FOOTBALL | Page 3 GOLF | Page 6 Hazard McIlroy return poses grabs lead at conundrum for WGC Mexico Real Madrid Championship Saturday, February 22, 2020 MOTORSPORT Jumada II 28, 1441 AH Qatar Cross-Country GULF TIMES Rally to fl ag off at Souq Waqif today SPORT Page 7 HORSE RACING Stunning Spirit on display as Barzalona completes treble French raider wins ITM Cup; Alban de Mieulle saddles four winners, including Umm Qarn’s Aahil in the Gulf Cup By Mikhil Bhat Doha ockey Mickael Barzalona completed a treble with French raider Stunning Spirit putting up a resil- Jient run in the Irish Thorough- bred Marketing Cup (QA Group 2) on the second day of His High- ness The Amir Sword Festival at Qatar Racing and Equestrian Club’s Al Rayyan Park yesterday. Also on the day, Qatar-based French trainer Alban de Mieulle saddled four winners, including Umm Qarn’s Aahil who topped the Purebred Arabian feature – the Gulf Cup. Frederic Rossi-trained Stun- ning Spirit had fi nished second to last year’s winner Marianafoot in Deauville in December but just about managed to turn the ta- bles in the USD 200,000 feature yesterday, as the latter ran out of real estate under Pierre-Charles Boudot in the miler. “It’s great,” Barzalona, who had earlier ridden Latamah and Luchador to victory, told Gulf Times yesterday. “I am getting to ride good horses as well. I am happy with the way it all went here. Ireland’s ambassador to Qatar Aidan Cronin (fourth from left) and Qatar Racing and Equestrian Club’s deputy chief steward Abdulla al-Kubaisi “He (Stunning Spirit) travelled (second from left) pose with the winners of the Irish Thoroughbred Marketing Cup (QA Group 2) after Frederic Rossi-trained Stunning Spirit won Arqana president Eric Hoyeau (left) presents the trainer’s trophy to in the front, tough horse, got a big the mile-long feature at Al Rayyan Park yesterday. PICTURES: Juhaim Alban de Mieulle after Umm Qarn’s Aahil won the Gulf Cup yesterday. heart. We were lucky to get the line up front.” Rossi was palpably ecstatic at the victory. “He had shown good form (in France), and so we de- cided to bring him here to Qatar. Very, very satisfi ed with the vic- tory, and I really want to congrat- ulate the jockey for such a great ride,” he said after the win. The penultimate race of the day, carrying a total prize pot of US$100,000, was open to four- year-old and older Arabians bred in the GCC, and Aahil had little trouble bagging the miler. Coming off a big win last month over a mile in the His Highness Sheikh Abdullah bin Khalifa al-Thani Trophy, Aahil partnered Ronan Thomas yet again and they went up front as early as possible and then stayed Mickael Barzalona (left) rides Stunning Spirit to victory ahead of Marianafoot, ridden by Pierre-Charles on before coasting to a two- Boudot in the Irish Thoroughbred Marketing Cup (QA Group 2) yesterday. Ronan Thomas celebrates after guiding Umm Qarn’s Aahil to Gulf Cup victory yesterday. length victory. “We know he is a good horse, Arabians, and Hakida shedding US-bred mare to a fi ne win in the Sheail al-Kuwari’s fi lly up front 100m, a frantic duel ensued, one ardo Pedroza), 4. Chattanooga ley), 2.Barra (Ronan Thomas), 3. he is a good miler. He won but he her maiden status under Thomas Purebred Arabian Sprint Cup. pretty early and the two stayed that Latamah won by a short head. Boy (Ivan Rossi). Won by: 1 ¼, ¾, Al Mustafiz (Theo Bachelot), 4. Al did not win the way I expected over 2,000m. Umm Qarn’s Barra led the six- there, even as Festive, trained by ¾. Time: 1:10.98. Owner: Jamal bin Muntathar (Maxime Guyon). Won him to. It should have been an Saadi was back in the winner’s furlong sprint for the bulk of the Ghazali Senior, breathed down RESULTS Sharida al-Kaabi. Trainer: Alban by: 1, ¼, 10. Time: 1:16.57. Owner: easier win. I think maybe he is circle in the third race, this time race but a late turn of foot from her neck under Oisin Murphy Race 1: 1. Ashoura (Soufiane de Mieulle. Al Shahania Stud. Trainer: Jassim fed up of going in the front all the astride Jamal bin Sharida al- R B Kindle saw the De Mieulle at the business end. Luchador Saadi), 2. Badira (Ronan Thomas), Race 4: 1. Luchador (Mickael Bar- Mohamed Ghazali. time. Next time maybe we will Kaabi’s Fuwayrit. charge fi nish runner-up by a eventually won by a head, her 3. Neearah (Tomas Lukasek), 4. zalona), 2. Festive (Oisin Murphy), Race 7: 1. Aahil (Ronan Thomas), wait with him,” De Mieulle said The Gutaifan colt ran respect- length. second victory this season and Rodina (Theo Bachelot). Won by: 3. Amenable (Luca Maniezzi), 4. 