(MENAFN- Gulf Times) A year after missing out on victory in the race, Umm Qarn's Duke Of Dundee put up a determined run under Ronan Thomas to win The Late Yousef Al Romaihi Cup, yesterday's endurance-testing feature on turf, at the Qatar Racing and Equestrian Club's Al Rayyan Park.
Alban de Mieulle's charge had finished fourth last time round, but had shown form coming into yesterday's 3200m race, having won his penultimate outing, before finishing midfield in the million-dollar feature of HH The Amir's Trophy (Group 1) last month.
Yesterday, the seven-year-old tracked Berkeley Square before Jassim Mohamed Ghazali-trained Masterpiece challenged the early leader on the final bend, and took the advantage coming on to the home straight.
As the pace increased, Thomas had Duke of Dundee take the inside line and took the lead with Ahmed Kobeissi-trained Giuseppe Garibaldi mounting a challenge on the outside under Ivan Rossi. De Mieulle's charge, however, held on to win by a neck at the post.
It was the second winner on the day for Umm Qarn and De Mieulle, after Fahim built on her impressive run of performances to pick up her second career victory, also with Thomas in the saddle, in the card-opener.
Champion trainer Ghazali saddled four winners yesterday, with Anas al-Seyabi-ridden Lekhraib as his first topper of the day. The colt has only improved after opening with some forgettable performances, shedding his maiden status yesterday.
Harry Bentley was astride Al Shahania Stud's E'zaaz, who had some credible results coming into yesterday's seven-furlong Purebred Arabian Handicap event, including three top-three finishes.
Yesterday, he made it to the post comfortably with a little less than three-length advantage for his first victory since April last year.
Khalifa bin Sheail al-Kuwari's Luchador had impressed many with a second place finish in the Group 2 Al Biddah Mile last month.
Yesterday, stepping down in distance to a six-furlong sprint, also under JP Guillambert, the Ghazali charge edged out Ronan Thomas-ridden Life Of Riley by half a length for a win in the Thoroughbred Plate event for three-year-olds.
In the penultimate race of the day, another al-Kuwari-owned horse, Indian Horseman, completed a double, winning the mile-long Thoroughbred Plate event for three-year-olds. Bentley was astride the gelding when he had topped a six furlong sprint a month ago, and was back in the saddle for a close one-and-a-half length victory yesterday.
Jockey John Egan made the most of his first day in Qatar this season when he rode two winners for trainer Hadi Nasser al-Ramzani and the colours of Al Jeryan Stud.
Barring a sixth place finish earlier this month, Hajaj had finished in the frame four times this season, including a victory in December.
Yesterday, the five-year-old doubled that tally, edging out Ibrahim al-Malki's Kassar by a quarter of a length in the Thoroughbred Handicap event for horses rated 75-95.
Earlier in the day, Egan had also guided AJS Al Shahania to her maiden victory.
Al-Malki's Shaman Bu Thaila raced to a hat-trick of victories yesterday, when the colt topped his third straight local Thoroughbred handicap outing.
The win over a mile was the five-year-old's first victory under Eduardo Pedroza.
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