Qatar- Opera Baron edges Topsy Turvy for yet another feature victory

(MENAFN- Gulf Times) Khalifa bin Sheail al-Kuwari's Opera Baron capped a treble for champion trainer Jassim Mohamed Ghazali, who tightened his grip on yet another trainers' championship win, with a victory in the Al Huwaila Cup for Thoroughbreds at Qatar Racing and Equestrian Club's Al Rayyan Park yesterday.
The results also meant that JP Guillambert's mount beat Sheikh Faisal bin Hamad bin Jassim al-Thani's Topsy Turvy for the second straight outing, with Ibrahim al-Malki-saddled gelding settling for second place under Eduardo Pedroza in the 1,700m feature on dirt. Queen Shaahd and Qate'e were the other winners for Ghazali on the day.
There was little stopping Ryan Curatolo and his mount Baker De Saularie as the two registered a fantastic win for the colours of Osama Omer al-Dafea yesterday.
The colt had only shown glimpses of his abilities since his maiden victory in October.
Yesterday, in the nine furlong handicap for Arabians, the five-year-old had little trouble beating the competition by two-and-a-half lengths with Alban de Mieulle-trained Diese finishing runner-up, the latter continuing his run of top three finishes.
Mohamed Jassim Ghazali-schooled Al Hasnaa denied the elder Ghazali, Jassim, another victory as Harry Bentley guided the Khalifa bin Sheail al-Kuwari's owned filly to a thrilling victory in the Thoroughbed Handicap event for horses rated 80 and below.
Al Moatasem al-Balushi was astride champion trainer's ward, Sacred Way, in the 1,700m race but had to settle for the runner-up spot by a head.
Frenchman Alban de Mieulle saddled two winners on the day, including Umm Qarn's Sealine, who was in top form in the novice race for Arabians for his second straight victory under Ronan Thomas, and Saif Ali Owaida al-Hajri's Adhab, who registered her first handicap win in the local Arabians race with apprentice jockey Damien Morin in the saddle.
Abdullatif Saad al-Muslamani's Thorndyke registered his second straight victory with Qatari jockey Yousef al-Hajri in the saddle, when they won the 1,100m Thoroughbred Graduation Plate sprint.
The victory was al-Hajri's fifth this season, his best haul so far since the 2013-2014 when he had raced eight winners.
Al-Hajri and his mount edged out Salem Fadgham al-Hajri-trained Acclaimed Dancer, which was ridden by yet another Qatari jockey, Rashid Ali al-Marri, by a little less than a length.
Al-Marri is in his best season so far, with the apprentice jockey having notched 12 wins already so far with 50-odd other top-five finishes.
Al-Marri was a runner-up yet again on the day, when al-Balushi guided Wasim al-Sahn-schooled Shadow Game to a fine handicap win over 1,900m.
Al-Marri was in saddle for Zuhair Mohsen-trained Al Mikdam, and also had his brother Meteb join him in the paddock astride third-placed Truancy.
Ghazali-trained Queen Shaahd was the only Thoroughbred to shed her maiden status, with Marco Casamento helming the filly in the 1,700m run.
Injaaz Stud's Qate'e was the other winner for the champion trainer, ridden by champion jockey Harry Bentley in Local Thoroughbred Graduation Plate event. The close victory was the four-year-old's second victory this season.

RESULTS
Race 1: 1. Sealine (Ronan Thomas), 2. Lekhraib (Harry Bentley), 3. Saab Al Manal (JP Guillambert), 4. Barq Al Shajaa (Meteb Ali al-Marri). Won by: 1 ½, 1 ¼, 3 ¼. Time: 1:17.88. Owner: Umm Qarn. Trainer: Alban de Mieulle.
Race 2: 1. Queen Shaahd (Marco Casamento), 2. Istibdad (JP Guillambert), 3. Al Hisaar (Al Moatasem al-Balushi), 4. Doha Incanto (Ivan Rossi). Won by: 2 ½, 2 ½, 1 ¼. Time: 1:48.50. Owner: Shaheen bin Khalid Shaheen al-Ghanim. Trainer: Jassim Mohamed Ghazali.
Race 3: 1. Thorndyke (Yousef al-Hajri), 2. Acclaimed Dancer (Rashid Ali al-Marri), 3. Random Decision (Tomas Lukasek), 4. Beach Samba (Ivan Rossi). Won by: ¾, ½, Shd. Time: 1:04.58. Owner: Dr Ebtesam Abdullatif al-Muslamani. Trainer: Abdullatif Saad al-Muslamani.
Race 4: 1. Qate'e (Harry Bentley), 2. Dhergham Bu Thaila (Ryan Curatolo), 3. Khoud (Marco Casamento), 4. Sly Fly (Eduardo Pedroza). Won by: ½, 3 ¼, 3 ¾. Time: 1:12.75. Owner: Injaaz Stud. Trainer: Jassim Mohamed Ghazali.
Race 5: 1. Shadow Game (Al Moatasem al-Balushi), 2. Al Mikdam (Rashid Ali al-Marri), 3. Truancy (Meteb Ali al-Marri), 4. Verstappen (Harry Bentley). Won by: 1 ¼, 1 ¼, Shd. Time: 2:02.16. Owner: Al Mugheerat Stud. Trainer: Wasim al-Sahn.
Race 6: 1. Adhab (Damien Morin), 2. Aneeq (Jimmy Quinn), 3. Khor Al Adaid (Ivan Rossi), 4. Teriaaq (Tomas Lukasek). Won by: Nk, 4, 2 ½. Time: 1:59.37. Owner: Saif Ali Owaida al-Hajri. Trainer: Alban de Mieulle.
Race 7: 1. Al Hasnaa (Harry Bentley), 2. Sacred Way (Al Moatasem al-Balushi), 3. Crisscrossed (Marco Casamento), 4. Barbarous Relic (Faleh Bughanaim). Won by: Hd, 1, 1. Time: 1:48.06. Owner: Khalifa bin Sheail al-Kuwari. Trainer: Mohamed Jassim Ghazali.
Race 8: 1. Baker De Saularie (Ryan Curatolo), 2. Diese (Ronan Thomas), 3. Bsheer (Faleh Bughanaim), 4. Celeste De Ghazal (Harry Bentley). Won by: 2 ½, ¾, 3 ½. Time: 2:06.21. Owner: Osama Omer al-Dafea. Trainer: Osama Omer al-Dafea.
Race 9: 1. Opera Baron (JP Guillambert), 2. Topsy Turvy (Eduardo Pedroza), 3. Aluqdah (Gerald Avranche), 4. Rich History (Jean Baptiste Hamel). Won by: 2 1/4, 1/2, 8 1/4. Time: 1:47.33. Owner: Khalifa bin Sheail al-Kuwari. Trainer: Jassim Mohamed Ghazali.

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