King Shalaa stamps his authority in the Barzan Cup

The Guineas and Barzan Cup meeting showcases the best Qatari milers in the new season and sets the scene in November.

Headlining the card is the Barzan Cup, a Qatari Group 3 contest for three-yearolds and upwards in which Wathnan Racing’s King Shalaa made amends for his short-head second in the previous year’s Guineas to win by 2l.

Trained by Alban de Mieulle and ridden by Ronan Thomas, the fouryear-old gelded son of Al Shaqab Racing’s stallion Shalaa was keen in the early stages, but had the speed to come clear of the pack. King Shalaa was a ready 2l winner from Abdulatif Al Emadi’s Pazeer, with Sharq Stud’s Usak a further length back in third.

Conflict Overcomes Scherzo In A Thriller

The Thoroughbred Guineas for three-year-olds is also a Qatari Group 3 contest, and the race produced a thrilling finish between 51 East Racing’s Conflict and the Al Wasmiyah Farm-owned Scherzo. Conflict broke well and led; he was settled on the rail in mid-division with Scherzo forced to race wide. On entering the home straight, Conflict was best placed to sprint up the rail and, though Scherzo quickly made ground racing in the centre of the track, he was kept at bay by Conflict and jockey Carlos Henrique. Nasser Al-Eida’s Hapap, also closed quickly though was still over 2l adrift in third.

Arabian Guineas Double For Al Jeryan Stud

There was a double in the two remaining Guineas races, for local bred thoroughbreds and for Purebred Arabians, for Al Jeryan Stud, trainer M.H.K Al Attiyah and jockey Szczepan Mazur.

The Purebred Arabian Guineas for four-year-olds, was decided by a photo in which AJS Saaeq prevailed by a short head. The son of AF AlBahar had been a close third on a return to action two weeks earlier, which may have given him a fitness edge over HE Sheikha Iman bint Mohammed bin Khalifa Al Thani’s Hargan, who idled slightly when hitting the front, giving AJS Saaeq the advantage when it mattered. Mohammed Al-Sowaidi’s Poseulo Py, also a son of AF AlBahar, made good headway in the straight to take third place.

In the local bred Thoroughbred Guineas, AJS Barood made a winning return to action, travelling smoothly into the lead entering the home turn. Despite racing greenly in front, the colt was over a length clear of the late challenge made by Sheikh Faisal Bin Hamad Bin Jassim Al Thani’s Al Warkah who just got up to best Mohammed Abdulhadi S Al-Hajri’s Achika by a short head for second.