Mohamad bin Hamad Khalifa al-Attiyah’s horses produced some really impressive runs to beat the favourites for victory in two big Class 1 races at the Qatar Racing and Equestrian Club yesterday.
Both Zman Awal and Novis Adventus had not-so-great results to show for this season coming into yesterday’s races but both beat some really big names to win the Zekreet Cup and Khor Al Adaid Cup respectively.




Mohamed bin Hamad Khalifa al-Attiyah (left), owner of Zekreet Cup winner Zman Awal, receives the trophy yesterday.

When Zman Awal won the Class 1 race for fillies and mares yesterday, trainer Mohannad al-Yaqout knew the Dubawi filly had achieved something incredible.
After staying unbeaten in the two races she participated in Doha last year, the five-year-old chestnut filly saw her health deteriorating to near-fatal levels.
“She had skin cancer around her stomach area. The vets had suggested to put her down because it was really bad,” al-Yaqout told Gulf Times.
“But then God helped us. There was a big surgery and she lost a lot of her blood and weight, but she survived.”

Jockey Gerald Avranche rides Novis Adventus (foreground) to victory in the Khor Al Adaid Cup yesterday.

After the surgery here in Qatar, al-Yaqout was tasked with getting the five-year-old back in shape. “We worked hard to build her up all over again. She had lost close to 50 kilos.”
Early results after a comeback were not encouraging with Zman Awal finishing last in her 14-strong return race and 14th again earlier this month.
“The owner decided to field her in this race even as I wasn’t expecting much given how many champions were in the race. But thanks to God, she ran impressively for the win.”
Gerald Avranche rode Zman Awal to a narrow win over Injaaz Stud’s Momalorka and last year’s winner City Zen.
In the final race of the day, Avranche was at the helm of the winner yet again when Novis Adventus left behind the likes of last year’s winner Ningara and Lesha, three-time winner in Handicap races this season, to win the longest race of the day, a 2800m race for Thoroughbreds rated 85 and above, by the smallest of margins.
The four-year-old colt tracked the leaders throughout the race before going alongside Ahmed Kobeissi’s charge Fort Moville up front in the final 100 metres. A final push saw Novis Adventus pick up a close win.
Majed Seifeddine won the Wadi Al Sail Cup for the second straight year when Saeed Mubarak Saeed Aljafali al-Naimi’s Al Rayyan produced a dazzling turn of foot to pick up a narrow win over Injaaz Stud’s Bretherton and Hassan Ali Abdulmalik-owned Beach Samba.
The mile-long race saw jockey Jean Baptiste Hamel hold the four-year-old gelding back early on while Alberto Sanna had Bretherton take the lead.
Coming on to the home stretch, even as Sanna built up a length long lead up front, Al Rayyan came into his own, racing past almost the entire field in a half a furlong, to edge out Bretherton. Al Shahania Stud’s Rasi followed up a credible third-place finish in the Qatar Derby with a win in the Purebred Arabian Conditions event yesterday.
Saeed Mohamed al-Shafi’s Nomaas took the lead early on with Umm Qarn’s Majd Al Arab progeny Mujidd not too far behind. Champion jockey Harry Bentley had Rasi hold his line on the inside, starting off Gate 3.
With two furlongs to go, Mujidd started eating into the lead of a slowing Nomaas, while Jassim Ghazali-schooled Rasi was a couple of lengths behind. But Rasi did well to get level with the two leaders with a furlong to go and then moved ahead as Mujidd continued the chase. Bentley’s ride eventually won with the Alban de Mieulle’s charge finishing second. Al Jasra Stud’s Mekhbatt did well to move up from seventh early on to third at the post.
Speaking about Rasi after the race, Ghazali said, “Al Shahania horses are really strong, their level is really high. I would like to thank HH Sheikh Mohamed for his support. Coming into this race, he had largely run longer races till now but he has proven his mettle over shorter distance in this race having won in a strong field.”
Hussain Ali Bukanan-owned Crisscrossed continued his run of impressive results when he followed by up his Maiden win earlier this month with another victory in the Thoroughbred Handicap event yesterday.
Yesterday, jockey Marvin Suerland had the Zuhair Mohsen-trained colt track early leaders Dubai Star and Harry’s Dancer, both from the stables of Osama Omar al-Dhafea. Coming on to the home straight Crisscrossed picked up speed and built up a lead over the remaining field.
Rashid Mubarak Aljafali al-Naimi’s Galaxy, who was held back by jockey Pier Convertino till then, moved up on the outside and in final 100m showed some impressive speed closing in on Crisscrossed but the latter held on for his second straight win. Red Connect finished third.
Regality and Pippin Street served up yet another treat for the second straight week when the two Jassim Ghazali-trained fillies battled for the top spot in the Thoroughbred Handicap event, a Class 4 race for maidens and one time winners rated 80 and below.
Last week, Al Majd Stud-owned Pippin Street had beaten Mansoor Ibrahim al-Mahmood’s Regality by three quarters of a length to shed her maiden status. Yesterday, however, jockey JP Guillambert rode Regality to a fine win while Pippin Street and Blazers Rock completed the top three.
Earlier in the day, Saoud Abdulatif Saad al-Muslimani’s Al Mayeda and Sheikh Abdullah bin Nasser al-Ahmed al-Thani’s Molheb Al Naif shed their maiden status. Mohamed Hussain-trained filly Al Mayeda won the Local Thoroughbred Maiden Plate event ahead of Umm Qarn’s Marjan and Jassim Ghazali’s Qhudoua, while Yousef Bentaher-trained colt Molheb Al Naif won on debut to take the Purebred Arabian Maiden Plate.
The Amer colt finished ahead of Maryam bint Sheail al-Kuwari-owned Lina Al Mels and Al Jasra Stud’s Derzkiya for his first win.
Another grey son of Amer AJS Al Rayyan edged out Julian Smart-trained Enwa and Umm Qarn’s Wafa for a win in the Local Purebred Arabian Novice Plate. This was the second win for the Mohannad al-Yaqout-trained AJS Al Rayyan.
 
