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Doha: Injaaz Stud’s Hellenistique made a spectacular debut in Qatar landing the Qatar Derby (QA Gr1) (Far Bend) (3 Year Olds) in thrilling fashion at Al Rayyan Park on the final day of the Qatar International Derby Festival.

At Al Rayyan Park, Minister of Culture and Sports H E Salah bin Ghanem Al Ali crowned the winners.  The Qatar Racing and Equestrian Club (QREC)  Chairman Issa bin Mohammed Al Mohannadi and the Chairman of the Qatar and Asian Equestrian Federations and Vice Chairman of QREC, Hamad bin Abdulrahman Al Attiyah were  also present during the trophy presentation ceremony.

In the feature event of the festival, Saddled by Zuhair Mohsen Zuhair Maki, the Hellenistique  stayed at the back of the pack early on in the 2000m run on turf, before Marco Casamento had the bay horse move outside and steadily up the order coming off the final bend. As Hellenistique took the lead in the closing stages of the feature, another Zuhair Mohsen ward, King Pacha, ridden by Julien Auge in the colours of Khalifa bin Sheail Al Kuwari, followed but eventually could only manage second three lengths behind the winner. Gassim Mohammad Ghazali trained Sir Arthur Dayne, helmed by Jason Watson in the colours of Al Kuwari, finished third.

Al Kuwari’s Lady Princess, second in the Qatar Derby last season, landed the Purebred Arabian feature Qatar Derby (Gr2 PA) (Far Bend) (Purebred Arabians 4 Year Olds) comfortably. Runner up behind Umm Qarn’s Jabalah last year, Thomas Fourcy’s ward, ridden by Julien Auge, reversed the order of the top two this time round as the Amir Silver Sword topper bagged the 2000m run with two and three quarters of a length to spare at the post. 


Zuhair Mohsen Zuhair Maki celebrates as Hellenistique wins the Qatar Derby (QA Gr1) (Far Bend) (3 Year Olds).

H H Sheikh Mohammed bin Khalifa Al Thani’s Methgal, saddled by Julian Colin Smart, completed the top three under Alberto Sanna.

Umm Qarn’s Antar stayed unbeaten in Qatar, winning his second straight outing at Al Rayyan Park in the Qatar Derby (Gr3 PA) (Far Bend) (Purebred Arabians 3 Year Olds Only). The mile long run saw Ronan Thomas giving a go-ahead to Alban Elie Marie De Mieulle’s ward 200m from the finish and Antar was soon in the lead but being pursued by French raider HM Jalfane, ridden by Auge in the colours of Abdullah bin Fahad Al Attiyah for Thomas Fourcy. Antar was able to keep his lead as Auge and his partner could only manage second by half a length. Hassan Ali Alabdulmalik’s Tarek Du Soleil, ridden by Faleh Bughanaim for Deborah Amanda Clare Mountain, was third.

Meanwhile, Umm Qarn’s Equinoxe led a spectacular one-two for the colours and the trainer De Mieulle in the Qatar Derby (Far Bend) (3 Year Olds Local TB). With Ronan Thomas in the saddle, the local Thoroughbred Guineas winner from last month and stablemate Dream Boy, helmed by Soufiane Saadi, led the field coming on to the home straight in the 1850m run. Equinoxe surged forward easing past Dream Boy to win by five lengths, as Dream Boy held on for a runner up finish. Sheikh Abdulla Thani Al Thani’s Al Hindi, trained by Gassim Mohammad Ghazali, was third under JP Guillambert.

Earlier, Saeed bin Mubarak Saeed Aljafali Al Naimi’s Wilyan made light work of a step up in distance in the mile-long Local Purebred Arabian Plate (3 Year Olds) (Far Bend). The colt took  went past the post five lengths in front of the rivals.

Al Jeryan Stud’s Hajaj had showed promise on his last two outings over a mile finishing in the frame. In yesterday's Thoroughbred Handicap (Class 3) (Far Bend) (75-95), the Hadi Nasser Rashid Al Ramzani schooled 6yo raced to his first victory since March 2019. Sanna nudged his bay mount forward 100m from the post, and Hajaj duly obliged, grabbing the lead on a bunch of rivals, and winning by one and a quarter length.

Dhafi Rashid Al Marri’s Dukhan (Local Thoroughbred Handicap - Far Bend - 80 & below), ridden by Luca Maniezzi, Al Jeryan Stud’s Harry Hotspur (Thoroughbred Maiden Plate - Class 6)  with Alexander Reznikov in the saddle, and Injaaz Stud’s Rodina (Local Purebred Arabian Handicap - 70 & below), ridden by Qatari rider Saleh Salem Al Marri, also won their respective events yesterday.

Source: thepeninsulaqatar.com

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