Balestra triumphs in main race at REHC

Balestra lifted the Irish Thoroughbred Marketing Cup yesterday after winning the day’s main race at Rashid Equestrian and Horseracing Club (REHC) in Riffa. REHC High Committee Deputy Chairman HH Shaikh Isa bin Salman bin Hamad Al Khalifa was on hand to watch all of yesterday’s action. Owned by Al Mohamediya Racing, trained by Hesham Al Haddad and ridden by Adrie De Vries, Balestra won the eight-furlong race in one minute 35.706 seconds to claim the lion’s share of the BD3,000 total prize and beat the eight other entered imported horses aged three years and older. Balestra was one-and-a-halflengths in front of Coolagh Forest at the finish.

The second-placer was competing for Mohammed Khalid Abdulrahim, Paul D’Arcy and John Egan. Tamerlane came third for Al Mohamediya Racing, Ali Al Ansari and Paddy Mathers; while Starboy was fourth for Al Afoo Racing Stable, Mohammed Saeed and Husain Makki. The sixth race of the day made it back-to-back victories for Hesham Al Haddad and Adrie De Vries. Their horse Jazeel was the winner for owners Victorious. The sprint also carried a BD3,000 total prize, and it was over 12 furlongs for imported horses aged three and up. Jazeel triumphed in 2:32.429, twoand-a-half lengths ahead of runner-up Port Douglas, owned by Al Hassanain Syndicate, trained by Mohammed Al Sammak and ridden by Abdulla Faisal. Macaque came third to make it two horses in the prizes for Victorious and Hesham Al Haddad, while being ridden by Paddy Mathers; while Saajid came fourth for Shamtoot Syndicate, Taleb Ali and Hasan Al Saffar.

In the fifth race of the day for one of two Porsche Cups, Yaoud was the winner amongst just four locally bred horses aged three years old and up, who were contesting for the their shares of the BD3,000 total prize. Owned by His Highness Shaikh Mohammed bin Abdulla bin Isa Al Khalifa and trained by James Naylor, jockey Andrew Elliott rode Yaoud to the victory in 1:25.561. He won the seven-furlong event by a head’s length in front of Ramani, competing for Al Afoo Racing Stable, Mohammed Saeed and Lee Newman. Harash was third and Sadara fourth to make it three horses in the top four for His Highness Shaikh Mohammed bin Abdulla bin Isa Al Khalifa and James Naylor. Harash was ridden by Paddy Mathers while Sadara was steered by Abdulla Faisal. The fourth race was also for a Porsche Cup. It was over seven furlongs with a BD3,000 prize for imported horses three years old and up.

A huge field of 17 participants were in the fray, with none quicker than race winner Five Angels and jockey Abdulla Faisal. The Victorious-owned, Yousif Taher-trained victor completed the distance in 1:24.750 – one-and-three-quarters length ahead of runner-up Gold Spinner, owned by Al Afoo Racing, trained by Mohammed Saeed and ridden by Lee Newman. Android was third for Al Mallah Syndicate, Abdulajaleel Al Mallah and Andrew Elliott, while Punk came fourth for Abdulla Fawzi Nass, Hesham Al Haddad and Adrie De Vries. The third race of the day for the Chevron Cup covered a distance of six furlongs, and it carried a prize purse of BD2,000. The WAHO race was for threeyear-olds and older, and Al Saqlaawy 1772 ridden by Marcialis Jaures took first place. Owned by Al Riffa and trained by Yousif Alboainain, the winner completed the race in 1:24.683. Tuwaisaan 1762 owned by Victorious, trained by Yousif Taher and ridden by Abdulla Faisal finished in second place one-andthree-quarters lengths behind, while in third was Al Krush 1751, competing for Al Sakhir, Jaffar Marzooq and Adnan Jaffar.

Al Mlolesh 1748 rounded out the top four for Victorious, Yousif Taher and Husain Makki. The first race of the day for a Bahrain Jewellery Centre Cup over 10 furlongs with a BD2,000 featured six locally bred horses three years old and above. Gharaieb won in 2:08.125 for Al Afoo Racing Stable, Mohammed Saeed and Lee Newman. Five lengths behind in second place was Dushanbe, competing for His Highness Shaikh Isa bin Abdulla bin Isa Al Khalifa, James Naylor and Abdulla Faisal; while in third was Pink Ribbon Girl for M and E Racing, Alan Smith and Rosie Jessop. Valentine finished fourth for Abdulla Fawzi Nass, Hesham Al Haddad and Paddy Mathers. In the second race of the day, held over six furlongs with a BD2,000 prize, Shajer won amongst the nine competing local breeds aged three and up. Owned by His Highness Shaikh Isa bin Abdulla bin Isa Al Khalifa, trained by James Naylor and ridden by Abdulla Faisal, Shajer took the win in 1:13.025. Blue Angel finished second for Victorious, Alan Smith and Jacob Butterfield, while completing the top four and the prize winners were Safwa for His Highness Shakh Isa bin Abdulla bin Isa Al Khalifa, Jamnes Naylor and Andrew Elliott, and Richard Cranium, competing for Victorious, Alan Smith and Hasan Al Mawali.