Essam Al Sayed (Al Ain)
The horses of His Highness Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of the Presidential Court, achieved a well-deserved “double” during the activities of the third ceremony of the Al Ain “Dar Al Zain” Racecourse, which was held last Friday, and consisted of 7 races, and the prizes amounted to 485 thousand Dirhams, and the ceremony was witnessed by a large audience of horse racing enthusiasts, amounting to 6,000 spectators.
The owner, Khaled Khalifa Al Naboodah, and the South African manager, Ernest Ortel, scored a ‘double’, while the Irish rider, Taj O’Shea grabbed the spotlight, with a hat-trick.
The horse, “Ajreed Athbah” for the races belonging to His Highness Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed Al Nahyan, under the supervision of Majid Al-Jahuri and the guidance of Taj Oshi, confirmed his superiority by winning the third round prize for a distance of 1800 meters dedicated to Arabian horses, for the title of the Oud Al-Tawbah race, whose prize money is 70 thousand dirhams, and the champion totaled 2 :04:85 Minutes.
The double came to His Highness’ horses through Al Wathba Racing’s ‘Al Wathba Marshal’, under the supervision of Jean de Roal, and the guidance of Richard Mullen, who excelled in the seventh round over a distance of 1400 meters for the title of Jebel Hafeet, whose prize is 85 thousand dirhams, and the champion scored 1:34:41 minutes.
Khaled Khalifa Al-Naboodah’s horse “AF Al-Mutman”, under the supervision of Ernst Oertel and the riding of Taj Oshi, snatched the third round title of the Al-Wathba Stallions Cup for private stable owners, who is dedicated to purebred Arabian horses for a distance of 2000 meters, with a prize of 70 thousand dirhams, sponsored by His Highness Sheikh Mansour Racing Festival Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, and the champion recorded a time of 2:18:22 minutes.
Muhammad Ahmed Al-Sabousi’s “Vassilakos”, under the supervision of Ahmed bin Harmash and the guidance of Ray Dawson, surprised his competitors in the second half for the title of the Al Sadd 2000m race, with a prize of 50,000 dirhams, and the champion scored 2:06:58 minutes.
The horse “Unleashed” for Al-Reef Stables, under the supervision of Jaber Bitar, and mentorship of Taj Oshi, won the fourth round prize for a distance of 1600 meters for the title of the Basra race, whose prize is of 70 thousand dirhams and the champion scored 1:49:43 minutes.
And Sheikh Abdullah bin Majid Al Qasimi’s mare “Sahraila”, under the supervision of Ibrahim Aseel, and ridden by Sam Hatchkot, took a remarkable victory in the fifth round for a distance of 1400 meters “equivalence” for the title of the Falaj Race Hazaa, whose prize is 70 thousand dirhams, and recorded 1:50:70 minutes.
Khaled Khalifa Al Naboodah’s horse “F Important”, under the supervision of Ernest Oertel, and ridden by Marcelino Rodriguez, achieved a victory that counts for him in the sixth round over a distance of 1400 meters over the title of Seih Bin Ammar, the whose prize is 70 thousand dirhams and the champion scored 1:35:87 minutes.
The round winners were crowned by Mohammed Rashid Al Nasseri, General Manager of Al Ain Equestrian Club, while the Al Wathba Stallions Cup champions were crowned by Lara Sawaya, Executive Director of Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed Al Nahyan International Racing Festival, Saeed Khalifa bin Suleiman, representative of Emirates Airlines, and Ali Al Mulla, president of Areej Princesses.
