X Force storms to Ras Laffan Cup victory

Doha: Al Thumama Racing’s X Force produced a dominant show to clinch the Ras Laffan Cup during Qatar Racing and Equestrian Club’s (QREC) 27th Race Meeting at Al Rayyan Racecourse on Wednesday. 

Ridden by Tomas Lukasek, the six-year-old led the 1100m race for Thoroughbreds (Class 2) from the beginning to win the feature race by almost a length after a late surge by Return To Senders – guided by Lukas Delozier.

Gassim Ghazali-trained Return To Senders overcame two competitors in the final moments but failed to outpace X Force as the Ibrahim Saeed Al Malki-trained gelding remained consistent throughout the QR100,000 race to secure impressive win. Alberto Sanna rode I Am Thunder to third place in the race.

Earlier, Sanna bagged victory leading Murjan to win in 1200m Purebred Arabian Handicap 75-95 race by half length following a tough challenge by Mared Al Jasra, who had Lukas Delozier in the saddle.    

Eng. Hassan Ali A M Alabdulmalik’s Dramatic Sands, handed jockey Jefferson Smith his second victory of the day, winning the Thoroughbred Handicap 60-80 (Class 4) by 1½ length.  

Smith had earlier rode Elaaf to a commanding 3½ length win in 1200m Local Thoroughbred Handicap 0-65, what was the first race of the day.

In other thrilling race on Wednesday, Al Junood claimed a neck win over Habes in 1700m Local Purebred Arabian Handicap 65-85 with Abdulla Faisal in the saddle. 

Also on Wednesday, Delozier and six-year-old bay Wukair teamed up to earn a 4-length victory in Local Thoroughbred Handicap 60-80 after producing a lightning pace in the 1700m run. 

Nuwar – led by Pranil Arvind Kharat and I Am Joking with Yousef Khalifa Al Jehani in the saddle also notched up victories on the day that featured eight races. 

Thursday’s action will see a total of nine races with Al Waad Cup – Thoroughbred Handicap 75-95 (Class 3) – up for grabs. The feature will see a total of 18 horses in action competing for the top prize in the 1600m race offering a total prize purse of QR100,000. 

27th Race Meeting - Ras Laffan Cup
(Horse, Trainer, Jockey)

Ras Laffan Cup - Thoroughbreds (Class 2)
X Force, Ibrahim Saeed Al Malki, Tomas Lukasek

Purebred Arabian Handicap 75-95
Murjan, Eric Lemartinel, Alberto Sanna

Thoroughbred Handicap 60-80 (Class 4)
Dramatic Sands, Deborah Amanda C. Mountain, Jefferson Smith

Local Purebred Arabian Handicap 65-85
Al Junood, Jihad El Ahmad, Abdulla Faisal

Local Thoroughbred Handicap 60-80
Wukair, Gassim Ghazali, Lukas Delozier

Purebred Arabian Maiden Plate
Nuwar, Ahmed Kobeissi, Pranil Arvind Kharat

Thoroughbred Handicap 0-70 (Class 5)     
I Am Joking (USA), Hamad Al-Jehani, Yousef Khalifa Al-Jehani 

Local Thoroughbred Handicap 0-65
Elaaf, Ahmed Kobeissi, Jefferson Smith