Sheikh Joaan Bin Hamad crowned the winners of His Excellency’s Rifle Day

Under the patronage and in presence of His Excellency Sheikh Joaan Bin Hamad Al Thani, President of Qatar Olympic Committee, HE Sheikh Joaan Bin Hamad Al Thani Rifle Day, was held on Saturday, at QREC Al Rayyan turf track.

 

The nine-year-old chestnut Noor Al Hawa, trained by Georges Mikhalides and ridden by jockey Alberto Sanna, showed excellent awareness, timing, and resilience to win the 13-horse race in what was a wonderfully run closing race of the Rifle Day. The commanding Noor Al Hawa of Al Wasmiyah Farm landed the HE Sheikh Joaan Bin Hamad Al Thani Rifle with a dominant performance in the premier 2,200m Thoroughbred event at the Al Rayyan racetrack yesterday. 

 

Staying with the pack and trailing pace-setters Qatari Gold, On The Line, and Seeyoubyme, Noor Al Hawa was forced to hold on until the two standard deviations and almost the 800m marker, when Sanna let the horse break free to go past the others in a flash and stay ahead and steady before crossing the winning post for a thumping three and three-quarters length victory - a double on a memorable day for owners Al Wasmiyah Farm, trainer  Mikhalides and Sanna.

 

 

Al Shaqab Racing's homebred Mwarid won his sixth straight race in the Gr3 PA HE Sheikh Joaan Bin Hamad Al Thani Trophy earlier in the day, giving jockey Soufiane Saadi a double and trainer Alban de Mieulle his fifth win of the day. 

Mohammed bin Fahad Al Attiya's Gr3 winner Sahab also stole the show on the day, winning the HE Sheikh Joaan Bin Hamad Al Thani Trophy in the 4YO Purebred Arabians 1,750m event under Maxime Guyon, giving trainer Alban de Mieulle a quick-fire double and a fourth victory. The winners were crowned by QREC Racing Manager Abdulla Rashid Al Kubaisi.

 

Following the 10th and final race of the day, His Excellency Sheikh Joaan Bin Hamad Al Thani crowned the winners of the last two races of meeting; the Gr PA HE Sheikh Joaan Bin Hamad Al Thani Trophy for Purebred Arabians, which was bagged by the Al Shaqab Racing-owned MWARID, and the HE Sheikh Joaan Bin Hamad Al Thani Rifle for Thoroughbreds, which was landed by NOOR AL HAWA in the colours of Al Wasmiyah Farm. His Excellency also crowned the winners of Al Sabiq Ride, which was topped by Saleh Salem Al Marri onboard AJS BARZAN.

 

(Horse, Trainer, Jockey) 
1 - HE Sheikh Joaan Bin Hamad Al Thani Rifle - Thoroughbreds (Class 2)
Noor Al Hawa, Georges Mikhalides, Alberto Sanna
2 - HE Sheikh Joaan Bin Hamad Al Thani Trophy (Gr3 Pa) - Purebred Arabians
Mwarid, Alban Elie de Mieulle, Soufiane Saadi
3 - HE Sheikh Joaan Bin Hamad Al Thani Trophy - 4yo Purebred Araabians
Sahab, Alban Elie de Mieulle, Maxime Guyon
4 - HE Sheikh Joaan Bin Hamad Al Thani Trophy - Purebred Arabians
HM Jalfane, Alban Elie de Mieulle, Soufiane Saadi
5 - HE Sheikh Joaan Bin Hamad Al Thani Trophy - Thoroughbreds (Class 2) 
Jabalaly, Ibrahim Saeed Al Malki, Tomas Lukasek
6 - HE Sheikh Joaan Bin Hamad Al Thani Trophy - Local Thoroughbreds
Equinoxe, Alban Elie de Mieulle, Ronan Thomas
7 - HE Sheikh Joaan Bin Hamad Al Thani Trophy - 3yo Thoroughbreds (Class 2) 
Scherzo, Georges Mikhalides, Alberto Sanna
8 - HE Sheikh Joaan Bin Hamad Al Thani Trophy - Thoroughbred Sprint (Class 2) 
Taxiwala (IRE), Osama Al Dafea, Ronan Thomas
9 - Local Purebred Arabian Novice Cup 
Inqath, Bader Al Balushi, Lukas Delozier
10 - Local Purebred Arabian Maiden Plate
Blue Star, Alban Elie de Mieulle, Carlos Henrique