Northern Thunder wins feature race

Northern Thunder stunned the field and lifted the Nass Corporation BSU Cup yesterday in the feature race of the day at Rashid Equestrian and Horseracing Club (REHC) in Riffa.

Deputy Chairman of the High Committee at REHC, HH Shaikh Isa bin Salman bin Hamad Al Khalifa, was in attendance yesterday along with several other high-ranking officials Owned by Ali Jaafar Al Ansari, trained by Ali Al Ansari and ridden by Abdulla Faisal, Northern Thunder won ahead of runner-up London Look in the six-furlong event, which carried a total prize of BD4,000.

London Look, owned by Karrar Abdulhadi Ali Al Baqqali, trained by Talen Ali and ridden by Connor Beasley, finished a length-and-a-half behind. Dark Power, owned by Al Adiyat Racing, trained by Alan Smith and ridden by T P O’shea, finished third. A total of 10 imported horses took part in the race, which was the eighth and final one of the day at REHC.

In the seventh race over 11 furlongs and a BD2,500 prize, Neoclassical claimed the Late Mr. Abdulla Ahmed Nass Cup (sponsored by Nass the Group) for H and A Racing, Ali Al Ansari and Paddy Mathers. Neoclassical won by two lengths in front of Ay Ay, owned by Al Afoo Racing Stable, trained by Mohammed Saeed and ridden by Lee Newman. Taking third was Cartago for Al Adiyat Racing, Alan Smith and T P O’Shea.

Ten imported horses also took part in the race. In race number six for the Applied Science University-ASU Cup, Victorious-owned horses were first and second. Winning the 10-furlong run with a prize of BD2,000 was Retort, ridden by T P O’Shea, while in second with just a half-length’s gap was News Breaker ridden by Lee Newman.

Both horses were trained by Alan Smith. Taking third was Milyar, owned by HH Shaikh Mohammed bin Abdulla bin Isa Al Khalifa, trained by James Naylor and ridden by Brett Doyle. Six local breeds took part in the race. In race five for the Blue Dawn (Dodson and Horrell) Cup, held over nine furlongs and carrying a total prize of BD2,000, Bataar won for Shaikh Salman bin Ahmed Al Khalifa, Osama Hashim and Andrew Elliott.

Bataar triumphed by a lengthand-a-quarter ahead of Estikmaal, owned by Hasan Mefareh Alajmi, trained by Yousif Taher and ridden by Abdulla Faisal. In third was Jabir for Ali Hussain Ali Al Saegh, Jaffar Marzooq and Brett Doyle.

Meanwhile, Aryaaf won the first race for Al Afoo Racing Stable, Mohammed Saeed and Lee Newman; Shumokh lifted the Gulf City Cleaning Company Cup for HH Shaikh Hamad bin Abdulla bin Isa Al Khalifa, James Naylor and Brett Doyle; Kuheilaan Aafas 1695 won the Late Mr. Abdulla Ahmed Nass Cup (sponsored by Sarens Nass Middle East) for Al Wasmiya, A Kuwaiti and Brett Doyle; and Sabreena clinched the Gulf City Cleaning Cup for Victorious, Fawzi Nass and Hussain Makki.