2. AJS Moaddie (Maxime Guyon), after the win. ably in his fi rst three races in Luchador, trained by Ghaza- sixth overall. ¼, ¾, Nk, Time: 1:46.79. Owner: Hillside Dream (Harry Bentley). 3. Zahwa (Theo Bachelot), 4. “Today has been a good day, Qatar since his arrival from the li’s son, Mohamed, had shown Barzalona completed a double Umm Qarn. Trainer: Alban de Won by: Hd, 1, 1. Time: 1:36.13. Hazm Al Sulaimi (Harry Bentley). four wins, and fi nished second UK, but yesterday entered the promise every time she has on the day when he helmed Al Mieulle. Owner: Khalifa bin Sheail al-Kuwari. Won by: 2, 2 ½, 9. Time: 1:43.04. with Barra (in the Purebred Ara- winner’s circle for the fi rst time stepped out at Al Rayyan Park, Jeryan Stud’s Latamah to a thrill- Race 2: 1. Hakida (Ronan Tho- Trainer: Mohamed Jassim Ghazali. Owner: Umm Qarn. Trainer: Alban bian Sprint Cup).” at Al Rayyan Park, winning by a even fi nishing runner-up in the ing victory in the Local Thor- mas), 2. Fahd De Faust (Oisin Race 5: 1. Latamah (Mickael de Mieulle. The second day of the fl agship little more than a length in the Al Biddah Mile last year. Yester- oughbred Trophy for four-year- Murphy), 3. Albasos (Faleh Bugha- Barzalona), 2. Black Pearl Race 8: 1. Stunning Spirit (Mickael racing festival in Qatar began six-furlong Thoroughbred Plate day, with Barzalona in the saddle old and older horses. naim), 4. Muthhil (Theo Bachelot). (Eduardo Pedroza), 3. Qate’e Barzalona), 2. Marianafoot with a hat-trick for De Mieulle. sprint for three-year-olds. for the fi rst time, the fi lly put up a Mohamed Nasser al-Naimi’s Won by: 2 ¼, ¾, 2. Time: 2:14.44. (Theo Bachelot), 4. Ifreet (Luca (Pierre-Charles Boudot), 3. On Two Umm Qarn fi llies opened Al Shahania Stud’s R B Kindle determined run in the Thorough- ward joined Ibrahim al-Malki- Owner: Umm Qarn. Trainer: Alban Maniezzi). Won by: Shd, 2 ½, Shd. The Front Line (Ronan Thomas), the day with fantastic victories was the only winner on the day breds event for fi llies and mares, trained Black Pearl, ridden by de Mieulle. Time: 1:24.62. Owner: Al Jeryan 4. Roncey (Cristian Demuro). with Soufi ane Saadi ensuring for champion trainer Jassim Mo- only the second time in her career Eduardo Pedroza, at the front of Race 3: 1. Fuwayrit (Soufiane Stud. Trainer: Mohamed Nasser Won by: Shd, 2 ½, ¾. Time: 1:34.63. Ashoura remains unbeaten when hamed Ghazali with champion that she has run the distance. the pack on the home straight in Saadi), 2. Skip The Queue (Saleh al-Naimi. Owner: Le Haras De La Gousserie. they won the novice run for local jockey Harry Bentley guiding the Barzalona had the Khalifa bin the seven furlong race. In the fi nal Salem al-Marri), 3. X Force (Edu- Race 6: 1. R B Kindle (Harry Bent- Trainer: Frederic Rossi. Gulf Times 2 Saturday, February 22, 2020 CRICKET PAKISTAN SUPER LEAGUE Kings beat Zalmi in a thriller; Gladiators start campaign with victory By Sports Reporter and three sixes in his 30-ball 50. The pair the last Powerplay over turned the in- Doha crafted a solid 97-run partnership for the nings on its head as the off -spinner ac- third-wicket. counted for the wickets of both openers. Hasan Ali (two for 52) and Mohamed The wickets sparked a collapse as Qa- arachi Kings opened their HBL Mohsin (one for 35) were the wicket-tak- landars lost their next four wickets for 44 PSL 2020 campaign with a ers for Peshawar Zalmi. runs. Qalandars captain, Sohail Akhtar, thrilling 10-run win over Pe- staged a recovery to take his side to a de- shawar Zalmi at Karachi’s Na- SULTANS CLAIM cent score. The right-handed batsman Ktional Stadium yesterday. made 34 off 30 balls and struck three six- FIVE-WICKET WIN Right-arm pacer Umaid Asif defended Multan Sultans defeated Lahore Qaland- es and a four during his stay at the crease. 16 runs off the last over as Kings success- ars by fi ve wickets in the third match of For Sultans, Imran Tahir and Moham- fully guarded their 201 for four. the ongoing HBL PSL 2020 at Lahore’s ed Ilyas were the other bowlers with two Liam Livingstone, batting at fi ve, Gaddafi Stadium yesterday. wickets each next to their name. scored 54 not out from 29 balls, hitting Sultans, led by Shan Masood, chased two fours and three sixes, and crafted a down the 139-run target in 16.1 overs.