11-horse field for Tarbes race wears an open look

French leg of HH Sheikha Fatima Apprentice World Championship on Sunday

Eleven young apprentice jockeys line-up for the HH Sheikh Mansoor bin Zayed Al Nahyan Global Arabian Horse Flat Racing Festival’s HH Sheikha Fatima bint Mubarak Apprentice World Championship (IFAHR) race to be run at the Tarbes race course in the south of  France on Sunday, October 12.

The UAE’s Ahmed Al Subose on AJS Rudainah, Claire Marie Murray from Great Britain on Burkan Al Khalediah, Eoin Walsh from Ireland on Haydar Al Khalediah, Barbara Szentes from Hungary on AJS Mohanad, Jodie Prasser from Germany on Vulcain des Vialettes, Shelley Birkett from Great Britain on Forgehill Cartier, Vedat Kizmaz from Turkey on Thaaniya, Jaime Gelabert Bautista from Spain on Ainhoa Madjanis, Fanny Olsson from Sweden on Bibisheena, Kim Dongsu from Korea on Vedette De Lagrimodi and Jenny Powell from Great Britain on Syrianah.

The Philip Sogorb-trained Syrianah, a winner of three races comes in with the credentials to win on the 1500-metre turf track here in Tarbes but trainer Jean-Francois Bernard who saddles five of the 11 runners here could hold the key to this Euros 15,000 contest.

Bernard’s runners include Burkan Al Khalediah, Haydar Al Khalediah, Ainhoa Madjanis, AJS Mohanad and AJS Rudainah, the last-named the mount of UAE Apprentice jockey Ahmed Al Subose.

But the pair set to attract a lot of attention will be Thaaniya and Bibisheena, both bred and owned by HH Sheikh Mansoor bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Deputy Prime Minister of the UAE and Minister of Presidential Affairs.

The Fourcy-trained Thanniya is a full sister of Kahayla Classic winner Rabah de Carrere and has won once and placed twice in three starts. The 5-year-old will be under Turkish Apprentice Vedat Kizmaz who is the most successful of the 11 jockeys with 83 wins from 986 starts.

Bibisheena has also won a race and has been placed second and fourth once and will race n the colours of HH Sheikh Mansoor under Swedish jockey Fanny Olsson.

Commenting on the chances of Bibisheena and Thanniya, Martial Boisseuil, Racing Manager of HH Sheikh Mansoor Stables in Normandy said, “They are both progressive horses. We have to see how they fare on the 1500-metre distance. But this is a very open race and there is no clear favourite which makes in an exciting contest.

HE Noora Al Suwaidi, Secretary General, UAE General Women's Union, Chairman of the UAE Women's Sports Committee said, “Thanks to the vision of Her Highness Sheikha Fatima bint Mubarak, Chairwoman of the General Women's Union, Supreme President of the Family Development Foundation (FDF) and Head of the Supreme Council for Motherhood and Childhood this series took shape. We are delighted that there are quite a few lady jockeys taking part in this race in Tarbes and that is also our aim to promote lady jockeys as well as Apprentice jockeys.”

Ms Lara Sawaya, Executive Director of the HH Sheikh Mansoor bin Zayed Al Nahyan Global Arabian Horse Flat Racing Festival and Chairman of Ladies Racing Committee in the International Federation of Arabian Horse Racing Authorities (IFAHR) and Chairman of Apprentice Jockeys & Racing in IFAHR  said, “This is the third leg of the HH Sheikha Fatima bint Mubarak Apprentice World Championship (IFAHR) race series introduced this year. We have stopped here in Tarbes after Sacramento in the US and Newbury in the United Kingdom. The fourth race will be in Duindigt, The Netherlands and all the four winners will join Ahmed Al Subose of the UAE and nine others to be named later for the final of the championship in Abu Dhabi on November 9.”

The HH Sheikh Mansoor bin Zayed Al Nahyan Global Arabian Horse Flat Racing Festival is organised by the Abu Dhabi Tourism and Culture Authority and coordinated by Abu Dhabi Sports Council in association with Emirates Racing Authority, IFAHR and Emirates Arabian Horse Society, supported by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs , the General Authority of Youth and Sports Welfare with Arabtec Holding PJSC as the Official Partner and Emirates airline as the official carriers and sponsored by Invest AD, Tourism Development & Investment Company (TDIC),  Abu Dhabi National Exhibition Centre (ADNEC), Al Rashid Investment, 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 2014, Dr. Nader Saab Switzerland, Al Wathba Center, Abu Dhabi Equestrian Club, Eastern Mangroves Suites-Abu Dhabi by Jannah, Abu Dhabi Sports Channel and Racing Post.

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