Jassim al-Ghazali picked up three wins in the seven-race card, including the feature, Al Mafiar Cup – Thoroughbred Sprint, at the Qatar Racing and Equestrian Club yesterday.





Jockey JP Guillambert rides My Sharona to victory in the Al Mafiar Cup. PICTURES: Juhaim

The kilometre-long sprint on the dirt track was always going to see some quick action and Injaaz Stud’s My Sharona, who was racing for the first time this season, ran impressively in the lead from pillar to post to pick up her first victory since a Thoroughbred Conditions event in February last year.
This was jockey JP Guillambert’s second victory with the six-year-old mare.
Another al-Ghazali charge, Sandbetweenourtoes, winner of the Al Wajba Cup three weeks ago, picked up some speed in the last furlong but could only finish second, ahead of Majed Seifeddine-schooled Qatar Light.
The Qatari star trainer also saw a one-two in the Class 5 Thoroughbred Graduation Plate, with Marvin Suerland riding Al Shaqab Racing’s Thahab to his second straight win this season and Jassim bin Ali al-Attiyah’s colt The Smart One finishing second with Richard Mullen at the helm.
Hassan Ali Abdulmalik’s Beach Samba completed the top three.
Al Shahania Stud’s grey colt Sowah was the first winner of the day for al-Ghazali when he picked up a five-length victory over Noora bint Sheail al-Kuwari-owned Tarek Al Mels, schooled by al-Ghazali’s son Mohamed, in the four-horse Purebred Arabian Handicap event.
Among French trainer Alban de Mieulle’s two winners on the day was Umm Qarn’s Taima. Jockey Gaetan Faucon’s ride Taima picked up her second career victory yesterday, having shed her maiden status in November 2015. The five-year-old mare won the Local Purebred Arabian Restricted Handicap event yesterday, ahead of Ali Thamer al-Mehshadi’s Al Qassam and Bader Y A al-Baloshi’s Heytham.
De Mieulle-schooled Mutawassal, owned by Patrice Nicolet, picked up his third career win. Hamad bin Ali al-Attiyah’s filly Al Saba was ridden to second place by Adrie de Vries, while Stephan Ladjadj was at the helm of third-placed Al Jamaaheer.
Seifeddine found success on the day with Mubarak Saeed Aljafai al-Naimi’s colt Front Run in the Class 5 Thoroughbred Handicap event. Mohamed Nasser al-Ramzani’s Christmas Aria and Al Majd Stud’s Cappuccino Delight finished second and third respectively.
In the first race of the day, HH Sheikh Mohamed bin Khalifa al-Thani’s Aeenah shed her maiden status when champion jockey Harry Bentley rode Julian Smart’s charge to a victory in the Purebred Arabian Maiden Plate. Sendeed Al Galayel and Bayan finished second and third respectively.

RESULTS
Race 1: 1. Aeenah (Harry Bentley), 2. Sendeed Al Galayel (Tadgh o’Shea), 3. Bayan (Marvin Suerland), 4. Taous De Monlau (Evert Pheiffer). Won by: 2.5, 0.5, 3.5. Owner: HH Sheikh Mohammed bin Khalifa al-Thani. Trainer: Julian Smart.
Race 2: 1. Mutawassal (Jean Baptiste Hamel), 2. Al Saba (Adrie de Vries), 3. Al Jamaaheer (Stephan Ladjadj), 4. Katara IV (Marvin Suerland). Won by: 2.5, 2.5, 2.5. Owner: Patrice Nicolet. Trainer: Alban de Mieulle.
Race 3: 1. Sowah (Harry Bentley), 2. Tarek Al Mels (Tadgh O’Shea), 3. Ankor Class (Yanis Aouabed), 4. Al Taweel (Pier Convertino). Won by: 5, 1.5, 3.5. Owner: Al Shahania Stud. Trainer: Jassim al-Ghazali.
Race 4: 1. Front Run (Pier Convertino), 2. Christmas Aria (Marvin Suerland), 3. Cappuccino Delight (Richard Mullen), 4. Protect (Stephan Ladjadj). Won by: 0.75, 0.5, 3. Owner: Mubarak Saeed Aljafai al-Naimi. Trainer: Majed Seifeddine.
Race 5: 1. Taima (Gaetan Faucon), 2. Al Qassam (Adrie de Vries), 3. Heytham (Ali al-Showeikh), 4. Ras Al Qimmah (Harry Bentley). Won by: 1.5, 0.75, 5. Owner: Umm Qarn. Trainer: Alban de Mieulle.
Race 6: 1. Thahab (Marvin Suerland), 2. The Smart One (Richard Mullen), 3. Beach Samba (Adrie de Vries), 4. Arriana (Cedric Segeon). Won by: Nk, 1.5, 2.5. Owner: Al Shaqab Racing. Trainer: Jassim al-Ghazali.
Race 7: 1. My Sharona (JP Guillambert), 2. Sandbetweenourtoes (Harry Bentley), 3. Qatar Light (Pier Convertino), 4. Collect Art (Stephan Ladjadj). Won by: 1.25, 0.25, 1.75. Owner: Injaaz Stud. Trainer: Jassim al-Ghazali.