who had 105 wins last season, while al-Ghazali had record 175 wins.
“Jassim has always been a great support for me. So it was very pleasing to start off from where we left last season,” added Bentley, who was also all praise for the new sand track, which was used for yesterday’s races.
“I have spoken to a lot of other jockeys and they are all very pleased. The old track had a lot of kickbacks in the horses’ faces and the jockeys’ faces. I think there was a big bias to the horses in the front. Now, the track seems to be riding a lot better. It gives horses a chance to come from behind,” he said.
Al-Ghazali, who had only two wins in the season’s first races last week, was pleased about his five wins, one of which was with jockey Alberto Sanna, yesterday.
“It was the start of the season last week and my horses were not ready. This week, normal services resumed with these wins. Harry Bentley is my favourite jockey. He wasn’t here last week and I called him to join us this week,” al-Ghazali said.
Al-Ghazali’s charge Tarek Al Mels won the opening race of the day, Purebred Arabian Maiden Plate.
With Sanna at the helm, the four-year-old colt, owned by Noora bint Sheail bin Khalifa al-Kuwari, annihilated the opposition, finishing five lengths ahead of Shizam CS, for the first win of his career on the grounds of QREC. A week ago, the Madjani progeny had finished third in a seven-horse race.
In the Local Purebred Arabian Maiden Plate, Jubail, owned by Essa Mohamed al-Sulaiti, led right from the word go and held on well to win the 1800m race for colts and geldings.
While the five-year-old bay colt, being ridden by Darren Williams, came under a threat 400m from the finish from a galloping Bint Al Akaber, but in the end that wasn’t a factor with Jubail winning by two and a half lengths. Al-Ghazali’s charge Intishar finished third.
Another al-Ghazali charge Fadak shed her maiden status for a win in Class 6 Thoroughbred Maiden Plate ahead of Dark Light and Blazers Rock.
Zuhair Mohsen-trained Dark Light and Ahmed Kobeissi-schooled Words Of A Prophet led the race early on with Fadak, owned by Sheikh Faisal bin Hamad bin Jassim bin Thani al-Thani, in the mix at the front. In the final furlong of the 1200m race, jockey Harry Bentley let his ride loose and Fadak zoomed ahead for a commanding win, three and a half lengths ahead of Dark Light.
The al-Ghazali-Bentley combine won the 1800m Handicap race for the Purebred Arabians rated 70 and below with Injaaz Stud-owned Al Marboush. Sand Piper finished second ahead of Ras Al Qimmah.
Sand Piper stayed steady behind the other two horses in the race before jockey Marco Monteriso whipped the six-year-old mare into action in the last furlong but she could only edge out Ras Al Qimmah for the second spot behind the Amer progeny.
Al Zekreet Racing-owned Dartford won the Thoroughbred Graduation Plate ahead of Galaxy, owned by Rashid Mubarak Aljafali al-Naimi, and Incredibile, owned by Hassan Ali Hassan al-Matwi.
Marvin Suerland rode Dartford on the outside off the gates and into the lead. The Giants Causeway progeny showed tremendous energy holding on to the lead right till the end in the 1800m race. Italian jockey Pier Convertino began a serious pursuit a furlong from the finish and was barely edged out by Dartford.
Bentley’s fourth win of the day came on Katja in the Thoroughbred Handicap race for horses rated between 70 and 90.
The Brit kept the four-year-old on outside and began the march for the victory as the competition made it to the home straight.The al-Ghazali charge, owned by Khalid Yahya al-Khusaai, was in the middle of the 12-horse pack with two furlongs to go and the bay filly showed tremendous speed progressing to the front half a furlong from finish.
Mister Ryan, owned by Abdullah Hassan Ali Abdulmalik, and Hassan Ali Abdulmalik-owned Alsefra completed the top three.