AF Maqayes strikes again in Wathba Cup

Bred and owned by Khalid Khalifa Al Naboodah, AF Maqayes scored another dominating victory in the HH Sheikh Mansoor Bin Zayed Al Nahyan Global Arabian Horse Flat Racing Festival’s Wathba Stud Farm Cup For Private Owners held on Sunday, January 17, at the Abu Dhabi Equestrian Club.

The UAE-bred 4-year-old son of AF Al Buraq under Jockey Championship leader Tadhg O’Shea scored a 4-length victory over Al Shabab under Royston Ffrench with Love To Dance under Fernando Jara third in the Dh 80,000 race run over 1200-metres.

It is the fourth win for the Rashid Al Raihe-trained AF Maqayes in five starts with his only loss coming when finishing second in the Abu Dhabi Colts Classic. With this win the Emirati handler Al Raihe takes his tally for the season to 26, just four wins behind leader Doug Watson.

Madjanthis, another Wathba Stud Farm Cup winner this season, unseated rider Richard Mullen who fortunately was not hurt. But  AF Maqayes was well away and soon was cruising along for his second win at the Abu Dhabi Equestrian Club (ADEC) racecourse, his other two wins coming in Sharjah and Al Ain.

Adnan Sultan Al Nuaimi, Director General of ADEC, 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) and Muneera Al Marzouqi-Commercial Manager of the National Feed and Flour Production Company attended the prize distribution ceremony.

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 Paris Turf and Laboratories Fadia Karam Cosmetics.

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