Sahabba wins Zayed Cup in Belgium

It was a great race meeting at the Wellington race track in Ostend, Belgium on Monday, August 17, as Sahabba was spot on with a win in the Sheikh Zayed Bin Sultan Al Nahyan Cup (Group 3) while Briton Page Fuller clinched a berth in the HH Sheikha Fatima Bint Mubarak Ladies World Championship.

Sahabba under Jean-Baptiste Hamel finished ahead of Labwah while Athlete Del Sol ran into third place in the 1600 metres turf contest which carried a purse of Euros 35,000.

British lady jockey Page Fuller rode Victor to victory in the HH Sheikha Fatima Bint Mubarak Ladies World Championship race and became the 13th to qualify for November 8th finals in Abu Dhabi.

Page Fuller and Victor

Zafina DA under Jan Alexandria finished second while Warko Du Cayrou under Hungarian Hana Jurankovah finished in third place in the Euros 30,000 race.

In the third race supported by the HH Sheikh Mansoor Bin Zayed Al Nahyan Global Arabian Horse Flat Racing Festival, Italian Andrea Fele scored a superb win on Alibaba Del Sol in the HH Sheikha Fatima Bint Mubarak Apprentice World Championship (IFAHR) to give trainer Karin van den Bos another success in the Festival.

Fele on Alibaba Del Sol topped the Euros 20,000 race with a timing of 2:31.70 with Paramour T under Belgian Valerie Debruyne and Dicky under French jockey Isis Magnin in second and third place respectively.

Andrea Fele scored a superb win on Alibaba Del Sol

HE Sulaiman Al Mazroui, UAE Ambassador to Belgium, Adnan Sultan Al Nuaimi, director of the Abu Dhabi Equestrian Club, 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), Chairperson of Ladies & Apprentice Racing Committees in the International Federation of Arabian Horse Racing Authorities (IFAHR) along with other dignitaries attended the prize distribution.

“This is a great way to showcase our heritage and culture and also at the same time boost UAE-Belgium ties,” said the UAE envoy Al Mazroui.

Ms Sawaya said, “Today all three races were exciting and now we have found the thirteen lady jockeys for the championship final on November 8. Belgium has had a proud past in Arabian racing and this was evident in the quality of racing today.”

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
Photos: Morhaf Al Assaf