The Qatar Racing and Equestrian Club (QREC) organised the 12th race meeting in the 2022-23 season calendar of the Al Uqda Racecourse on Wednesday, 2nd February. The seven-race card day was run on turf and was concluded with the feature event, Al Jumail Cup, a 1400m Graduation for four-year-old and older local thoroughbred fillies and mares. Torkia (QA) (Migwar x Firdous) wrapped up fantastic day for Wathnan Racing and trainer Alban de Mieulle as she won the feature race, completing a treble on the day for them. The four-year-old bay filly produced an excellent performance to land the spoils in the eight-runner race and win the Cup. Under jockey Ronan Thomas, the she waited until the final 300m and then stormed to impressively win by four and a half lengths. While the winner put the race to bed with ease, there was a tough battle for the minor honours. The Sheikh Faisal Bin Hamad Bin Jassim Al ThaniAl-owned Warkah (QA) (Trade Storm) eventually finished second for trainer Mohamed Khaled Elahmed and jockey Szczepan Mazur. The Nayef IbrahimAl Nuaimi-owned and trained Rawdat Al Khail (QA) completed the frame as a close third as she was only a further short head behind under jockey JP Guillambert.
Abdulaziz Jassim Al Boenain, Al Uqda Complex Manager, presented the trophies to the winners.
Nesrine
On her second career start, Wathnan Racing’s Nesrine (QA) (Munjiz x Kamila) gave trainer Alban de Mieulle and jockey Soufiane Saadi a flying start to the meeting with an impressive win in the opener. The 4YO filly drew three and a half lengths clear of the field in the 1400m Maiden for 4-6YO Local Purebred Arabians.
Matawar
It was a quick-fire double for the combination of Wathnan Racing, trainer Alban de Mieulle and jockey Soufiane Saadi in the second race as Matawar (QA) (Migwar x Matara) made a successful debut, giving the trio another winner with a one-and-a-quarter-length win in the 1400m Maiden for 3YO Local Thoroughbreds.
Nadir
Al Rakaben Stud’s Nadir (QA) (Nizam x Muhjah) got back to winning ways quickly as he took the third race in the card, the 1400m Novice for 4YO Purebred Arabians. Under jockey Hugo Besnier, the Dr. Fahad Salman Al Hajri-trained bay colt kicked clear in the final furlong to win by two and a half lengths.
Wadhnan
Al Shaqab Racing’s homebred Wadhnan (FR) (Shalaa x Al Wathna), trained by Eric Lemartinel and ridden by Faleh Bughanaim, held on gamely in the straight to win the 2200m Handicap (0-75) for 4YO+ Thoroughbreds by half a length after taking charge of proceedings in the final furlong of the meeting’s fourth race.
Master Of Brazil
The fifth race, the 1200m Handicap (0-70) for 3YO+ Thoroughbreds, saw a thrilling finish with three horses battling in the closing stages and it was Hamad Bin Abdulrahman Bin Hamad Al Attiya’s Master Of Brazil (GB) (Prince Of Lir x Fairmont), who stole a march to win for trainer Gassim Ghazali and give jockey Hugo Besnier another winner on the day. The 5YO prevailed by a head from Cobber Kain (GB) (Sepoy), who in turn was only a short head in front of Al Fahdaa (GB) (Toronado).
Poderoso
In the penultimate race, jockey Faleh Bughanaim made it a double as he partnered Three Quarter Racing’s Poderoso (IRE) (Kodiac x Online Alexander) to win the 1200m Handicap (75-95) for 4YO+ Thoroughbreds by a quarter of a length for trainer Owaida Salem Al Hajri.
Source: Qatar Racing & Equestrian Club
