Irishman Queally wins HH Sheikha Fatima Apprentice race in
UK’s Sandown Park

London – Irish apprentice jockey Ian Queally partnered Karar to glory to book the fifth spot in grand final of the HH Sheikh Mansoor Bin Zayed Al Nahyan Global Arabian Horse Flat Racing Festival’s HH Sheikha Fatima Bint Mubarak Apprentice World Championship (IFAHR) at the Sandown Park here on Friday, August 21.

“This is my first time on board an Arabian horse,” said the delighted Irish teenager later.

“The instructions of the trainer were to ride easily, but the horse was slow and one-paced at the start and I had to push quite hard to keep him in contention, but luckily he picked up nicely midway and traveled well thereafter,” he added.

Ten amateur riders made the lineup for this fifth round of the Festival’s series to in the 2000m Premier Handicap Purebred Arabian contest.

Man Of Dreams came with a late run under the Swedish lady apprentice jockey Fanny Olsson to take second and behind them came Kallista in the hands of the Italian contender Gabriele Malune. The winner crossed the finish line in 2:17:08 seconds with a winning margin of two lengths.

“Karar is a very good and honest horse. He had won this race last year in Newbury by default and ran a big race last July in the Dubai International Arabian Race Day. He’s an improving kind of horse and has been training very well before this race,” said a jubilant winning trainer Ms. Beverley Deutrom later.

Meanwhile, HE Sheikh Mohammed Bin Maktoum Al Maktoum, First Secretary of the UAE embassy in London, hailed the great achievements of the HH Sheikh Mansoor Bin Zayed Al Nahyan Global Arabian Horse Flat Racing Festival in promoting the UAE culture and heritage around the globe.

“I would like to thank HH Sheikh Mansoor bin Zayed Al Nahyan, UAE Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Presidential Affairs for his generous patronage and support of the Arabian races which have become a pride for all UAE citizens,” he said.

Ms. Lara Sawaya, Executive Director of HH Sheikh Mansoor Bin Zayed Al Nahyan Global Arabian Horse Flat Racing Festival, Chairperson of the International Federation of Horse Racing Academies (IFHRA) and Chairperson of Ladies & Apprentice Racing Committee in the International Federation of Arabian Horse Racing Authorities (IFAHR) hailed the perfect organization of the event saying that the venue is amazing and everything is great.

“The Sheikh Zayed Bin Sultan Al Nahyan Cup (PA) will be shifted next season from Lingfield to be staged at Sandown Park alongside the HH Sheikha Fatima Bint Mubarak Apprentice World Championship (IFAHR),” she confirmed.

Purebred Arabian horses will again be in action in the third and final leg of the European Triple Crown (PA) as the Słuzewiec Horse Race Track in Warsaw, Poland hosts the 11th round of the Sheikh Zayed Bin Sultan Al Nahyan Cup – Nagroda Europy (Gr-3 PA) and the sixth round of the HH Sheikha Fatima Bint Mubarak Apprentice World Championship (IFAHR) on Sunday.

In Sandown, the seven-race TB card which was sponsored by Abu Dhabi-based companies and government agencies, the opening race, TCA Abu Dhabi Nursery Handicap, was won by Celebration (Richard Fahey/ Jack Garritty), before the duo went for a quick double in the Abu Dhabi Sports Council Handicap, the second race on the card.

Pat Cosgrave teamed up with William Haggas to bring Special Season home in the silks of HH Sheikh Rashid Dalmook Al Maktoum in the Invest AD/ British Stallion Studs EBF Maiden Stakes (Division 1) third race, Stormy Antarctic dropped his head first across the line under Antonio Fresu for trainer Ed Walker in the subsequent event; Invest AD/ British Stallion Studs EBF Maiden Stakes (Division II), Chevalliar landed the National Archive of the UAE Handicap in the hands of Jordan Vaughan for trainer K R Burk; Inke, trained by Jim Boyle, was ridden by Willie Carson to win the National Feed & Flour Production Fillies Handicap and veteran jockey Ted Durcan delighted Sir Michael Stout with a great ride in the final race on the card after he steered Monasada home in the distinguished blue and white silks of leading international horse breeder and owner HH Sheikh Hamdan Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Deputy Ruler of Dubai and UAE Minister of Finance.

The HH Sheikh Mansoor Bin Zayed Al Nahyan Global Arabian Horse Flat Racing Festival is sustained by the Abu Dhabi Tourism and Culture Authority and coordinated by Abu Dhabi Sports Council in cooperation with Emirates Racing  Authority, IFAHR, Emirates Arabian Horse Society, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, General Authority of Youth and Sports Welfare with The National Archives as the official partner and Emirates airline as the official carriers and sponsored by Invest AD, National Feed and Flour Production and Marketing Co. LLC, Tourism Development & Investment Company (TDIC),  Abu Dhabi National Exhibition Centre (ADNEC), Al Awani General Enterprises, Kabale, Al Wathba Centre, the UAE's General Women's Union, The Supreme Council for Motherhood and Childhood, the HH Sheikha Fatima Bint Mubarak Ladies Sports Academy, Abu Dhabi International Hunting and Equestrian Exhibition 2015, Bloom, Rise General Trading Co. LLC, Petromal, Hayatna, Dr. Nader Saab Switzerland, Al Wathba Center, Abu Dhabi Equestrian Club, Eastern Mangroves Suites-Abu Dhabi by Jannah, Yas Channel, Omeir Travels, Racing Post and Laboratories Fadia Karam Cosmetics.

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