Thabit, Mirna make it a 1-2 for HH Sheikh Mansoor in Tarbes, Pau

Thabit and Mirna, owned by His Highness Sheikh Mansoor Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, UAE Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Presidential Affairs, finished 1-2 in the final qualifying leg of the HH Sheikha Fatima Bint Mubarak Apprentice World Championship (IFAHR) race at the Tarbes racecourse in Pau, France, on Sunday, October 16.

Apprentice jockey Kersley Ramsamy from Mauritius steered Thabit, the 4-year-old son of Munjiz to a narrow win over Mirna (Germany’s Robin Weber from Germany astride), the 4-year-old daughter of Mahabb, adding more success to the Wathba Stallions and HH Sheikh Mansoor.

It was Mirna that did all the early running in the 1500-metre race with Argonaute under Anaelle Mekouche following while Ramsamy had to negotiate the field after starting from stall 11 in the 12-horse race.

The Mauritian on the Ferederic Sancez-trained Thabit however moved up and joined the Charles Gourdain-trained Mirna under Weber in the battle over the final furlong before edging past to win the Euros 20,000 race in a time of 1:39.40.

Argonaute under Anaelle Mekouche ran into third place while Gjobat Bahar under Oman’s Yahya Bin Juma Al Hamdani was fourth.

The race, the 6th and final in the Apprentice World Championship series, was held under the directives of His Highness Sheikh Mansoor Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, UAE Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Presidential Affairs with support from Her Highness Sheikha Fatima Bint Mubarak, Mother of the UAE, Chairperson of the General Women’s Union, Supreme Chairperson of the Family Development Foundation and Chairwoman of the Supreme Council for Motherhood.

The winning Mauritian Apprentice said, “I am truly very happy with the win. It was a difficult race to start from stall 11 but my horse showed great speed in overcoming that hurdle. I am looking forward to the experience of competing in the final in Abu Dhabi.”

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), Adnan Sultan Al Nuaimi, Director General of Abu Dhabi Equestrian Club and Martial Boisseuil, Racing Manager (Europe) for HH Sheikh Mansoor were among others who gave away the trophies.

“This is a great victory for HH Sheikh Mansoor and his Purebred Arabian breeding operations and we congratulate him on the 1-2 finish,” said Ms. Lara Sawaya.

“With today’s result we have six Apprentice jockeys who have won the six qualifying legs and they will be joined by 10 others in the HH Sheikha Fatima Bint Mubarak Apprentice World Championship (IFAHR) final on November 13 in Abu Dhabi,” she said.

“The remaining 10 Apprentice jockeys will come from the member countries of the International Federation of Horse Racing Academies (IFHRA). The Abu Dhabi-based IFHRA has 86 countries as its members with the latest to join being Cyprus, Greece and Spain,” Ms. Sawaya added.
Commenting on 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- which will also be held on November 13, Ms. Sawaya said, “The final field of 16 horses will be confirmed on October 19 or 20, 2016.”

Adnan Sultan said the Abu Dhabi Equestrian Club was ready for the November 13 finale. “That will be the season’s first meeting for Abu Dhabi and will also host all the premier races of the HH Sheikh Mansoor Festival finale,” he said.

Martial Boisseuil, Racing Manager (Europe) for HH Sheikh Mansoor said he was expecting a good run from Thabit. “Thabit has been in good form and I expected him to win. We will now look at a race in Toulouse for Thabit next,” the Frenchman said.

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