Doha, November 04 (QNA) - Jungle Monarch secured his first victory of the 2026-2027 local horse racing season, claiming the Rowdat Rashid Cup at Al Rayyan Racecourse on Tuesday evening and registering the seventh feature title of the campaign at the Qatar Racing and Equestrian Club (QREC). 
The nine-race meeting, featuring horses competing across a range of distances and categories, attracted a large turnout of owners, trainers and jockeys. 
Owned by HE Mansour bin Ibrahim bin Saad Al Mahmoud, Jungle Monarch delivered an impressive performance in the ninth and feature race, a 1,200-metre Thoroughbred handicap for horses aged three and above, rated 85-105. Ridden by Marco Casamento and trained by Jassim Al Ghazali, the five-year-old (as applicable) crossed the finish line three lengths clear of his nearest rival to secure the prestigious trophy. 
The runner-up position went to The Dunkirk Lads, owned by Mohammed bin Hamad Al Fhaid Al Hajri and Sons, ridden by Jefferson Smith and trained by Hadi Al Ramzani. Sweet Fantastic, owned by Hamad Abdulhadi Manea Al Shahwani Al Hajri, finished third under jockey Alberto Sanna and trainer Hamad Al Jehani. 
The eight supporting races also produced a series of convincing performances across the Thoroughbred and Purebred Arabian categories. 
In the opening race, a 1,900-metre Thoroughbred handicap for horses aged three and above, rated 45-65, Estithmar claimed a commanding six-length victory for Injaaz Stud. Ridden by Alberto Sanna and trained by Jihad Khaled Al Ahmed, the horse dominated the contest to secure the first win of the evening. 
High Approval followed with an emphatic success in the second race, a 1,200-metre maiden for Thoroughbreds aged three to six. Representing owner Abdullah Mohammed Rashid Shara'an Al Khayarin, the horse, ridden by Arnaud de Lepine and trained by Hamad Al Jehani, finished six and a quarter lengths ahead of the field. 
The third race, a 1,200-metre maiden for two-year-old Thoroughbreds, saw Kraar emerge victorious for owner Abdulrahman Mohammed Khalifa Abdullah Al Attiyah. Under Marco Casamento and the guidance of trainer Jassim Al Ghazali, Kraar secured the win by a length and a quarter. 
Alberto Sanna continued his successful evening in the fourth race, guiding Mutheer Al Naif to victory in the 1,200-metre maiden for locally bred Purebred Arabians aged three to six. Owned by Al Naif Racing and trained by Mohammed Khaled Al Ahmed, the horse finished three and a half lengths clear to give Sanna his second win of the meeting.
Sanna then completed a third victory in the fifth race, riding Jabahat to the top spot in a 1,900-metre handicap for locally bred Thoroughbreds aged three and above, rated 0-45. Owned by Injaaz Stud and trained by Jihad Khaled Al Ahmed, the filly secured the race by four lengths, marking a second victory on the evening for both the jockey and the trainer. 
The sixth race, a 1,900-metre handicap for Purebred Arabians aged three and above, rated 0-75, produced a closely contested finish, with Yaqoob prevailing by a quarter of a length. Owned by Hamad Mareet Saad Al Fhaid Al Hajri, the horse was ridden by Ghanem Ahmed Al Jehani and trained by Hamad Al Jehani, who recorded his second success of the meeting. 
Jassim Al Ghazali and Marco Casamento combined for their second victory of the evening in the seventh race, a 1,900-metre conditions contest for Purebred Arabians aged four and above. Their success came with Hadi De Carrere, owned by Sheikh Ahmed bin Mohammed bin Faleh bin Nasser Al Thani, who crossed the line two and a half lengths ahead of his rivals. 
The evening's eighth race, a 1,200-metre handicap for locally bred Purebred Arabians aged four and above, rated 70-95, concluded with Damaah taking the honours. Owned by Abdulaziz Saleh Hassan Al Jaber, the horse was ridden by Jefferson Smith and trained by Hadi Al Ramzani, securing the win by a length. 
Jungle Monarch's triumph in the feature event brought the evening's programme to a close, rounding off a competitive meeting that showcased the depth of equine talent across Qatar's local racing circuit. (QNA)