The podium winners on the inaugural day races at the Racing and Equestrian Club, yesterday.
DOHA: Essa Mohammed Al Sulaiti owned Dahas yesterday won the Club Cup, the main event of the inaugural day races at the Racing and Equestrian Club (REC).
The winner is trained by Mohammed Al Sulaiti and was ridden to victory by Marco Monteriso. Seven races were scheduled for the first day at REC.
The opening day’s races offered a total prize money of QR 350,000.
The Club Cup for Pure Arabians was the main event that was run over a distance of 1,400 metres. The racing season will have 60 race meetings, REC officials said.
These meetings will be held under floodlights on the evenings of some Tuesdays, most Wednesdays and Thursdays.
A total of 36 meetings will be conducted on the turf track, with 24 meetings on the sand track. The 59th meeting will have six races run on Sand and one race on Turf.
After the huge success of Qatar Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe weekend in Paris recently, REC has completed preparations for the home season at the Al Rayyan track.
As it has been the case at the start of every fresh season, it gives great hope for owners, trainers and jockeys to make their mark. It is also a big platform yet again for Qatari riders to showcase their talent.
The established trainers and jockeys will be in the spotlight to achieve more laurels. Some of the newcomers will be eyeing successes. Over the next eight months, the competition will be of the highest quality. With both turf and sand track racing to be on view, equine enthusiasts are in for a treat.
The biggest racing day of Qatar will be on February 28 with the H H Sheikh Hamad Bin Khalifa Al Thani, Emir of the State of Qatar Trophies and Sword day. This will be the 39th race meeting of the season.
HH the Emir’s Sword (Group I Pure Arabians International) race will have a purse of QR2m while HH The Emir’s Trophy for Thoroughbreds International will have prize money of QR1.5m.
HH Heir Apparent Festival will be held in the first week of February. It will be spread over three days, February 5, 6 and 7. The curtains on the season will come down on May 9 with the End of Season Cup day.
THE PENINSULA
