After a win eluded her on three previous runs, Zman Awal was guided to her second win this season by Marco Monteriso in the Loyalty Cup – The Late Yousef Al Romaihi, yesterday’s feature race at the Qatar Racing and Equestrian Club (QREC).


Jockey Marco Monteriso rides Zman Awal to victory in the Loyalty Cup—The Late Yousef Al Romaihi yesterday.

Monteriso chose the right moment for Mohannad al-Yaqout-schooled Dubawi progeny to pick up pace and the five-year-old did well to win the Class 2 race for thoroughbreds rated 80-100.
Ahmed Kobeissi-trained Crescent finished second, with Ibrahim al-Malki’s charge Beach Samba finished third.
“I am extremely happy. She is really a special filly. She is one of the best horses I have ever trained,” exulted al-Yaqout.“She has never disappointed me. Whenever she lost, there has always been one or the other problems, but today she was in good shape and on top of her game and she came through beautifully. I had confidence in her going into the race, and she proved me right.She has beaten some really good competition in this race, champions, colts, fillies,” al-Yaqout told Gulf Times.
Monteriso, who had won the 2013 edition of the race with Julian Smart’s Mu’Azzaz, said: “Today I knew I had a good chance. My only concern was the distance being a bit short and I didn’t know how she would react to the ground considering it rained an hour before the race. But she has shown that nothing could stand in her way today.”
Al-Malki’s Crafted raced to his first victory this season when Evert Pheiffer rode him to a win in the Thoroughbred Handicap event for horses rated 80-100.
Crafted stuck to his inside line off Gate 2 behind Fast, ridden by Alberto Sanna in the colours of Injaaz Stud. As the action moved on the final straight, Pheiffer had Crafted squeeze past Fast on the inside, even as Power Play, ridden by Richard Mullen, began his surge on the outside. Crafted held on well for his first win since February last year.
Power Play, owned by Sheikha Ayisha bint Mishal bin Hamad al-Thani, finished second, ahead of Jassim Ghazali-traiend Fast.
Courtofversailles followed up a handicap victory last month with another one yesterday when Darren Williams rode Rashid al-Jehani-trained colt to a win in the event for horses rated 65-85.
Williams had the four-year-old hold the inside line in the 10 furlong run even as Al Jasra Stud’s Northern Water led the pack early on. On to the final straight, Courtofversailles tried squeezing past Hilal Kobeissi’s charge on the inside but shut down.
Williams then had his ride step outside and move ahead for a fine win. Zuhair Mohsen-trained Crisscrossed finished third.
Mohsen’s charges completed a one-two in the Thoroughbred Handicap event for horses rated 55-75. The Class 5 event over a mile saw Marvin Suerland guide Rijm to his second career victory, with Dark Light finishing second under Stephan Ladjadj.
Ghazali-trained Jubilante, ridden by JP Guillambert, completed the top three.
Champion trainer Ghazali swept the top three spots in the Purebred Arabian Graduation Plate with Guillambert riding Abdulah Mohamed al-Kuwari Sons’ Al Khattaf to a close victory.
The mile-long run saw Majed Seifeddine’s charge Saab, with Adnan Hawa at the helm, take a massive lead early on. Coming on to the final bend, Al Khattaf, Bahia Du Barthas and Ainhoa Munjili began their chase.
Saab’s blistering run early on took its toll in the final two furlongs and the race transformed into a competition between Al Khattaf and Richard Mullen’s ride Bahia Du Barthas, with Alberto Sanna’s Ainhoa Munjili coming threateningly close. Eventually, Bahia Du Barthas settled for second place ahead of Ainhoa Munjili.
In the first race of the day, Halak Saab shed his maiden status on his fifth start with Marco Monteriso riding Mohamed Hussain-trained colt to victory in the Local Thoroughbred Maiden Plate event.
The four-year-old colt, who had finished third in the Derby in December, finished a length ahead of Majed Seifeddine’s charge Waeed, while Aflaton Bu Thaila finished third on his debut.
It took 12 starts and Qatari jockey Yousef al-Hajri for Charme Secret to shed his maiden status.
Salem al-Hajri-trained colt was
ridden by the Qatari jockey for the first time and the duo did well to earn a win in the Thoroughbred Maiden Plate event.
The young jockey kept his ride right at the front of the 12-strong field, and then with a furlong and a half to go, had Charme Secret surge ahead when Al Fouz, under Alberto Sanna, closed in. Mohamed Jassim Ghazali-trained colt finished second ahead of Mohannad al-Yaqout’s Digital Rebellion.
In his shortest run so far, Gadab showed some amazing pace under jockey Gaetan Faucon to pick up his first career win in a big 16-strong field.
The Umm Qarn colt had stayed at the back of the pack as Deborah Mountain-trained Nada led early on under Stephan Ladjadj. At the half way mark in the 1200m race, Faucon had his ride move forward on the outside, and the Amer colt duly obliged, getting alongside the leaders within a matter of a furlong.
As the post approached, Osama al-Dhafa-trained Chanson Du Soleil and Ghazali Sr’s Verracruz mounted a challenge from both the sides, but Gadab held on just enough to shed his maiden status.

