Siegen, Messaouda, Ajlaan, Washeek & Husam Al Shahania star on Day 1 of End of Season Cup Meeting
Mdmar – Doha – Mohamed Saad
Division 1 of the End of Season Cup Meeting unfolded over five turf races at Al Uqda Racecourse on Wednesday, 23rd April, offering an exciting afternoon of competition. The card featured a mix of maiden and handicap events that saw some standout performances and tight finishes. We now look forward to Division 2 tomorrow, Thursday, which promises even more action with five additional races, including three eagerly awaited cup contests, all to be run on the same track.
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Husam Al Shahania breaks through in style to shed his maiden tag
The opening race of the day, a 1400m Class 6 Local Purebred Arabian Maiden Plate for 4-6YOs, brought together a field of 13 runners. Husam Al Shahania (Munjiz x Ashraq), a 5YO horse owned by Hassan bin Ali Hassan Al Matwi, capitalized on his recent consistent form to land his maiden victory in convincing fashion. Trained by Mohammed Hassan Al Matwi and ridden by Salman Fahad Al-Hajri, he showed both determination and class to surge home a two and a half length winner.
Breaking from barrier 2, Husam Al Shahania quickly settled behind the early leaders Hatim Dukhan and Damaah, both by AF AlBahar. As the field turned for home, Damaah made a bold move to the front and briefly engaged in a duel with Husam Al Shahania. However, it was the latter who found another gear, pulling away with an impressive turn of foot to secure a commanding win. Fatack Al Shahania (Burning Sand) finished strongly from behind to claim second, but perhaps was a bit late to catch the winner, while Ushaiqer ANR (TM Fred Texas) also made late ground to take third a further three and a half lengths behind.
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Washeek powers to second win of the season in commanding style
Washeek (Saxon Warrior x Desert Version) bounced back to winning ways in the second race of the afternoon, a Thoroughbred Handicap for 3YO+ over 1400m, Class 4, which featured a field of 13 runners. The 4YO gelding, owned by Hamad Meret S A Al-Hajri and trained by Hamad Al-Jehani, produced a powerful run under Szczepan Mazur to land his second win this term.
Breaking from barrier 1, Washeek was held back in the early stages as Espirito (Charm Spirit), Catch Up Effect (Oasis Dream), and Hackman (Mehmas) set a strong tempo. Espirito led into the home straight, but once asked, Washeek surged past with a decisive move to take command and pull clear, scoring by two lengths. Court Poet (Dubawi) finished with purpose to claim second while Studio City (Cotai Glory) ran on well to secure third, another half a length adrift.
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Ajlaan goes back-to-back with determined victory
Ajlaan (AF AlBahar x Oyat De Brugere) followed up on his recent success with a second consecutive win in the third race of the card, the Purebred Arabian Graduation Plate for 4YOs over 2100m, Class 4. The 4YO colt, owned and bred by Khalifa bin Mohamed bin Khalifa Abdullah Al Attiyah, showed both consistency and determination to score, only a week after his previous win, under Lukas Delozier for trainer Hamad Al-Jehani, who completed a quick-fire double
Breaking from barrier 2 in the five-runner field, Ajlaan settled just off the pace behind long-time leader Ensyaaby (Al Mamun Monlau). Ezwa’t Al Shahania (Aziz ASF) and Safeer Al Shahania (Munjiz) ran in third and fourth as the field strung out around the halfway point, with Al Mubhir (Al Mamun Monlau) beginning his move from the rear. In the home straight, Ajlaan quickened smartly from midfield and closed in on Ensyaaby, eventually collaring the leader in the final strides to win by half a length. Al Mubhir produced a strong late finish from the back of the field to claim third, three and a half lengths further behind.
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Messaouda completes thrilling late charge for second straight win
The penultimate race in the afternoon featured a field of 14 runners contesting the Class 3 Local Thoroughbred Handicap for 3YO+ over 2100m. Messaouda (Migwar x Mixigreen), a 6YO mare, stormed to a second straight win in dramatic fashion, taking her career record to three victories and a placed finish from only seven career starts. Owned by Sabhea Awad Ibrahim and trained by Ibrahim Khaled Elahmed, the improving mare was given a perfectly timed ride by Alberto Sanna.
Breaking from stall 5, Messaouda was held back early, racing towards the rear as the lead shifted between Irtiqaa (Kendargent) and Achika (Migwar), with Torkia and Royalty—both by Migwar—keeping close tabs on the leaders. As the field turned for home, Royalty took over at the front, with Torkia pressing hard and Shagran Alseej (Lightning Spear) and Irtiqaa fighting along the rail. Just as the battle looked set to be settled between Royalty and Torkia, Messaouda swept past from the back of the pack with a devastating late charge to snatch victory by half a length. Royalty held on for second, completing a one-two for the same owner and trainer while Torkia finished a further quarter of a length behind in third.
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Siegen snatches late victory to close the card in style
The fifth and final race on the card saw Siegen (Blue Point x Al Kirana) deliver a well-earned breakthrough in Qatar, doubling his tally and claiming his first local win after four promising efforts since arriving in Doha. The 3YO bay gelding, owned by Khalid Hamad M A Al-Hajri and trained by Ahmed Al Jehani, was guided expertly by Saleh Faraj Al-Otaibi to land the Thoroughbred Handicap (0-90) for 3YOs over 2100m, a class 3 contest that featured seven runners.
Breaking from barrier 1, Siegen was held in midfield as Make Love (Make Believe) took control from the outset, shadowed closely by Half Moon Bay (New Bay) and Maximus Alexios (Kodiac), with Earthy (Earthlight) also looming from behind. Make Love continued to dictate the pace into the home straight and looked poised for victory, but Al-Otaibi timed his challenge to perfection, launching Siegen in the final strides to snatch victory by half a length. Maximus Alexios finished strongly to take third, a further one and a half lengths behind.
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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.
