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Equestrian fans in the kingdom were treated to a thrilling day of action as majestic four-legged beasts raced for glory in the annual Al Hawaj Cup.
Pre-race favourites had mixed luck last Friday, winning two of the four feature and two of the three support events at the Rashid Equestrian and Horse Racing Club in Sakhir.
The biggest winner of the day was Joe’s Spirit, owned by Al Mohamediya Racing, trained by Osama Hashim and ridden by Andrew Elliott.
The outsider edged out favourite Excuse to Linger by a head to win the Ebrahim bin Saad Al Romaihi Cup carrying a cash prize of BD2,000.
Suspect Package was third and Fujaira Bridge fourth.
Another outsider Port Douglas, owned by Al Hassanain Syndicate, trained by Ali Jan and ridden by Adrie De Vries, caused the biggest shock of the day beating Saajid by two-and-half-a-length to claim the Al Hawaj Cup carrying the richest prize of the day of BD3,000.
Balestra was third and Potentate fourth.
Obeyaan 1702, owned by Safra, trained by Alan Smith and ridden by Rosie Jessop, won the first feature race of the day which was for the Wasmiya Cup for Arabian horses carrying a cash prize of BD1,500.
The favourite beat Musannan 1719 by one-and-half-a-length while Al Jellaby 1661 was third and Al Mlolesh 1707 fourth.
Caped Crusader, owned by Victorious, trained by Alan Smith and ridden by Gerald Mosse, pipped Dushanbe by a neck to win the Al Hawaj Cup carrying a cash prize of BD2,000.
Wayne Looney was third and Nardeen fourth.
Broughtons Salsa, owned by Saher Jafar Al Alawi, trained by Mohammed Saeed and ridden by P Convertino, gave the favourites a good start winning the opening race of the day, the first of three support events, carrying a cash prize of BD2,000.
The favourite beat Tamaady by two lengths while Shesaidyes was third and Corsinana fourth.
Sabreena, owned by Abdulla Fawzi Nass, trained by Hesham Al Haddad and ridden by Husain Makki, beat Rahya by one-and-one-fourth-length to win the race for locally bred horses carrying a cash prize of BD2,000.
Sadara was third and Saheel fourth.
Henry The Horse, owned by Shaikh Mohammed bin Salman Al Khalifa, trained by Alan Smith and ridden by Derreck David, beat Pulsar by three lengths to win the race for locally bred horses carrying a cash prize of BD2,000.
Emoji was third and Masharif fourth.
