Sanna guides Jewel House to Qatar Cup triumph

Doha: Abdulatif Hussain Al Emadi-owned Jewel House yesterday surged to a dominant Qatar Cup triumph as jockey Alberto Sanna claimed a brilliant double during Qatar Racing and Equestrian Club’s (QREC) fifth race meeting at the Al Rayyan Racecourse.

It could have been anybody’s race until Bader Al Balushi-trained Jewel House displayed unmatched pace in the final 600m of the 1,700m feature to claim a 1¾ length victory.   

Venedegar, helmed by Marco Casamento, finished the Thoroughbred Conditions (Class 2) on second position while Soufiane Saadi rode Roman Melody to third place. The winners of the QR100,000 feature were honoured by QREC Racing Manager Abdulla Rashid Al Kubaisi. 

Earlier, Sanna bagged his first victory of the day when he piloted Al Naif Racing’s homebred Seeta Al Naif to a huge 13-length victory in a 1,700m Local Purebred Arabian Handicap.

In the QR55,000 Purebred Arabian Handicap, Al Shaqab Racing’s homebred Meethag claimed an impressive win under Hugo Besnier, beating Shaweesh, ridden by Arnaud De Lepine, with an 8-length margin in the 1,900m run.       

Qatar Racing and Equestrian Club’s Racing Manager Abdulla Rashid Al Kubaisi presents the trophy to jockey Alberto Sanna after Jewel House won the Qatar Cup, yesterday.  

Jockey Tomas Lukasek also earned a victory yesterday when he guided Al Sraiya Stud’s Ayaath Alsraiya to win in Thoroughbred Handicap as the Ibrahim Saeed Al Malki-trained five-year-old won the 1700m race by two-length.  

In another impressive show of speed yesterday, Ahmed Hassan Al Malki Al Jehani’s Three Diamonds, with Szczepan Mazur in the saddle, stormed to a six-length win in the 1,900m Novice for 3YO. 

Earlier, Jefferson Smith rode Wilyan to seven-length victory in 1,200m Purebred Arabian Novice Plate while Faleh Bughanaim guided Al Zaamah to a six-an-a-half-length win in Local Thoroughbred Maiden Plate – yesterday’s opening race.   

Today’s card includes nine races, with Umm Bab Cup up for grabs in the 1,600m Purebred Arabians feature, offering QR100,000 as total prize money.  

5th Race Meeting - Qatar Cup
WINNERS
(Horse, Trainer, Jockey)
Qatar Cup - Thoroughbred Conditions (Class 2)
Jewel House, Bader Al Balushi, Alberto Sanna
Purebred Arabian Handicap 0-95
Meethag, Eric Lemartinel, Hugo Besnier
Thoroughbred Handicap 0-80 (Class 4)
Ayaath Alsraiya, Ibrahim Saeed Al Malki, Tomas Lukasek
Local Purebred Arabian Handicap 0-80
Seeta Al Naif, Georgina Ward, Alberto Sanna
Thoroughbred Novice Plate (Class 5)
Three Diamonds, Hamad 
Al Jehani, Szczepan Mazur
Purebred Arabian Novice Plate
Wilyan, Ahmed Kobeissi, Jefferson Smith
Local Thoroughbred Maiden Plate (Fillies & Mares)
Al Zaamah, Owaida Salem 
Al Hajri, Faleh Bughanaim