RESULTS
Race 1: 1. Halak Saab (Marco Monteriso), 2. Waeed (Pier Convertino), 3. Aflaton Bu Thaila (Seb Sanders), 4. Mahbooba (Darren Williams). Won by: 1, 2 ½, Hd. Time: 1:25.69. Owner: Ahmed Khalil Othman al-Tamimi.
Trainer: Mohamed Hussain.
Race 2: 1.Charme Secret (Yousef al-Hajri), 2. Al Fouz (Alberto Sanna), 3. Digital Rebellion (Pier Convertino), 4. Atlantic Sea (Xavier Ziani). Won by: 1, 2 ½, 1 ¼. Time: 1:22.67. Owner: Salem Fadgam al-Hajri & Sons.
Trainer: Salem al-Hajri.
Race 3: 1. Gadab (Gaetan Faucon), 2. Chanson Du Soleil (Xavier Ziani), 3. Verracruz (Alberto Sanna). 4. Rawaa (Richard Mullen). Won by: ¾, Hd, 2. Time: 1:46.87. Owner: Umm Qarn.
Trainer: Alban de Mieulle.
Race 4: 1. Al Khattaf (JP Guillambert), 2. Bahia Du Barthas (Richard Mullen), 3. Ainhoa Munjili (Alberto Sanna), 4. Saab (Adnan Hawa). Won by; Shd, Nk, 3 ½. Time: 1:44.68. Owner: Abdullah Mohamed al-Kuwari Sons.
Trainer: Jassim Ghazali.
Race 5: 1. Rijm (Marvin Suerland), 2. Dark Light (Stephan Ladjadj), 3. Jubilante (JP Guillambert), 4. Polaris (Richard Mullen). Won by: ½, Nk, ½. Time: 1:35.50. Owner: Mubarak Abdulla MB al-Moadhi. Trainer: Zuhair Mohsen.
Race 6: 1. Courtofversailles (Darren Williams), 2. Northern Water (Xavier Ziani), 3. Crisscrossed (Stephan Ladjadj), 4. Bnedel (Marvin Suerland). Won by: 1, 1 ½, Nk. Time: 2:02.22. Owner: Khalid Rashid al-Qashash al-Mohanadi. Trainer: Rashid al-Jehani.
Race 7: 1. Crafted (Evert Pheiffer), 2. Power Play (Richard Mullen), 3. Fast (Alberto Sanna), 4. Rising Dawn (Cedric Segeon). Won by: ¾, 2 ½, 1 ½. Time: 1:22.34. Owner: Ibrahim Saeed al-Malki. Trainer: Ibrahim al-Malki.
Race 8: 1. Zman Awal (Marco Monteriso), 2. Crescent (Seb Sanders), 3. Beach Samba (Cedric Segeon), 4. Victory Laurel (Yanis Aouabed). Won by: 1, 3/4, Hd. Time: 1:19.90. Owner: Mohamed bin Hamad Khalifa al-Attiyah.
Trainer: Mohannad al-Yaqout.