The connections of Dark Trooper celebrate with the trophies after winning the QA Gr3 Barzan Cup at Al Uqda Racecourse. QREC Racing Manager Abdulla Rashid Al Kubaisi crowned the winners. Pictures: Juhaim/QREC
DOHA: Wathnan Racing and jockey James Doyle completed a quick-fire double in the feature contest as Dark Trooper took the QA Gr3 Barzan Cup, 1400m race for Thoroughbreds at Al Uqda Racecourse yesterday.
It was a thrilling finish as the Alban de Mieulle-trained 4YO winner held off the charge of Fuwayrit by a neck, marking the start of his career in Qatar with a black-type success. Abdulla Rashid Al Kubaisi, QREC Racing Manager, crowned the winners.
With the meeting featuring five races, the QA Gr3 Thoroughbred Guineas saw an exciting finish as well with three horses, all in the colours of Wathnan Racing, battling in the closing stages of the 1400m race and it was Garfield Shadow who stole a march to win for trainer Hamad Al Jehani. In the hands of Doyle, the 3YO bay colt prevailed by 1¾ lengths from Soldier’s Gold.
Jockey James Doyle guides Dark Trooper to victory.
Also yesterday, Al Khbaib, carrying the colours of Al Shaqab Racing, made his Qatari debut a success, winning the Purebred Arabian Guineas. Trained by Jean de Mieulle, the 4YO colt was ridden by Faleh Bughanaim, who waited until the final 200m to unleash his mount’s turn of foot and he sauntered clear to win the 1400m race by 1¾ lengths.
Meanwhile, Dawi continued his impressive performance with a victory, winning the Sheraouh Island Cup for owner H E Sheikha Iman bint Mohammed bin Khalifa Al Thani. Under a front-running ride from Tomas Lukasek, the 7YO, trained by Rudy Nerbonne, stretched clear in the final 200m of the 2100m contest for Purebred Arabians to win by 2¼ lengths.
In the opening race yesterday, Khalifa Hamed Nasser Al Sawai-trained Pazeer won the Thoroughbred Handicap 85 and above (Class 2) by a quarter of a length with Lukas Delozier in the saddle.
