Valiant Knight storms to Al Uqda 2YO Cup triumph in thriller

DOHA: Valiant Knight, ridden superbly by Marco Casamento, claimed a thrilling victory in the Al Uqda 2YO Cup at Al Uqda Racecourse yesterday. The w...

DOHA: Valiant Knight, ridden superbly by Marco Casamento, claimed a thrilling victory in the Al Uqda 2YO Cup at Al Uqda Racecourse yesterday.

The win marked a second feature victory in less than 24 hours for owner Mansoor bin Ebrahim S I Al Mahmoud following Dubawi Spectre’s triumph in the Brooq Cup at Al Rayyan Racecourse on Wednesday night.

Trained by Jassim Ghazali, Valiant Knight and Casamento had a slow start in the 1300m race, waiting for the right moment to accelerate. Once the opportunity arose, the pair surged from the back of the pack to edge out Glitterati and Sapphire Valley, winning by a neck and a further neck, respectively, to clinch the title.

Qatar Racing and Equestrian Club (QREC) Manager Abdulla Rashid Al Kubaisi presented the trophies to the winners.

In the penultimate race of the day, Legend Of Xanadu, owned by Umm Al Shukhut Farm and ridden by Jefferson Smith, triumphed in the 1400m Thoroughbred Handicap by a short head.