The winners of Al Karana Cup pose with HE Sheikh Hamad bin Jassim bin Ali bin Abdullah al-Thani (fourth from right), and Qatar Racing and Equestrian Club (QREC) general manager Nasser Sherida al-Kaabi (third from right) at the QREC yesterday. PICTURES: Juhaim

By Sports Reporter/Doha


After two second place finishes this season, Upholland, from the stables of Jassim al-Ghazali, picked up a victory in yesterday’s feature race, the Al Karana Cup, a Class 1 handicap race for thoroughbreds rated 80-100.
This was Upholland’s fourth victory on the dirt track of Qatar Racing and Equestrian Club and his first with jockey Richard Mullen at the helm.
The 1900m event started off with Al Jasra Stud’s Star Deal taking the lead ahead of Saeed Mubarak Saeed Aljafali al-Naimi’s Resolute and Ibrahim Saeed al-Malki’s Aqdaar.
Mullen, starting off from Gate 11 astride Upholland, had a slow start but kept the bay gelding on the outside away from traffic and steadily moved up to the middle of the pack heading into the back straight.
The Dutch Art progeny was tracking the leading trio into the final bend and was alongside Yousef al-Hajri’s ride Star Deal with two furlongs to go.
Mullen whipped his ride into action and in no time Upholland was pulling away even as Harry Bentley, who made a return to action from a foot injury he sustained last month, had Injaaz Stud’s Erroneous move up too.
Upholland, however, finished three lengths ahead of Erroneous, while further back was JP Guillambert’s ride Exodus.
Al-Ghazali had two more winners in Al Shahania Stud’s Qassy and Al Shaqab Racing’s Thahab.
Yesterday’s victory in the Pure Arabian Conditions race was Qassy’s fourth straight win stretching back to April 1 this year. Bentley rode Qassy to a win ahead of Injaaz Stud’s Bahess Des Vialettes and HH Sheikh Mohamed bin Khalifa al-Thani’s Al Bashtoon.
In the Class 3 Thoroughbred Handicap event, Dubawi colt Thahab picked up his first win in Doha ahead of Abdullah Mohamed al-Kuwari Sons’ Rock Up and Abdullah Hassan Ali Abdulmalik’s Nawarah.
Julian Smart’s charge She’ris began the day with a huge win when Bentley, riding in the colours of Sheikh Mohamed, rode the colt to a 20-length victory. In the process, the three-year-old shed his maiden status.
Hassan al-Matwi’s Ameer Al Shajaa and Saoud Abdulatif Saad al-Muslimani’s Mahmas round the top three.
Saeed Mubarak Saeed Aljafali al-Naimi’s Al Ghaf, Hassan Ali Hassan al-Matwi’s Sand Piper and Saeed Ibrahim Saeed al-Malki’s Sylvia Pankhurst were the other winners on the day.
Jockey Yanis Aouabed rode Al Ghaf as the gelding edged out Mubarak Abdulla MB al-Moadhi’s Rijm and Salem Fadgam al-Hajri & Sons’ Charme Secret to win the Class 6 Thoroughbred Maiden Plate and in process shed his maiden status.
Marco Monteriso helmed Sand Piper to her second victory from five outings this season. The mare won the Pure Arabian Handicap event for horses rated 50-70 with Khrash Al Naif, owned by Sheikh Nasser bin Abdullah bin Nasser al-Thani, and Bader Y A al-Baloshi-owned Heytham finishing second and third respectively.
Sylvia Pankhurst, ridden by Adnan Hawa, picked up her first victory of the season and eighth of her career, when she won the Class 5 Thoroughbred Handicap event for horses rated 50-70. Christmas Aria, ridden by Gerald Avranche, and Stephan Ladjadj’s ride Trillian Astra completed the top three.

RESULTS
Race 1: 1. She’ris (Harry Bentley), 2. Ameer Al Shajaa (Marco Monteriso), 3. Mahmas (Cedric Segeon), 4. Aws (Yanis Aouabed). Won by: 20, 12, 6. Owner: HH Sheikh Mohamed bin Khalifa al-Thani. Trainer: Julian Smart.
Race 2: 1. Al Ghaf (Yanis Aouabed), 2. Rijm (Adrie de Vries), 3. Charme Secret (Andrew Elliot), 4. Shamaliyah (Gaetan Faucon). Won by: Shd, 2.5, 1.75. Owner: Saeed Mubarak Saeed Aljafali al-Naimi. Trainer: H al-Jehani.
Race 3: 1. Sand Piper (Marco Monteriso), 2. Khrash Al Naif (Marvin Suerland), 3. Heytham (Ali al-Showeikh), 4. Al Taweel (Pier Convertino). Won by: 2, 1, 1.75. Owner: Hassan Ali Hassan al-Matwi. Trainer: Hassan al-Matwi
Race 4: 1. Sylvia Pankhurst (Adnan Hawa), 2. Christmas Aria (Gerald Avranche), 3. Trillian Astra (Stephan Ladjadj), 4. Words Of A Prophet (Seb Sanders). Won by: 2.5, 0.75, 2. Owner: Saeed Ibrahim Saeed al-Malki. Trainer: Ibrahim al-Malki.
Race 5: 1. Thahab (Marvin Suerland), 2. Rock Up (Richard Mullen), 3. Nawarah (Pier Convertino), 4. Urban Dreamer (Harry Bentley). Won by: Shd, 1, 0.75. Owner: Al Shaqab Racing. Trainer: Jassim al-Ghazali
Race 6: 1. Qassy (Harry Bentley), 2. Bahess Des Vialettes (Stephan Ladjadj), 3. Al Bashtoon (Richard Mullen), 4. Aziz Al Shahania (Marco Monteriso). Won by: 5, 1.75, 4. Owner: Al Shahania Stud. Trainer: Jassim al-Ghazali.
Race 7: 1. Upholland (Richard Mullen), 2. Erroneous (Harry Bentley), 3. Exodus (JP Guillambert), 4. Star Deal (Yousef al-Hajri). Won by: 3, 6, 0.75. Owner: Jassim Mohamed al-Ghazali & Sons. Trainer: Jassim al-Ghazali.