Gold Coast stages two Wathba Stud Farm Cup races

Reid River R-Mani, Djehlbi on target

Reid River R-Mani and Djehlbi emerged winners in the HH Sheikh Mansoor Bin Zayed Al Nahyan Global Arabian Horse Flat Racing Festival’s Wathba Stud Farm Cup races as the globe-trotting series made its debut at the Gold Coast Turf Club in Australia on Saturday, September 3.

The Festival staged two races in its Wathba Stud Farm Cup series and Reid River R-Mani won the first of the two races under Benjamin Jewitt while Djehlbi under Isabella Teh won the second.

In the first race, run over 1200 metres, Reid River R-Mani, owned by Cassie Saunders and trained by Anthony Mountney was  driven to a superb finish by Benjamin Jewitt to win by 3.5 lengths from Aloha Natalis, a horse owned, trained and ridden by Jill Colwell. Running into third place was Keisha, ridden by Isabella Teh, owned and trained by Jay Randle. The winning time was 1:25.67.

Isabelle Teh and Djehlbi had won the Festival’s Sheikh Zayed Bin Sultan Al Nahyan Cup at Sportingbet Park in January 2015 and on Saturday the two were back to winning ways in the second Wathba Stud Farm Cup race.

Run over 1400 metres, Djehlbi under Teh demolished the eight-horse field to win by over 12.5 lengths from Justice For All MI under Benjamin Jewitt. Aloha Desert Jewel finished third under Jill Colwell. Owned and trained by Michelle Amos, Djehlbi finished in a time of 1:36.97.

The Mayor of Gold Coast Mr. Tom Tate, Equine Racing Solutions Director Mr. Michael Rollston, Gold Coast Turf Club President Brett Cook along with Ange Rudzki gave away the trophies to the winning connections of the two races.

“We are very pleased with the success of our first ever races under the Festival’s banner at the Gold Coast Turf Club,” said Ms. Lara Sawaya, Executive Director of the HH Sheikh Mansoor Bin Zayed Al Nahyan Global Arabian Horse Flat Racing Festival, Chairperson of the Int’l Federation of Horse Racing Academies (IFHRA) and Chairperson of Ladies & Apprentice Racing Committees in the International Federation of Arabian Horse Racing Authorities (IFAHR).

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, with National Feed and Flour Production and Marketing Co. LLC as associate sponsors, IPIC as Strategic Partner, The  National Archives as the official partner and Emirates airline as the official carriers, in cooperation with Emirates Racing Authority, IFAHR, Emirates Arabian Horse Society, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, General Authority of Youth and Sports Welfare  and sponsored by Al Aweer Stables, Ayadii LLC, Global United Veterinary Services LLC, Bloom, Petromal, Rise General Trading Co. LLC, Hayatna, Wathba Stallions, Abu Dhabi Falconers Club, Emirates Falconers Club,  Mohamed Bin Zayed Falconry and Desert Physiognomy School, Abu Dhabi National Exhibition Centre (ADNEC), Al Awani General Enterprises, Kabale, Omeir Travels, Dr Nader Saab Switzerland, Laboratories Fadia Karam Cosmetics, YAS Channel, Racing Post, Paris Turf,  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 2016, Abu Dhabi Equestrian Club, Eastern Mangroves Suites-Abu Dhabi by Jannah, Anantara Eastern Mangroves Spa and Resort.

Source: HH SH Mansoor Global Arabian Flat Racing Festival / Satya Narayan
Photo: Nadine Frampton