Harry Bentley celebrates as he reaches the finish line.
Scottish jockey Andrew Mullen guided Sovereign Debt to an incredible finish as the David Nicholls-trained Irish Gelding bagged the top prize of the second day of the prestigious H H the Emir’s Sword Racing Festival yesterday.
In the final event conducted at the Al Rayyan Racecourse yesterday, Irish Thoroughbred Marketing Cup (Gr 2) race, Sovereign Debt, owned by Lady O'Reilly was faster than Cougar Mountain, ridden by Donnacha O'Brien and Roman Legend, guided by Harry Bentley.
Donnacha O'Brien was placed second ahead of Bentley who had a brilliant run, ensuring his fifth podium finish of the day.
The victory made Mullen richer by $114,000 while O'Brien and Bentley carried away prize cheques for $44,000 and $22,000 respectively.
Horses trained by Jassim Mohammed Ghazali were in excellent form on the second day of the prestigious racing festival, booking a podium spot in all races conducted yesterday.
Starting the day on a victorious note, it was the Irish bay filly Bronze Maquette, ridden by Gerald Avranche who outplayed Botanica and Lady Chantilly in the Thoroughbred Fillies And Mares (Class 3) event to win the $17,100 first prize.
Avranche guided the five-year-old to a thrilling finish as Harry Bentley astride Botanica, trained by Ghazali came in second while Lady Chantilly, ridden by JP Guillambert, also trained by Ghazali, completed the top three.
The Local Thoroughbred Trophy saw Qatari horses in competition for the $17,100 top prize. Harry Bentley, this time astride Muraqabah, stormed towards the finish line ahead of Tanja Bu Thaila, ridden by Alberto Sanna, followed by third placed Zuzi, guided by Faleh Bughanaim.
Bentley, astride Sheikh Faisal Bin Hamad bin Jassim Al Thani-owned filly Aziznefs, won the Purebred Arabian Handicap Trophy as well as a prize cheque for $17,100 after a dominant run at the Al Rayyan Racecourse last afternoon.
Al Fouz, ridden by JP Guillambert and Haddaj Dukhan with Gerald Avranche on top, completed the second and third spots on the podium respectively.
Bently completed a triple when he continued his masterclass, guiding Al Muheet to win the top honours in the Purebred Arabian Sprint Cup. Mutazz, with Marvin Suerland in the saddle, came in second ahead of AJS Qahir, guided by Gerald Avranche.
Topsy Turvy, with Eduardo Pedroza in the saddle, won the Thoroughbred Handicap Trophy (Class 3). Goldenfield, with Adrie De Vries in control, came in second while Hall Of Mirrors, ridden by Adnan Hawa, won the third place yesterday.
Thoroughbred Handicap race saw Qatari Riders competing against their fellow countrymen in an exciting sprint. After a keen tussle, Abdulla Al Marri guided Second Life towards the top prize, and also got richer by $57,000.
Town Crier, ridden by Rashid Al Marri and Stars N Angels with Abdulla Al Adgham in the saddle, completed the top three in the $100,000 event.
Later, Qatari Colt Farooq was guided towards a thrilling victory in the
Gulf Cup by Gaetan Faucon who got richer by $57,000.
Molheb Al Naif with Gerald Avranche in the saddle, followed up in the second position while Najda, guided by Marco Monteriso, completed the top three podium positions.
