Polish jockey strikes on Unique De La Garde

Abu Dhabi - Szczepan Mazur partnered unfancied Unique De La Garde to victory in the third round of the HH Sheikh Mansoor bin Zayed Al Nahyan Global Arabian Horse Flat Racing Festival’s Wathba Stud Farm Cup For Private Owners Only Purebred Arabian Conditions over 2200m at the Abu Dhabi Equestrian Club on Sunday, November 30.

Having opened his UAE account at Al Ain on Saturday afternoon, the Polish jockey Mazur promptly doubled his count on Unique De La Garde. 

As with his Al Ain winner, this one was saddled by Ibrahim Al Hadhrami, with whom the young Pole is based.
“Two winners in two days is a great surprise", said the jockey. “I have only had 14 rides so I have to be very pleased. I had a good season in Poland with 67 winners and am really enjoying this experience.”

“I’m truly happy for trainer Ibrahim Al Hadhrami who did a very good job to prepare the horse after a one year layoff,” said the winning jockey. “He was always surprising me after the fast break and never let me down in the concluding stages when attacked by the heavy traffic from behind,” he added.

However, the six-year-old son of Dormane left the machines very quickly to lead and make virtually all to cross the line by a length and a half ahead of fast finishing Swwing under Gerald Avranche.

Al Hadhrami commented: “We have been working with him and he was training very well in the last few weeks. I didn’t expect him to win, but he started well and dictated to show his stamina when it mattered.”

“I would like to thank HH Sheikh Mansoor bin Zayed Al Nahyan, UAE Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Presidential Affairs for all his support for the Arabian horse breeders and owners not within the UAE alone, but around the globe,” he added.

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), National Archives, 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