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Zabla Strikes on LL Donner and Athlete Del Sol Repeats Success in Sweden

Sunday, September 15, the day of Stockholm’s biggest race,  the Stockholm Cup, the HH Sheikh Mansoor bin Zayed Al Nahyan Global Arabian Horse Flat Racing Festival’s two prestigious races showcased the racing ability of Purebred Arabians at the Taby racecourse in the Swedish city.

While Dutch trainer Karen Van Den Bos extended her winning ways when Athlete Del Sol won the Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan (Stockholm Arabian Cup), Poland’s Magdalena Szabla scored a pillar-to-post win on LL Donner in the HH Sheikha Fatima bint Mubarak Ladies World Championship IFAHR race.

Szabla has now booked the last available berth for the November finale of the HH Sheikha Fatima bint Mubarak Ladies World Championship IFAHR event which will be held in Abu Dhabi.

Last year’s winner from Karen Van Den Bos’ yard, Serouda Du Breuil.  along with Sanovagan and Maggia were the favoured ones in the HH Sheikha Fatima race, but Szabla on the lesser fancied LL Donner, hit the front early and then did not give a chance, winning from Murjaan with Maggia in third place.

“This is only my third win in 78 starts and the my biggest success. Last year I was in Abu Dhabi but had not qualified to race in the Championship final but now I will be there to race and I am excited. The win is yet to sink in,” said Szabla, who is a work rider in Warsaw.

In the featured Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan Cup, Al Asad under Per-Anders Graberg finished second with Al Janoob in third place in the 1950-metre turf contest.

“After his win here last year he has not had the best of runs but today Johansson was superb and kept him within striking distance before taking the lead on the final turn,” said Karen who had won both races here last year.

Ms Lara Sawaya, Director of HH Sheikh Mansoor bin Zayed Al Nahyan Global Arabian Horse Flat Racing Festival and Head of International Federation of Arabian Horse Racing Authorities (IFAHR) for Ladies Racing and Mats Genberg, Swedish chief of Arabian racing along with other officials attended and gave away the trophies.

Ms Sawaya said, “The HH Sheikha Fatima bint Mubarak Ladies World Championship IFAHR today proved the improving talent of the lady jockeys while the winning trainer/owner of the Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan Cup was a lady-Karen Van Den Bos. It is a big success for women in racing and we hope to continue our efforts to boost them.”

Sweden’s Mats Genberg said, “We are proud that the winner of the HH Sheikha Fatima race is a locally bred horse. Today’s races are the biggest in our Arabian race circuit and the Festival has been a big boost to the local breeders of Purebred Arabian horses.”

The HH Sheikh Mansoor bin Zayed Al Nahyan Global Arabian Horse Flat Racing Festival is organized by the Abu Dhabi Tourism and Culture Authority and co-ordinated by Abu Dhabi Sports Council in association with Emirates Racing Authority, IFAHR and Emirates Arabian Horse Society, supported by General Authority for Youth and Sports Welfare and Fegentri with Emirates airlines as the official carrier and sponsored by Tourism Development & Investment Company (TDIC), Invest AD, Arabtec Holding PJSC, Al Rashid Investment, Areej Al Ameerat, Al Awani General Enterprises, Kabale, Al Wathba Centre, the UAE’s General Women’s Union, the HH Sheikha Fatima bint Mubarak Ladies Sports Academy, Abu Dhabi International Hunting and Equestrian Exhibition 2013, Dr. Nader Saab Switzerland, Wathba Stud Farm, Al Wathba Center, Abu Dhabi Equestrian Club, Eastern Mangroves Hotel and SPA and Eastern Mangroves Suites-Abu Dhabi by Jannah.

Source: HH SH Mansoor Global Arabian Flat Racing Festival
Photo: Morhaf Al Assaf