Al Mehairi wins Al Wathba Cup

Results Al Wathba Cup - Results 80 km Qualifier

Abu Dhabi, UAE - Saeed Mohammed Khalifa Al Mehairi, winner of the 160-km Three-star HH President’s Cup ride in February, served notice of his intentions in defending his title in the big ride to be again held on February 13 next year with a superb win in Saturday’s 100-km Al Wathba Cup for Private Owners Endurance Ride at the Emirates International Endurance Village in Al Wathba, Abu Dhabi, on December 26.

Al Mehairi rode 7-year-old Esraar to a narrow win over Uruguay’s Jonatan Rivera Iriarte on HH Ciabu in the four-stage ride.

Al Mehairi who won the President’s Cup on Murieb, was 17th after the first 40kms and then moved into 7th place after the next 25 kms. The young UAE ace then took the lead after the next 19kms with the Uruguayan Iriarte serving up a steady pace in third place. At the end it was a close tussle and the UAE rider on Esraar finished 34 seconds ahead of his rival to score another emphatic win.

Rashed Ahmed Al Bloushi on Dakar Al Oasis finished third for the UAE qwhile the next three spots were takesn by riders from India, Pakistan, Uruguay before the UAE’s lady rider Shathra Al Hajjaj on Rafaela took the 7th place to make up for her close friend Nesreen Khasro’s elimination after her horse Castlebar Caviar failed to clear the final vet check due to metabolic reasons.

HH Sheikh Shakhbout Bin Nahyan Al Nahyan, Chairman of the Emirates Equestrian Federation attended Saturday’s ride and three other Qualifiers rides were also held along with the 100-km Al Wathba Cup for Private Owners Endurance Ride.
Adnan Sultan Al Nuaimi, Director General of Abu Dhabi Equestrian Club and Head of the Ride’s Organising Committee gave away the trophies and keys to three cars for the top three riders.

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