Karimah wins Zayed Cup in Toulouse

HH Sheikh Mansoor Festival’s premier race series ends international campaign

Karimah, a 3-year-old filly owned by the Royal Cavalry of Oman and bred by HH Sheikh Mansoor Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, UAE Deputy Prime Minister if Minister of Presidential Affairs was ridden to a thrilling victory by Francois-Xavier Bertras in the Sheikh Zayed Bin Sultan Al Nahyan Cup (Group 2)-French Arabian Breeder's Challenge in Toulouse, France on Thursday, October 27.

The Francois Rohaut-trained Munjiz filly edged out pre-race favourite Diva Du Paon under Christophe Soumillon to win by a neck in a time of 1:48.97 for the 1600-metre distance.

Muneera (David Michaux astride) finished third while Daisy Des Vialettes under Roberto-Carlos Montenegro finished fourth in the Euros 45,000 race which brought the curtain down on the international campaign of the HH Sheikh Mansoor Bin Zayed Al Nahyan Global Arabian Horse Flat Racing Festival’s premier race series.

The race was held under the patronage of His Highness Sheikh Mansoor Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, UAE Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Presidential Affairs.

In the very next race, Bertras completed a double when he rode Jamaayil, a 4-year-old filly owned by HH Sheikh Hamdan Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Dubai Deputy Ruler and UAE Minister of Finance, to victory in the French Arabian Breeder's Challenge Sprint, another Group 2 event with a purse of Euros 45,000.

For the second time big race jockey Christophe Soumillon had to rest content with a second-place finish on Ghazwah as Jamaayil under Bertras made no mistake for trainer Phil Collington.

The Royal Cavalry of Oman also completed a double when the Charles Gourdain-trained Nafees under Valentin Seguy won the French Arabian Breeder's Challenge (Colts & Geldings), Group 2 race ahead of Al Mounteze Monlau under Jean-Bernard Eyquem.

In the fourth Group 2 race of Thursday’s meeting, Khatab was driven to a winning finish by Jerome Cabre for Qatar’s Al Shaqab Racing. HH Sheikh Mansoor’s Ziyadd finished second under Jean-Bernard Eyquem.

Commenting on Karimah’s win in the Sheikh Zayed Bin Sultan Al Nahyan Cup (Group 2)-French Arabian Breeder's Challenge, winning jockey Bertras said, “She is a great filly with a lot of potential and this is her second successive win in two career starts. She is sired by Munjiz, which is currently one of the leading stallions in Europe.

Bertras also praised the performance of his second winner, Jamaayil, the 4-year-old filly owned by  HH Sheikh Hamdan Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Dubai Deputy Ruler and UAE Minister of Finance, in the French Arabian Breeder's Challenge (Group 2) Sprint. “Jamayil showed her class in a quality field and she is also one for the future,” 39-year-old Frenchman said after his grand double for the day.

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) said, “It was a fittingly thrilling race that ended the Festival’s Sheikh Zayed Bin Sultan Al Nahyan Cup series which will now culminate in the Euros 1.2 million Sheikh Zayed Bin Sultan Al Nahyan Cup Crown Jewel-IPIC (Group 1) – the richest race in the world for Purebred Arabian horses on November 13, 2016 in Abu Dhabi.”

“Today’s races were of the highest order and a large crowd had turned out for the meeting. We will now focus on the ‘One World, 6 Continents’  extravaganza of the Festival which will see the world’s Purebred Arabian racing fraternity in attendance in Abu Dhabi from November 7 to 14, 2016,” she added.

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