DOHA: Frenchman Gaetan Faucon yesterday guided Majeed to a spectacular win in the feature race on day one of the Emir’s Sword Meet at Qatar Racing and Equestrian Club (QREC).
Trained by A de Mieulle, Majeed eased past the winning post in a time of 2 minutes 13.10 seconds as Faucon celebrated Qatar Local Purebred Arabian Trophy win under lights at QREC.
The top prize was worth QR 85,500.
Julian Smart-trained Reda, ridden by popular jockey Harry Bentley, finished in second spot while Ain Jalout, who had Adrie De Vries in the saddle, ended the 2000m turf race in third spot.
Earlier in Thoroughbred Handicap (Class 3) race, Sejalaat brought delight in the Bentley camp by winning race 7. All three top entries were trained by popular Qatari owner Jassim Mohammed Ghazali
Sejalaat clocked a time of 1 minute 10.43 seconds in the 1200m race.
Thahab, ridden by Frankie Dettori, finished second while Under The Radar, who had Stephan Ladjadj, ended in third spot.
In the Thoroughbred Handicap (Class 5) race, jockey Adrie De Vries guided Dark Light to win in the 1400m race. Dark Light, trained by Zuhair Mohsen, clocked a time of 1 minutes 23.37 seconds.
Ibrahim Malik-trained Fadak, ridden by Alan Munro, finished in second spot while Stevie’s Wonder, who had experienced Alberto Sanna in the saddle, grabbed the third spot.
Stevie’s Wonder was trained by Ghazali.
Amid (Jean Baptiste Hamel) clinched the Purebred Arabian Maiden Plate while Munira Eyes (Munro) topped the field in the Throughbred Maiden Plate (Class 5).
AJS Fath Elkheir (Gerald Avranche) won the Purebred Arabian Cup in what was race 2 yesterday.
In the opening race - the Longines World Fegentri Championship - Hana Jurankova guided Saakhen to victory in a time of 1 minute 36.94 seconds.
Northern Water, ridden by Celina Weber, finished the 1600m race in second spot.
Crisscrossed, ridden by Virginia Drexler, finished third.
A large crowd had turned up for the day’s proceedings at QREC that has been decked by the organsiers for the three-day Emir’s Sword gala. The organisers have also arranged for a symphony inside the premises besides lighting up the club house with neon and laser lights.
The races continue today at QREC.
Tomorrow, the final day of the festival, the feature races will see entries competing for glory in the 2016 H H the Emir’s Trophy (Gr 1) Thoroughbred and H H the Emir’s Sword.
Both the much-sought after title races will be run over 12 furlongs.
The Peninsula
