Puerto Rican Apprentice qualifies for final of HH Sheikha Fatima World Championship

Owen saddles 1st and 3rd for HH Sheikh Hamdan in Lingfield Park

James Owen saddled the winner and third-placed horse for HH Sheikh Hamdan Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Dubai Deputy Ruler and Minister of Finance in the HH Sheikh Mansoor Bin Zayed Al Nahyan Global Arabian Horse Flat Racing Festival’s HH Sheikha Fatima Bint Mubarak Apprentice World Championship (IFAHR) race at Lingfield Park in the United Kingdom on Saturday, September 10.

Puerto Rican Evin Roman revealed a lot of promise as the 18-year-old steered the Owen-trained Emiraaty to edge past Aljawaaher under Ireland’s Keith Moriarty and win the 1600-metre race to qualify for the HH Sheikha Fatima Bint Mubarak Apprentice World Championship final to be held on November 13 in Abu Dhabi.

While just a neck separated Emiraaty and Aljawaaher, another HH Sheikh Hamdan-owned horse, Munbaher under Omani Apprentice Yahya Al Hamdani, finished third another length behind after leading for most of the race. Karar, winner of the last two runnings of the UK stage of the HH Sheikha Fatima Apprentice series, finished fourth under American Corey Mongan.

James Owen who trained the winner on behalf of HH Sheikh Hamdan Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, was pleased with the result saying. “It was a really good performance. Unfortunately Evin couldn’t speak any English, and I think this was his first time on an Arabian, however he got on great with him. The horse travelled really well and ran all the way to the line for him,” said Owen, who saddled his 8th winner for Sheikh Hamdan with a string of 12 Purebred Arabian horses in his yard.

“This is a great experience for me, I have never been to the UK before and now I am excited to be going for the final in Abu Dhabi,” said the winning Puerto Rican. It was his second win in 10 starts.

His Excellency Sulaiman Hamid Almazroui, the UAE Ambassador to the United Kingdom,  Dr. Abdulla Elreyes, Director General of the National Archives, Ms Lara Sawaya, Executive Director of the HH Sheikh Mansoor Bin Zayed Al Nahyan Global Arabian Horse Flat Racing Festival, Chairperson of 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), Genny Haynes, ARO Director and Amanda Smith, ARO Racing Manager were part of the officials involved in the prize distribution ceremony.

HE Al Mazroui said, “Today’s large crowd watched and enjoyed the Apprentice jockeys racing on Purebred Arabians. The British know their horse racing and every event of the HH Sheikh Mansoor Festival have been fully appreciated by all those involved in promoting lady jockeys, Apprentice jockeys and Purebred Arabian racing.”

Ms Sawaya hailed the debut of an Apprentice jockey from Jordan in the HH Sheikh Mansoor Festival. “We will be inviting Milly Naseb to the final of the HH Sheikha Fatima Bint Mubarak Apprentice World Championship in Abu Dhabi on November 13. Today’s race is evidence of the promise that the jockeys of the future possess. There is one more race in this series to be held in Tarbes, France next month,” she said.

ARO Racing Manager, Amanda Smith commented. “The race produced a really exciting finish and will be a memorable experience for Evin Roman. It was also a great way to end to the extensive range of HH Sheikh Mansoor Festival-sponsored races held in the UK this year.”

Genny Haynes, ARO Director, added, “It has been wonderful to be able to host another stage of the HH Sheikha Fatima Bint Mubarak Apprentice series, held this year at Lingfield Park, following previous events at Sandown Park and Newbury. Our British racecourses are among the best in the world and we welcome the opportunity for the young jockeys to experience them.”

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: Morhaf Al Assaf