Selvaratnam’s ‘Joyous Dream’ in Wathba Stud Farm Cup win

Al Ain, UAE - Dhruba Selvaratnam, the soft-spoken trainer who has been handling horses in the UAE for over 25 years, scored a superb win as an owner of a Purebred Arabian horse in the HH Sheikh Mansoor Bin Zayed Al Nahyan Global Arabian Horse Flat Racing Festival’s Wathba Stud Farm Cup For Private Owners held in Al Ain on Friday, February 12.

It was Joyous Dream, an 8-year-old gelding under Christopher Hayes that provided tremendous joy to Selvaratnam with a comfortable win in the Dh 80,000 race staged by the HH Sheikh Mansoor Festival to encourage small and private owners in the UAE.

Joyous Dream led in the final 100 metres to win by over three lengths from Djelila Al Mels under Szczepan Mazur while Circ Du Paon under Richard Mullen was third.

“The horse won well and I am happy to strike with my only Purebred Arabian horse,” said Selvaratnam, who owns five horses and Joyous Dream being the only Purebred Arabian.

Selvaratnam, a four-time UAE champion trainer who holds the record for saddling most winners in a season with 67, said he enjoys training Purebred Arabian horses as much as he handles thoroughbreds and said the UAE has some of the best Purebred Arabians racing currently.

“The Festival of HH Sheikh Mansoor Bin Zayed Al Nahyan has staged many such races in Abu Dhabi and Al Ain for private and small owners and this gives us more opportunities,” he 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 Partner, 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 with  and sponsored by 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, Viola Communications, 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