Sheikh Zayed Bin Sultan Al Nahyan Diamond Jewel race
in Los Alamitos

Paddys Day looks set to wear Triple Crown

Los Alamitos, California - It is the Los Alamitos racetrack here in California that will see the culmination of the HH Sheikh Mansoor Bin Zayed Al Nahyan Global Arabian Horse Flat Racing Festival’s newly-introduced Sheikh Zayed Bin Sultan Al Nahyan Cup series’ Triple Jewel competition.

After the Amethyst Jewel and Emerald Jewel legs of the Festival’s Triple Jewel in Houston and Pleasanton respectively, the third and final race of this inaugural competition for Purebred Arabians, which carries an additional bonus of US$ 150,000 to the top finisher of the series, is all set to enthrall the fans on Saturday, September 19.

The Sheikh Zayed Bin Sultan Al Nahyan Diamond Jewel is a Grade Two contest over a mile and has attracted 11 runners.

 Paddys Day looks set to enter the record books as the first winner of the Triple Jewel having already garnered 15 points from a second place (7 points) finish to Burning Fleet in Houston on March 7 and a superb win (8 points) in Pleasanton in the second leg.

Trained by Scott Powell for Quarter Moon Ranch LLC, Paddys Day has been the star Purebred Arabian in the US having won six of his seven starts this year including an 18 3/4 length victory in the Grade III COBRA Classic at Arapahoe Park and theSheikh Zayed Bin Sultan Arabian Cup Emerald Jewel Race in Pleasanton.

Kelsi Purcell will once again be aboard the four-year-old and a win on Saturday will be a crowning glory for the Burning Sand son.

But standing in the way of Paddys Day are 10 other runners including three-time Darley Award winning mare Ms Dixie, veteran So Big Is Better and some quality contenders in Ayers, By Golly Its Hot, Es Mi Cielo and Sand On Fire. Twice Rich, RB Rich and RB Brilliant complete the 11-horse field.

Trained by Arnold Bardin, So Big Is Better has won three of 10 starts this season and will be ridden by Robert Paz but the Burning Sand son has a career record of 28 wins and will be bidding to stop the young star Paddys Day.

Ramon Guce will ride Ms Dixie, the daughter of Burning Sands for trainer Scott Powell and the 7-year-old mare has had a fair share of success winning seven of her 14 starts in the last two years and could be a danger to Paddys Day.

“We expect a great finish to this new series for the US Purebred Arabians and this Sheikh Zayed Bin Sultan Al Nahyan Triple Jewel series has already become very popular with the connections here,” said

Ms Lara Sawaya, Executive Director of the 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 Committees in the International Federation of Arabian Horse Racing Authorities (IFAHR).

“This is another initiative by HH Sheikh Mansoor Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, UAE Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Presidential Affairs, who felt the need for a Triple Jewel series in the US like the Triple Crown in Europe. This series will go a long way in keeping the competition on at the highest level of Arabian racing,” she said.

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: Morhaf Al Assaf