Doha [Qatar], February 13: The 49th race meeting of the 2025-26 season was staged on Thursday at the Al Rayyan Racecourse on dirt, marking the second day of the HH The Amir Sword Festival. The eight-race card again centred on a full programme of cup contests, delivering a blend of authoritative victories, sustained late challenges and high-class performances as the Festival action gathered further momentum.
Across the eight races, the winners in order were Sha'alan opening the card in the Purebred Arabian Handicap Cup, Townsend Manor striking in the Sand Sprint Cup, Za'eer Al Shahania following up in the Middle Distance Cup, Calafiori asserting in the Thoroughbred Sand Championship Cup, Hay'er Al Shahania powering clear in the Local Purebred Arabian Sand Championship Cup, Maysara dominating the Local Thoroughbred Sand Championship Cup, Mared Al Jasra prevailing late in the Purebred Arabian Sand Championship Cup and Dubawi Spectre defending his crown in the Thoroughbred Sand Championship Cup. The last two races on the card were the day's features, with each of them offering $110,000.
Dubawi Spectre defends crown in Thoroughbred Sand Championship Cup
Dubawi Spectre successfully retained his title in the eighth race on the card, the Thoroughbred Sand Championship Cup for 4yos and upwards over 1700m, Class 2, contested by nine runners and restricted to horses owned by Qatari subjects. The six-year-old bay gelding, racing for H.E. Mansoor bin Ebrahim Al Mahmoud and trained by Gassim Al Ghazali, became the first horse to win the race twice, displaying trademark determination in the closing stages to prevail by ¾ of a length under Marco Casamento, who completed a quick-fire double, while his trainer secured a treble on the day.
Mared Al Jasra denies leader late in Purebred Arabian Sand Championship Cup
Mared Al Jasra timed his challenge to perfection in the seventh race on the card, the Purebred Arabian Sand Championship Cup for 4yos and upwards over 1700m, Class 2, contested by seven runners. The six-year-old grey, racing for Al Ghazali Stud and trained by Jassim Al Ghazali, broke from barrier two and tracked the pace throughout before wearing down the long-time leader in the closing strides to prevail by 1¼ lengths under Marco Casamento, giving his trainer a double on the day.
Sha'alan extends form in Purebred Arabian Handicap Cup
Sha'alan maintained his excellent run of form in the first race on the card, the Purebred Arabian Handicap Cup (70-90) for 4yos and upwards over 1900m, Class 3, contested by 11 runners. The eight-year-old grey gelding, representing Al Ghazali Stud and trained by Mohammed Al Ghazali, pressed forward from a wide draw to race prominently throughout before asserting rounding the home turn and quickening clear to score by four lengths under Soufiane Saadi, bringing up his second successive victory from three starts this season.
Townsend Manor rallies late in Sand Sprint Cup
Townsend Manor returned to winning form in the second race on the card, the Sand Sprint Cup, a Thoroughbred Handicap (85-105) for 4yos and upwards over 1200m, Class 2, contested by five runners, but run at a searching tempo that reflected the field's competitive ratings. The five-year-old bay gelding, owned by Al Rufaa Racing and trained by Gassim Al Ghazali, built on a recent runner-up effort to record his eighth career victory, quickening to the front inside the final 200m before holding on gamely to score by a quarter of a length under Maxime Guyon.
Za'eer Al Shahania seals Middle Distance Cup
Za'eer Al Shahania returned to winning ways in the third race on the card, the Middle Distance Cup, a Local Purebred Arabian Handicap (85-105) for 5yos and upwards over 1700m. The five-year-old grey gelding, owned and trained by Osama Omer Al Dafea, followed two placed efforts with a composed success to record his fourth win of the campaign, delivered from off the pace to score cosily by 1½ lengths under Maxime Guyon, who completed a quick-fire double.
Calafiori surges clear in Thoroughbred Sand
Championship Cup
Calafiori produced a stylish performance in the fourth race on the card, the Thoroughbred Sand Championship Cup for 3yos over 1700m, Class 2, contested by 13 runners. The bay gelding, racing for Sharida bin Nasser bin Sharida Al-Kaabi and trained by Mohammed Al Ghazali, tracked the leading pack throughout before asserting inside the final 200m and quickening away to score impressively by 2¾ lengths under Lukas Delozier, registering his third career success and his first in Qatar while also giving his trainer a double on the day following last year's victory in this race with Due To Dance.
Hay'er Al Shahania powers clear in Local PA Sand Championship Cup
Hay'er Al Shahania returned to winning ways in the fifth race on the card, the Local Purebred Arabian Sand Championship Cup, an Open Race for 4yos and upwards over 1200m, Class 2, restricted to horses owned by Qatari subjects and contested by eight runners.
The four-year-old grey colt, racing for Mansoor Mesfer Al Shahwani and trained by Abdulla Mesfer Al Shahwani, built on a recent runner-up effort to record his third victory of the season, travelling strongly on the pace before quickening decisively inside the final 300m to draw clear by 4½ lengths under Szczepan Mazur.
Maysara storms clear in Local Thoroughbred Sand Championship Cup
Maysara produced a dominant display in the sixth race on the card, the Local Thoroughbred Sand Championship Cup for 4yos and upwards over 1200m, Class 2, contested by 12 runners. The six-year-old chestnut mare, racing for Mohammed Abdulhadi Al Hajri and trained by Hamad Al Jehani, defied the widest draw in stall 13 to record her second consecutive victory and a fourth success of the season, sweeping past the leaders in the straight before surging clear by 5¾ lengths under Pierre-Charles Boudot.
Source: Qatar Tribune
