Sport SUNDAY 21 FEBRUARY 2021 DjokovicD defends Australian Open ddynasty against Medvedev rampage There has been a lot of talk about the new generations coming anda taking over from the three of us but realistically that isn’t happeningh still. I’m not going to stand here and hand it over to them.t I am going to make them work for it. Novak Djokovic Sport | 10 PAKISTAN SUPER LEAGUE: Quetta Gladiators 121 (Gayle 39; Maqsood 2/21, Iqbal 3/16) Karachi Kings 126/3 (Clarke 46, Nabi 30*) Trainer Julian Smart celebrates yet another Amir Sword victory Magnificent Mon’nia steals the show as Lukasek corners Amir Sword glory RIZWAN REHMAT THE PENINSULA Mon’nia yesterday ended the hat- trick bid of title favourite Ebraz to win the prestigious Amir Sword in spectacular fashion at Al Rayyan Park. The Julian Smart-trained five- year-old mare (Amer x Margouia) won the $1m race ahead of Ebraz following a thrilling run in the 2400 marathon turf run. Owned by H E Sheikha Yasmeen Bint Mohammed Bin Khalifa Al Thani, Mon’nia looked hard to catch after the final bend as jockey Tomas Lukasek steered the Smart-trained entry to secure the top prize of $570,000. Just three weeks ago, the Lukasek-Mon’nia combination had warmed up for the Amir Sword race by winning the Gr3 H E Sheikh Joaan Bin Hamad Al Thani Trophy. Ebraz, who was seeking a hat- trick of Amir Sword wins yesterday, ended 1.25 meters behind Mon’nia in a field of 14 entries. Lady Prince, ridden by Julien Auge, was second for most part of The Amir H H Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani presenting a trophy to trainer Julian Smart after Mon’nia won the prestigious Amir Sword at Al Rayyan Park yesterday. the last stretch but got nudged to Jockey Tomas third spot by a galloping Ebraz - Lukasek also trained by Smart - in the last 100 meters. celebrates as Smart, who saw Ebraz clinch Julian Colin the Triple Crown with wins at Smart-trained Goodwood and Longchamp in 2019 Mon'nia (FR) before clinching last year’s Amir crosses the Sword, yesterday celebrated his finish line to sixth successive Amir Sword win in win the Qatar. The Amir “Mon’nia is a very good filly. Sword (GR1 PA) THE AMIR SWORD (GR1 PA) (Sponsored by Al Hazm) Mon’nia is a very good horse on as at Al Rayyan Total Prize Money: $1,000,000 Race Time: 02:36.40 (2,400m) a fast ground maybe not a softer Park yesterday. FP Horse, Trainer, Jockey round. We knew before the race The five-year- 1 Mon'nia (FR), Julian Colin Smart, Tomas Lukasek that she was in good form. She had old mare (Amer 2 Ebraz (GB), Julian Colin Smart, Maxime Guyon horses like Ebraz, Princess and Tayf x Margouia) 3 Lady Princess (FR), Thomas Fourcy, Julien Augé won the $1m to compete against and it was not THE AMIR TROPHY (QA GR 1) (Presented by Longines) race ahead of going to be easy but she was in very Total Prize Money: $1,000,000 Race Time: 02:30.65 (2,400m) Ebraz following good form,” Smart said after the 1 Noor Al Hawa (FR), Georges Mikhalides, Alberto Sanna a thrilling run race. 2 Berkshire Rocco (FR), Andrew Balding, Jason Watson “I am very happy about it. I have in the 2400 marathon turf 3 Hellenistique (FR), Zuhair Mohsen, Ronan Thomas been in Qatar for 11 seasons and I THE AMIR SILVER SWORD have won the Amir Sword six times. run. Total Prize Money: $250,000 Race Time: 02:00.77 (1,850m) I have very good horses for sure, 1 Munir Du Soleil (FR), Thomas Fourcy, Tomas Lukasek thank you very much,” he said with spots respectively. Watson won 4-year-old colt - owned by Khalifa Zyzzyva, ridden by Ryan Curatolo. a smile. $220,000 while Thomas got richer Bin Sheail KH J Al Kuwari - looked The 4-year-old gelding - trained by 2 Hidalgo Du Croate (FR), Mohammed Hussain Afroz, Jason Watson “I just got very, very good by $110,000. unbeatable as Auge won the top Osama Al-Dafea - clocked a time 3 First Classs (USA), Alban Elie De Mieulle, Alberto Sanna horses. I am not the kind of trainer Before saddling in for the prize of $142,500. King Pacha of 1:09.50 as Sanna won $142,500. H.H. THE AMIR SHALFA who gets his horses ready in feature race of the day, jockey clocked a time of 1:59.69. Pazeer Curatolo won $55,000 while Auge, Total Prize Money: $250,000 Race Time: 01:59.69 (2,000m) October and November or Lukasek yesterday stunned a strong (trained by Bader Al Balushi and who guided X Force to third place, 1 King Pacha (IRE), Zuhair Mohsen, Julien Augé December. This is the biggest race field with Abdullah Bin Fahad Al ridden by Soufiane Saadi) and The got richer by $27,500. 