Ghanem completes quick-fire double with Al Bayt Cup victory
Mdmar – Doha – Mohamed Saad
Al Bayt Cup Meeting, Division 2, concluded with five fiercely contested races on dirt at Al Rayyan Racecourse on Wednesday, 30th April. The afternoon delivered thrilling finishes and exciting battles across the card, showcasing determination, class and close competition in every race.Ghanem stormed to a second victory in less than a week with a powerful late surge to land the feature Al Bayt Cup. Silver Jubilee edged out rivals in a thrilling photo finish to claim the penultimate race of the evening. Weissmuller dictated terms from the outset to double his tally with a commanding front-running display. Sejjel showed grit to fend off late challengers and register back-to-back victories in the second race. Qahwa was once again dominant, making all to comfortably notch her second straight win in just three starts.
The final and feature race of the card, the Al Bayt Cup, a Purebred Arabian Handicap (80–100) for 4YOs and up over 2500m, Class 2, brought the curtain down in style with a commanding performance by Ghanem (Tabarak x Bahjah). Just days after his latest win, the 5YO horse delivered again for owner Nasser Saeed M S Al-Eida and trainer Gassim Ghazali, with Marco Casamento — last year’s runner-up jockey — producing a tactically sharp and confident ride.
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M’tawa El Saa’yeb (Jaafer ASF) took the early lead, tracked by Alhafar (Al Mamun Monlau) and Alsaher (Mared Al Sahra), as the pace remained steady through the opening stages. Ghanem was held back early but steadily improved his position alongside Sakher (Amer), with the tightly packed field jostling for positions before the penultimate turn. As Sakher made a move to lead, Ghanem loomed dangerously and, once asked for an effort, swept to the front in the home straight. Salwa (Kalino), representing Umm Bab Syndicate and trained by Ahmed Kobeissi, was given a determined ride by Jefferson Smith — last year’s winning jockey — and closed late, but Ghanem had already done enough, holding on by a length and a half. Sakher, owned by 51 East Racing and ridden by Alberto Sanna for trainer Wasim Al Sahn, finished a far third, a further seven lengths behind.
Saad Ali Al Kubaisi, Deputy Director of the QREC Registration & Studbook Department, crowned the winners.
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Qahwa dominates again in impressive front-running display
Qahwa (Equiano x Media Book) made it two wins from just three career starts with another commanding performance in the opening race of the afternoon. The 1700m Thoroughbred Handicap for Fillies and Mares, Class 5, saw ten go to post, and it was the 4YO bay filly, owned and trained by Ibrahim Saeed Ibrahim Al Malki, who wasted no time asserting her superiority, leading almost from start to finish and scoring for the second time in row and again under a confident ride from Trevor Patel.
Breaking smartly, Qahwa took over the lead early from Unbutton (Cable Bay), who, like Qahwa, had darted forward from a wide draw. From there, the daughter of Equiano dictated terms comfortably with Angelic Queen (Anjaal), Make Love (Make Believe) and Katleiya (Gleneagles) tracking behind. Princess Alice (U S Navy Flag) improved steadily from sixth to join the fray entering the final turn. However, in the home straight, Qahwa, just as she did last time, kicked clear with authority and left no doubt about the result, pulling away for a three-length success, leaving her rivals battling it out for the minor honours. Behind her, Make Love held on for second while Princess Alice finished with purpose to take third, just a neck further back.
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Sejjel makes it two in a row with brave late surge
Sejjel (Al Mourtajez x Traynah), the grey colt owned and bred by Al Shaqab Racing, maintained his upward curve with a second straight victory, this time in the second race in the card, the Class 5 Purebred Arabian Novice Plate for 4YOs over 1700m. Trained by Jean de Mieulle and guided by Pierre Charles Boudot, the 4YO registered success on his fourth career start, showing both class and courage.
Breaking from barrier 4, Sejjel settled in a handy fifth position in the 12-runner field, always within striking distance of the leaders. Labwa De Carrere (AF AlBahar) set the tempo early, closely attended by Ezwa’t Al Shahania (Aziz ASF), Hamas La Gloire (AF AlBahar) and Safre Tourettes (Mister Ginoux). As they approached the home turn, Hamas La Gloire moved into second and Sejjel began to close in smoothly. A single signal from Boudot saw the son of Al Mourtajez quicken nicely and sweep to the lead into the home straight. In the final 100m, Al Ghassam La Gloire (AF AlBahar) and Za’eer Al Shahania (Burning Sand) launched their challenge, but Sejjel held on bravely to score by half a length ahead of Al Ghassam La Gloire. The battle for the minor honours was intense, with Za’eer Al Shahania just a neck behind the runner-up in a thrilling finish for the placings.
Weissmuller digs deep to double his tally
Weissmuller (Bungleinthejungle x Blushing Gal) showed grit and determination to make all and land the Thoroughbred Graduation Plate for 3YOs over 1200m in Class 4 company, which featured 13 runners. The bay gelding, trained by Hamad Al-Jehani for owner Yousef Ali Y A Al Rumaihi, broke smartly from gate 8 and dictated the pace under Saleh Faraj Al-Otaibi.
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The son of Bungleinthejungle faced constant pressure from Maximus Alexios (Kodiac), who stayed at his quarters throughout with Curzon (Advertise), Breakout Star (Oasis Dream) and Morello Man (Footstepsinthesand) behind. The order remained almost unchanged as the race developed. In the home straight, Weissmuller continued to lead with Maximus Alexios applying strong pressure, but the winner found extra in the final 100m to fend him off and score by a length. Curzon finished a distant third, four lengths behind the runner-up.
Silver Jubilee edges out rivals in thrilling sprint
The penultimate race in the evening, a Thoroughbred Handicap (85–110) for 4YOs and up over 1200m, Class 2, brought together a small but high-class field of six runners and ended in a pulsating finish. Silver Jubilee (IRE) (Dubawi x Jumira Princess), trained by Hamad Al-Jehani for North Racing, claimed a hard-fought short-head victory under Pierre Charles Boudot, who was completing his second win of the evening.
Greer (Night Of Thunder) and Townsend Manor (Advertise) took the early initiative, racing head-to-head while the remaining quartet stayed in close pursuit. Approaching the home turn, Greer managed to edge ahead of Townsend Manor, but with the field tightly packed, the race opened up in the straight. In the final 50 metres, Silver Jubilee joined Greer and Townsend Manor and the trio dug deep in a fierce battle. As Silver Jubilee and Greer seemed to cross the finish line together, the outcome was decided by a very narrow margin in a photo finish. Greer settled for secon, while Townsend Manor was a further half a length behind in third.
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The “Mdmar” website which was Founded by Khaled Makhlouf in 2007 for horse and equestrian races is keen to cover and follow all competitions related to horses, from show jumping, Horseracing, speed and endurance races, and purebred Arabian horse beauty shows, which belong to the Arab Gulf countries at home and abroad in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates and the State of Qatar, the State of Kuwait, the Sultanate of Oman, and the Kingdom of Bahrain.
