Mohamed Saad

The Al Mamoura Cup, a class 2 Local Thoroughbred Handicap for four-year-olds and older rated 60-80, the, was feature of the race meeting conducted on sand at QREC Al Rayyan Racecourse on Wednesday, 3rd April 2024, and it did not disappoint, as the Saeed Ibrahim Saeed Al Malki-owned six-year-old mare Al Gamamah (QA) (Trade Storm x Balaton) flew home in the closing stages to take the 1200m contest by one and a half lengths, completing a double in the evening for trainer Ibrahim Saeed Al Malki and jockey Marco Casamento. The Saeed Bin Mubarak Saeed Aljafali Al NaimiAl-owned and Ahmed Kobeissi-trained Al Shomos (QA) (Shamardal) won her last two starts and did not lose much when finished second this time under jockey Faleh Bughanaim, who was also the man in the saddle when she won those two starts. The Sabhea Awad Ibrahim-owned and Ibrahim Khaled Elahmed-trained Dhergham Bu Thaila (QA) (Soviet Secret) was another key player in the race as he finished second and winner in his previous two starts respectively. This time around he finished third as he was further seven lengths behind under jockey Szczepan Mazur. Abdulaziz Jassim Al Boenain, Al Uqda Complex Manager, crowned the winners.

Al Jasrah

Excitement was already there as early as the opener of the race meeting. In a thrilling start to the week’s racing, the Khalid Rashid G K Al-Mohannadi-owned and Rashid Al Jehani-trained Al Jasrah (FR) (Amer x Shama De Laborde) got the better of two-way battle for the line in the Class 6 Maiden for four-to-six-year-old Purebred Arabian under jockey Tomas Lukasek, just touching off the long time-leader Texas Storm CS (USA) (T M Fred Texas) and taking the 1700m race by a short head. The gallant runner-up owned by Noora Racing Limited and trained by Hamad Al-Jehani looked very promising on his only second career start, especially as he had finished fourth on the first. He ridden by jockey Jefferson Smith on Wednesday.

Matwi Al Shajah

Trainer Mohammed Hassan Al Matwi saddled Matwi Al Shajah (FR) (Al Mourtajez x Vergalie), owned by Hassan bin Ali Hassan Al Matwi, to score for the third time in his eight career start. Jockey Saleh Faraj Al-Otaibi produced the four-year-old colt with a scintillating run to take the 1700m Class 5 Handicap for four-year-old and older Purebred Arabians rated 55-75by half a length. However, the battle for the minor were tougher with Muna (FR) (TM Fred Texas), owned by Al Rakaben Stud and trained by Dr Fahad Salman F S Al-Hajri, partnered by jockey Jefferson Smith to take the second place by only a nose of the Hamad Ahmed Hassan Al Malki Al Jehani-owned and trained Almashahar (FR) (Dahess), who was ridden by Abdulla Rashid Al-Hajri.

Achika

In the third race on the card, the Class 4 Handicap for four-year-old and older Local Thoroughbred rated 40-60, it was the Mohammed Abdulhadi Al Hajri-owned Achika (QA) (Migwar x Walaa) who emerged victorious for trainer Ibrahim Saeed Al Malki and scored for the first time this season. Under jockey Mohammed Hassan Ali Alabdulmalik, the five-year-old bay mare stayed on strongly up the straight to defeat her nearest rival by one and a half lengths. As was the case in the previous race, there was a heated battle for the runner-up position and it was eventually clinched by the Al Wasmiyah Farm-owned and Gassim Ghazali-trained Moharb (QA) (Sea's Legacy), who took the minor honours by only a neck under jockey Marco Casamento. The Injaaz Stud-owned and Jihad El Ahmad-trained Tafaahum (QA) (Rio de La Plata) finished third under jockey Mohammed Tabti.

Billabong

Trainer Hamad Al-Jehani was in the winners’ enclosure after the fourth race on the card, the 1700m Class 4 Handicap for three-year-old and older Thoroughbreds rated 0-80 as his four-year-old bay gelding, Billabong (GB) (Oasis Dream x Carding), owned by Ahmed Hassan Al Malki Al Jehani, flew home and stretched three lengths clear of the field under jockey Abdulla Rashid Al-Hajri.

Elliptical

In the Class 4 Handicap for three-year-old Thoroughbred rated 60-80, trainer Gassim Ghazali saddled Elliptical (IRE) (Footstepsinthesand x Asteya), in the colours of Mansoor Ebrahim S I Al-Mahmoud, to score for the second time this season as the bay colt took the 1700m race by a half-length under jockey Marco Casamento.

Malikah

The Sheikh Ahmad bin Mohamed F N Al-Thani-owned Malikah (FR) (Al Mourtajez x Koriana) timed her surge just right in the Class 3 Handicap for four-year-old and older Purebred Arabians rated 75-95under jockey Jefferson Smith to take the 1700m race by a length for trainer Mohammed Salama Ashour. Again, there was another tough race between the eventual second and third placed runners for the minor honours and it was the Injaaz Stud-owned and Julian Smart-trained Hadjira De Flauzins (FR) (Josco Du Cayrou), who managed to finish second under jockey Samuel Legrix as she crossed the finish line only a neck ahead of the Khalifa Bin Sheail KH J Al Kuwari-owned and Zuhair Mohsen-trained Hidalgo Du Croate (FR) (Al Mamun Monlau), who was ridden by jockey Arnaud De Lepine.