2 Pazeer (FR), Bader Al Balushi, Soufiane Saadi in Qatar and we plan and get ready Attiyah’s Munir Du Soleil to win the Blue Eye (Mohammed Hussain Earlier in the day, H E Sheikha 3 The Blue Eye (GB), Mohammed Hussain Afroz, Maxime Guyon for this day,” he added. “After the Amir Silver Sword. Afroz and Maxime Guyon) com- Reem bint Mohammed bin Khalifa AL BIDDAH MILE (QA Gr 2) first two days, everyone said ‘where With an overall prize of pleted the top three. Al Thani’s Methgal won Qatar Inter- Total Prize Money: $250,000 Race Time: 01:34.31 (1,600m) are you?’ ... ‘no winners yet?’. I just $250,000 on offer, Munir Du Soleil Also yesterday, Devious national Cup (Gr1 PA sponsored by 1 Devious Company (IRE), Mohammed Ghazali, Maxime Guyon said hang on and wait until Sat- clocked a time of 2:00.77 to win the Company - ridden by Guyon - won Daam) giving popular trainer Smart 2 Pom Malpic (FR), Ali Yousuf Al Kubaisi, Tomas Lukasek urday,” Smart said. race with 15 entries. Lukasek won the Al Biddah Mile (QA Gr 2) trophy. and jockey Guyon a valuable win on 3 Thunderstone (IRE), Gassim Ghazali, Alberto Sanna Earlier, Al Wasmiyah Farm’s $142,500. The Mohammed Hussain Owned by Khalifa bin Sheail Al the last day of the Amir Sword fes- DUKHAN SPRINT (QA Gr 3) (Sponsored by Breeders' Cup) Noor Al Hawa won the Amir Trophy Afroz-trained Hidalgo Du Croate, Kuwari, Devious Company edged tival. Methgal clocked a time of Total Prize Money: USD 250,000 Race Time: 01:09.50 (1,200m) with Alberto Sanna in the saddle. ridden by Jason Watson, finished past Pom Malpic to win the 1600m 1:42.16 and finished a small margin 1 Taxiwala (IRE), Osama Al Dafea, Alberto Sanna The 8-year-old showed stunning second worth $55,000. First Classs, race held in daylight at Al Rayyan ahead of Al Naama ridden by Saadi. 2 Zyzzyva (FR), Ibrahim Saeed Al Malki, Ryan Curatolo speed after the final bend, racing to with Sanna in the saddle, sealed the Park. Guyon won $142,500 after Arguya, with Auge in the saddle, fin- 3 X Force (IRE), Ibrahim Saeed Al Malki, Julien Augé victory with impressive speed. third place. Devious Company sealed the deal ished third. Trained by Georges Mikhalides, In the fifth race of the day - the in a time of 1:34.31. The day’s proceedings started QATAR INTERNATIONAL CUP (GR1 PA) (Sponsored by Daam) Noor Al Hawa clocked a time of Amir Shalfa - jockey Auge steered Thunderstone, ridden by Sanna, with Al Jeryan Stud’s homebred Al Total Prize Money: $250,000 Race Time: 01:42.16 (1,600m) 2:30.65 as Sanna won the top prize King Pacha - trained by Zuhair finished in third place worth Lusail winning the Al Rayyan 1 Methgal (FR), Julian Colin Smart, Maxime Guyon of $570,000 in the invitation only Mohsen - to a convincing win in the $527,500. Lukasek, astride Pom Breeders Cup. Trainer Hadi Al 2 Al Naama (FR), Alban Elie De Mieulle, Soufiane Saadi race. 2000m mar- Malpic, won $55,000. Ramzani and jockey Sanna teamed 3 Arguya (FR), Ali Yousuf Al Kubaisi, Julien Augé Berkshire Rocco, ridden by athon. The Taxiwala, ridden by Sanna, won up for victory in the race worth AL RAYYAN BREEDERS CUP Jason Watson, and Hellenistique a hard-fought battle with Zyzzyva $142,500. Equinoxe (Ronan Thomas) Total Prize Money: $250,000 Race Time: 02:03.15 (2,000m) with Ronan Thomas in the in the Dukhan Sprint (QA Gr 3 spon- and Black Pearl (jockey Saadi) fin- 1 Al Lusail (QA), Hadi Al Ramzani, Alberto Sanna saddle, secured the second sored by Breeders’ Cup). Taxiwala ished second and third respectively 2 Equinoxe (QA), Alban Elie De Mieulle, Ronan Thomas and third finished half a meter ahead of in the 2000m marathon. 3 Black Pearl (QA), Bader Al Balushi, Soufiane Saadi Tomas Lukasek (right) celebrates as Mon'nia (FR) crosses the finish line to win the The Amir Sword (GR1 PA) at Al Rayyan Park yesterday. SUNDAY 21 FEBRUARY 2021 SPORT 11 The Amir H H Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani posing for a photograph with the winners of the Big Tour competition on the final day of the Amir Sword Festival at Al Rayyan Park yesterday. Young Al Qadi wins the Amir Sword CHINTHANA WASALA helping me win,” Al Qadi said. Mohammed Khalifa Albaker THE PENINSULA “I am doing well in Hathab, (Verona) andFaleh Suwead Al I’m second in the points tally of Ajami (Demilion) rounded up Young Qatari rider Hamad the Big Tour right now and we the top five.