Macallan wins Group 3 Wathba Cup to remain unbeaten
in three starts

Swedish-bred 3-year-old gelding Macallan won the HH Sheikh Mansoor Bin Zayed Al Nahyan Global Arabian Horse Flat Racing Festival’s Wathba Stud Farm Sprint Cup, a Group race held in Sweden.

The 1200-metre Wathba Stud Farm Sprint Cup, a Group 3 race, was held on October 8 at the Jagersro Racecourse with ten runners in contention.

Anna Pilroth rode the Dahess son Macallan to a narrow win over Ghallab under Per-Anders Graberg.

Macallan jumped smartly off along with Niraan (Fabienne De Geer astride), who waited for nobody and took command directly. Belgian raiders Victor and Zafina were slow into their stride and were chased up to lie a couple of lengths off Niraan's pace with Macallan on their outside and Ghallab following in the slipstream.

Coming into the straight Macallan had put his hooks in Niraan and with the Belgians fading rapidly; pre-race favourite Ghallab was the only danger. The pair put in a fair fight, but in the end Macallan prevailed by a neck with a game Niraan in third from Bisht and Al Janoob finishing well over a trip too short to be suitable.

On behalf of the Festival Mats Genberg - Chairman of the Scandinavian Arabian Racing Association and Secretary of IFAHR, handed over the prizes to the owners Stall Apperitiffe and Bodil Blomqvist, who also trains the winner, and to the winning jockey Anna Pilroth.

Pilroth on Macallan had won the Caesar Arabian Sprint in Stockholm on August 26 and also won the Ramonia Cup in Gotenburg also in Sweden on September 13 and now is unbeaten in three starts after this prestigious Group 3 Wathba Stud Farm Sprint Cup win.

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, Bloom, Petromal, Rise General Trading Co. LLC, Hayatna, 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, 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 courtesy Stefan Olsson