RESULTS
Race 1: 1. Al Mayeda (Andrew Elliot), 2. Marjan (Jean Baptiste Hamel), 3. Qhudoua (Harry Bentley), 4. Al Murtajazz (Cedric Segeon). Won by: ½, 3, ½. Time: 1:41.49. Owner: Saoud Abdulatif Saad al-Muslimani. Trainer: Mohamed Hussain.
Race 2: 1. Molheb Al Naif (Marvin Suerland), 2. Lina Al Mels (Gerald Avranche), 3. Derzkiya (Marco Monteriso), 4. Gadab (Jean Baptiste Hamel). Won by: 2, Nk, 2. Time: 1:34.09. Owner: Sheikh Abdullah bin Nasser al-Ahmed al-Thani. Trainer: Yousef Bentahar
Race 3: 1. AJS Al Rayyan (Ali al-Showeikh), 2. Enwa (Harry Bentley), 3. Wafa (Jean Baptiste Hamel), 4. Istibdad (Gerald Avranche). Won by: ¾, ½, 3. Time: 1:45.70. Owner: Al Jeryan Stud. Trainer: M. al-Yaqout.
Race 4: 1. Regality (JP Guillambert), 2. Pippin Street (Alberto Sanna), 3. Blazers Rock (Ali al-Showeikh), 4. Rijm (Stephan Ladjadj). Won by: ½, ½, ½. Time: 1:25.49. Owner: Mansoor Ibrahim al-Mahmood. Trainer: Jassim Ghazali.
Race 5: 1. Crisscrossed (Marvin Suerland), 2. Galaxy (Pier Convertino), 3. Red Connect (Seb Sanders), 4. Tarrafal (Yanis Aouabed). Won by: ¾, 1 ¼, Nk. Time: 1:25.14. Owner: Hussain Ali Bukanan. Trainer: Zuhair Mohsen.
Race 6: 1. Rasi (Harry Bentley), 2. Mujidd (Jean Baptiste Hamel), 3. Mekhbatt (Seb Sanders), 4. Nomaas (Cedric Segeon). Won by: 1, Nk, 1 ½. Time: 1:31.82. Owner: Al Shahania Stud. Trainer: Jassim Ghazali.
Race 7: 1. Zman Awal (Gerald Avranche), 2. Momalorka (Stephan Ladjadj), 3. City Zen (Harry Bentley), 4. Nawarah (Marvin Suerland). Won by: Nk, 2, 1. Time: 1:24.16. Owner: Mohamed bin Hamad Khalifa al-Attiyah. Trainer: M. al-Yaqout.
Race 8: 1. Al Rayyan (Jean Baptiste Hamel), 2. Bretherton (Alberto Sanna), 3. Beach Samba (Almotasem al-Balushi), 4. Third Dimenson (Harry Bentley). Won by: Nk, 1, ½. Time: 1:36.39. Owner: Saeed Mubarak Saeed Aljafali al-Naimi. Trainer: Majed Seifeddine.
Race 9: 1. Novis Adventus (Gerald Avranche), 2. Fort Moville (Darren Williams), 3. Jumaira Tower (Yanis Aouabed), 4. Ningara (Alberto Sanna). Won by: Hd, 1, ¾. Time: 3:12.14. Owner: Mohamed bin Hamad Khalifa al-Attiyah. Trainer: MHK al-Attiyah.