HH Sheikh Mansoor’s Thakif wins President’s Cup

Second successive Group 1 win for the Mahabb son

Thakif, owned by HH Sheikh Mansoor Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, UAE Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Presidential Affairs was once again on target when winning the Dh 3 million Group 1 HH The President Cup for Purebred Arabian horses at the Abu Dhabi Equestrian Club racecourse on Sunday, February 14.

In last year’s running, Thakif  and Bentley had crossed the line first in the HH President’s Cup chased home by Abu Alabyad but Thakif subsequently lost the race with Abu Alabyad promoted to first following a Stewards’ inquiry.

History repeated when  the Nacer Samiri-trained Thakif held off his old rival to win the 2016 renewal by half a length providing HH Sheikh Mansoor with a third win in the race in four years.

Bred by Sheikh Mansoor, Thakif has been a consistent performer, and Mahabb his sire is a UAE bred star, currently standing at Wathba Stallions.

It was Thakif’s second successive win after the 8-year-old Mahabb son had won the Maktoum Challenge (Round 1) on January 7 in Meydan under Patrick Dobbs.

Bentley, reunited with Thakif came up with a strong run on the home stretch to win by a half-a-length from the Gerald Avranche-ridden Abu Alabyad.

Drawn 14 in a full field of 16, Bentley was soon able to get a good position in behind the early speed, which was frantic, with first Namrood and then Shaheer, stable companions of Abu Alabyad, setting a searing gallop.

The eight-year-old was poised just behind the pace when Shaheer cried enough on the home turn and 400 metres out was sent for home opening a large gap on his rivals.

Abu Alabyad gave chase, but never looked likely to bridge the gap to the obvious delight of the winning jockey.

“This is horse is really special to me and this brings back memories of 12 months ago,” said Bentley. “Any jockey will tell you we need good horses to get ourselves noticed and Thakif has been a big help to me.”

 “He is so versatile regarding trip and stayed really well tonight. I thought 2200m stretched him but he was still going at the line. We had a bad draw so it was important to get a good position. Once we did, I was always happy. As he has aged he has become more straightforward for a jockey and this was a top performance,” Bentley said.

In the HH Sheikh Mansoor Bin Zayed Al Nahyan Global Arabian Horse Flat Racing Festival’s Wathba Stud Farm Cup race for Private Owners, Dere’A Al Jazeera under Sam Hitchcott gave trainer Saifaldin Deeb a smart victory.

Having last won a race in December 2014, the 7-year-old son of Dahess finally got back to winning ways in the seven-furlong Dh 80,000 race.

Hitchcott took Dere’A Al Jazeera to the lead with about 200 metres left and from then on it was a comfortable win with Al Shabab under Marc Monaghan in second followed by AF Ashras under Tadhg O’Shea.

In the Thoroughbred version of HH The President Cup (1400m), a Listed contest,  Ghameer,  trained by Ali Rashid Al Raihe and ridden by Paul Hanagan, lifted the prize after leading nearly all the way.

HH Sheikh Nahyan Bin Mubarak Al Nahyan, UAE Minister of Culture, Youth and Community Development, attended the race meeting on Sunday along with all the delegates who were in Abu Dhabi to attend the International Federation of Horse Racing Academies (IFHRA) General Assembly meeting.

Ms Lara Sawaya, Executive Director of the HH Sheikh Mansoor Bin Zayed Al Nahyan Global Arabian Horse Flat Racing Festival, Chairperson of the International Federation of Horse Racing Academies (IFHRA) and Chairperson of Ladies & Apprentice Racing Committees in the International Federation of Arabian Horse Racing Authorities (IFAHR) congratulated HH Sheikh Mansoor on the victory of Thakif in the prestigious HH The President of the UAE Cup for Purebred Arabian races.

“We had over 300 guests from all over the world and with a large local band of fans at the ADEC racecourse, it was a great race meeting and the Purebred Arabian horses unleashed exciting runs,” she 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, in cooperation with Emirates Racing Authority, IFAHR, Emirates Arabian Horse Society, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, General Authority of Youth and Sports Welfare with The National Archives as the official partner and Emirates airline as the official carriers and sponsored by Invest AD, Bloom, Petromal, Rise General Trading Co. LLC, Hayatna, Abu Dhabi National Exhibition Centre (ADNEC), Al Awani General Enterprises, Kabale, 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 2015, Dr. Nader Saab Switzerland, Al Wathba Center, Abu Dhabi Equestrian Club, Eastern Mangroves Suites-Abu Dhabi by Jannah, Yas Channel, Omeir Travels, Racing Post, Paris Turf and Laboratories Fadia Karam Cosmetics.

Source: HH SH Mansoor Global Arabian Flat Racing Festival / Satya Narayan
Photo: Shamela Hanley