HORSERACING – MR Irrelevant and Malakye lifted the most valuable General Sports Authority (GSA) Cups last night in a full programme of night racing at Rashid Equestrian and Horseracing Club (REHC) in Sakhir.
In attendance at last night’s meeting, which was part of the REHC National Day Horseracing Festival, were National Guard commander Lieutenant-General Shaikh Mohammed bin Isa Al Khalifa; Supreme Council for Youth and Sport (SCYS) first deputy chairman, GSA chairman, and Bahrain Olympic Committee president Shaikh Khalid bin Hamad Al Khalifa; Isa bin Salman Education Charitable Trust chairman, Labour Fund (Tamkeen) chairman, and REHC chairman Shaikh Isa bin Salman bin Hamad Al Khalifa; Supreme Council for Environment vice-president, REHC deputy chairman and SCYS member Shaikh Faisal bin Rashid bin Isa Al Khalifa.
Mr Irrelevant won the GSA Cup in the sixth race of the evening, held over 1,600m under lights, for owners Al Mohamediya Racing and trainer Fawzi Nass, while ridden by Andrew Breslin.
The three-year-old claimed the lion’s share of the BD3,000 total prize and finished ahead of Monty Bay, racing for Al Mallah Racing, Abduljaleel Al Mallah, and Hasan Al Saffar.
Rawyaan came third for Hasan Emad Hasan, Ali Jan, and Ebrahim Nader; while Kinks was fourth for Isa Mahmood Al Seddiqi, Osama Hashim, and Hussain Asghar.
Malakye triumphed in the eighth and penultimate event of the night, held over 2,000m, also with a BD3,000 prize. The five-year-old was competing for Al Sadah Syndicate, Jaffar Darwish, and Marcialis Jaures.
Double Jump was the runner-up for Al Mohamediya Racing, Osama Hashim, and PJ McDonald; Glen Savage was third for M and E Racing, AM Smith, and Seamie Heffernan; and Grigadale took fourth for Mohamediya, Abdulmajeed, and Asghar.
Two other GSA Cups were up for the taking last night, each offering prizes worth BD2,000. Silk Road won in race four for Al Adiyat Racing, AM Smith, and Heffernan across 1,600m; and California triumphed in race seven covering 1,800m for Abdulla Sami Nass, Fawzi Nass, and Stephane Ladjadj.
Meanwhile, the Bahrain Olympic Committee Cup in the third race of the day, held over 1,400m, was won by Labalaba, competing for owner Shaikh Isa bin Duaij bin Salman bin Mubarak Al Khalifa and trainer Fawzi Nass, and ridden by jockey Husain Makki.
Inspirited was the runner-up for RM Racing, Hareb Almalki, and Hussain Asghar; while third was Bjorn Ironside racing for Mohamediya Racing, Abdulmajeed, and Breslin. Fourth and taking the final portion of the BD3,000 total prize was Firth of Clyde for Al Hoora Racing, Abdulla Kuwaiti, and Abdulrahim Jasim.
A BOC Cup was also to be won in last night’s ninth and final event, and it was claimed by Fleet Admiral, racing for Abdulla Fawzi Nass, Fawzi Nass, and Ladjadj over 2,400m.
Elsewhere on last night’s programme, Dark Jade took first place in race two, held over a 1,200m straight with BD3,000 in prize money, competing for Jawad Abdulwahid Ahmed, Jaffar Radhi, and Adnan Jaffar.
Elvogue won race five, covering 1,600m with a BD2,000 prize, for Shaikh Isa bin Khalid bin Ali Al Khalifa, Kuwaiti, and Abdulla Faisal; while Obeyan 1893 triumphed in race one for Al Wasmiya, Kuwaiti, and Nader across 1,200m with a BD1,500 prize.
REHC is hosting back-to-back days of races this week. Today will see another meeting featuring eight races, starting from 3.30pm.
The card is to be headlined by the HH Shaikh Khalid bin Hamad Al Khalifa Cup in race three – a Listed event over 1,600m with BD15,000 in prize money. Two other HH Shaikh Khalid bin Hamad Al Khalifa Cups will be held, along with a National Day Cup by the Ministry of Information, offering a BD10,000 total prize.
patrick@gdnmedia.bh
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