Qatar Racing and Equestrian Club (QREC) will stage an absorbing seven-race card on Wednesday, 21 January 2026, a programme that promises both competitive depth and emotional resonance as the season gathers momentum at Al Uqda racecourse. Anticipation will steadily build toward the night’s centrepiece — Race 7, the Mesaieed Cup, a Local Purebred Arabian Handicap (75–95) over 1300 metres, carrying a prize purse of Qr 100,000 and set to crown the evening at 18:30. For owners, trainers and riders alike, it will represent not just the richest race on the card, but a moment of prestige and pride.
The afternoon’s action will open at 15:00 with Race 1, the Thoroughbred Handicap 45–65 (Class 6) over 2000 metres, offering Qr 45,000 in prize money. Often a searching test of stamina and patience, this contest is expected to set the tone for the day, with connections hoping their charges can settle early and produce a telling finish down the home straight.
Speed will take centre stage in Race 2 at 15:35, the Local Purebred Arabian Maiden Plate (4yo Only, Class 6) over 1200 metres, also worth Qr 45,000. With youthful energy and first-time expectations in abundance, this race will likely carry a sense of raw excitement, as emerging Arabian talents attempt to shed their maiden status and announce themselves on the QREC stage.
Staying power will return to focus in Race 3 at 16:10, the Local Thoroughbred Maiden Plate (Class 6) over 2000 metres for Qr 45,000, before the competitive rhythm continues at 16:45 with Race 4, a Local Thoroughbred Handicap 0–55 (Class 5), again over 2000 metres and for the same prize money. These middle-distance events are expected to reward tactical awareness and resilience, qualities that often separate promise from progress.
As dusk settles in, the Arabian specialists will command attention. Race 5 at 17:20, a Purebred Arabian Handicap 65–85 (Class 4) over 1200 metres, will be contested for Qr 55,000, before stamina is tested once more in Race 6 at 17:55, a sister event over 2000 metres carrying identical prize money. Together, these races will serve as a crucial lead-in, sharpening the competitive edge ahead of the feature.
All roads, however, will lead to the Mesaieed Cup. When the field assembles for Race 7, the atmosphere is expected to shift palpably — a blend of tension, ambition and belief. The Local Purebred Arabian Handicap 75–95 (Class 3) will bring together seasoned performers over 1300 metres, each chasing a share of the Qr 100,000 purse and the prestige that accompanies victory in one of the meeting’s most anticipated contests.
By the time the final result is declared, Wednesday’s card at QREC will have offered a full spectrum of racing emotion — from maiden hopes to proven class — reaffirming the club’s role as a heartbeat of Qatar’s thriving racing scene.
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