Tribune News Network
Doha
Wathnan Racing and jockey James Doyle completed a quick-fire double in the feature contest as Dark Trooper took the QA Gr3 Barzan Cup, 1400m race for Thoroughbreds at Al Uqda Racecourse on Thursday.
It was a thrilling finish as the Alban de Mieulle-trained 4YO winner held off the charge of Fuwayrit by a neck, marking the start of his career in Qatar with a black-type success.
Abdulla Rashid Al Kubaisi, QREC Racing Manager, crowned the winners.
With the meeting featuring five races, the QA Gr3 Thoroughbred Guineas saw an exciting finish as well with three horses, all in the colours of Wathnan Racing, battling in the closing stages of the 1400m race and it was Garfield Shadow who stole a march to win for trainer Hamad Al Jehani. In the hands of Doyle, the 3YO bay colt prevailed by 1¾ lengths from Soldier’s Gold, who was 2 lengths head in front of Native America.
Also yesterday, Al Khbaib, carrying the colours of Al Shaqab Racing, made his Qatari debut a success, winning the Purebred Arabian Guineas. Trained by Jean de Mieulle, the 4YO colt was ridden by Faleh Bughanaim, who waited until the final 200m to unleash his mount’s turn of foot and he sauntered clear to win the 1400m race by 1¾ lengths.
Meanwhile, on seasonal debut, Dawi continued his impressive performance with a victory, winning the Sheraouh Island Cup for owner H E Sheikha Iman bint Mohammed bin Khalifa Al Thani. Under a front-running ride from Tomas Lukasek, the 7YO, trained by Rudy Nerbonne, stretched clear in the final 200m of the 2100m contest for Purebred Arabians to win by 2¼ lengths.
In the opening race yesterday, Khalifa Hamed Nasser Al Sawai-trained Pazeer won the Thoroughbred Handicap 85 and above (Class 2) by a quarter of a length with Lukas Delozier in the saddle.
6th Al Rayyan Race Meeting – Guineas & Barzan Cup (Div 1)
Winners (Horse, Trainer, Jockey)
Barzan Cup - Thoroughbreds (Class 1 QA Gr3)
Dark Trooper, Alban Elie De Mieulle, James Doyle
Thoroughbred Guineas (3yo only) (Class 1 QA Gr3)
Garfield Shadow, Hamad Al Jehani, James Doyle
Purebred Arabian Guineas (4yo only) (Class 2)
Al Khbaib, Jean de Mieulle, Faleh Bughanaim
Sheraouh Island Cup - Purebred Arabian (Class 2)
Dawi, Rudy Andre Nerbonne, Tomas Lukasek
Thoroughbred Handicap 85 and above (Class 2)
Pazeer, Khalifa Hamed Nasser Al Sawai, Lukas Delozier.