Thess Is Awesome stuns Paddy’s Day

Inaugural HH Sheikha Fatima Bint Mubarak Darley Awards Stakes (Grade 1) in Santa Anita Park

One of the top trainers in America has been on cloud nine for the last 48 hours! On Friday night Lynn Ashby was named the Darley US Award winner as Best Trainer and since it was the 8th time she was winning that accolade she put that in perspective. But about an hour later she was back on stage and this time she received the HH Sheikha Fatima Bint Mubarak International Award as Best Trainer and this was global recognition.

If that was not enough, Ashby was choked with emotion at the Santa Anita Park racecourse on Saturday evening after Travis Wales shot off to a pillar-to-post victory on Thess Is Awesome and in the bargain got the better of the mighty Paddy’s Day under Kelsi Purcell. It was a fitting result to the first-ever HH Sheikha Fatima Bint Mubarak Darley Awards Stakes, a Grade 1 race with a prize fund of US$ 100,000.

Another debut of a HH Sheikh Mansoor Bin Zayed Al Nahyan Global Arabian Horse Flat Racing Festival race at one of the most famous racecourses ended in a huge triumph as racing fans waited much after the 10 Thoroughbreds races were over to stay, wager and watch the Purebred Arabians display their immense racing ability.

The win also meant that Ashby, Travis and Thess Is Awesome are now on their way to the world’s richest race for Purebred Arabians in Abu Dhabi in November – the Euros 1.2 million Sheikh Zayed Bin Sultan Jewel Crown (Group 1).

In the 10-horse field, winner of the Sheikh Zayed Bin Sultan Al Nahyan Cup Triple Jewel series last year Paddy’s Day was the huge favourite particularly after his win Sheikh Zayed Bin Sultan Al Nahyan Cup – Amethyst Jewel, a Grade 1 race at the Sam Houston Race Park in Texas on March 5 this year. The Scott Powell-trained Paddy’s Day had also scooped up two Darley Awards – Best 4-year-old and the coveted Horse of the Year award on the previous night.

But Travis took Thess Is Awesome to the front right at the start and then after having mustered a good lead waited for the others to come close before he pressed the button and the 6-year-old Dahess son responded with a nearly two-length win over Paddy’s Day. Easter Man under Edwin Maldonado and Quick And Rich under Janelle Campbell  finished third and fourth in the 1700-metre race.

“I always knew he had the ability and today he was a class act. That is his style of running,” said Travis, commenting on his horse’s wire-to-wire win.

“This is the first time I have ever ridden in Santa Anita Park and it is great to finish on top of a quality field,” the 24-year-old said.

“If the HH Sheikha Bint Mubarak International Award yesterday (Friday) was something I had never expected, now this win in this Group 1 race is another huge success for me,” she said.

Though November is a long way off, Ashby is looking forward for her star runner to be safe and make the trip to Abu Dhabi and compete in the world’s richest race. “It was in 2001 that I shipped Dreams of Valour to take part in the Dubai Kahayla Classic on Dubai World Cup night but my horse could not take part due to injury. Now I hope I can fulfill that dream and finally have a runner in the UAWE, which has the best Purebred Arabian racing in the world,” said Ashby.

HE Abdulla Al Subose, UAE Consul General in Los Angeles, Abu Dhabi Sports Council General Secretary Aref Alawani, Sheikh Hamdan bin Suroor Al Sharqi from Invest AD, Sultan Aouda, Managing Director of National Feed & Flour Production & Marketing Company (LLC), Mansour Al Mansouri, Khalid Al Hammadi of GAYSC, Adnan Sultan Al Nuaimi of ADEC, Denise Gault of ARC and Ms Lara Sawaya, Executive Director of HH Sheikh Mansoor Bin Zayed Al Nahyan Global Arabian Horse Flat Racing Festival, Chairperson of the International Federation of Horse Racing Academies (IFHRA), Chairperson of Ladies & Apprentice Racing Committees in the International Federation of Arabian Horse Racing Authorities (IFAHR) among others gave away the trophies.

HE Abdulla Al Subose said, “The HH Sheikh Mansoor Festival’s presence in the US is gaining ground and this new race in the name of HH Sheikha Fatima Bint Mubarak, Mother of the world is another great addition. With such a large crowd attending the future of Arabian racing seems to be very secure.”

“As announced yesterday during the HH Sheikha Fatima Bint Mubarak Darley International Awards, the winner Thess Is Awesome will now be invited to Abu Dhabi for the world’s richest Purebred Arabian race. The winning trainer Lynn Ashby’s success over the two days has been a great advertisement for women in racing and we thank HH Sheikh Fatima Bint Mubarak, Mother of the World for her support,” Ms Sawaya said.

“The HH Sheikh Mansoor Bin Zayed Al Nahyan Global Arabian Horse Flat Racing Festival has contributed $100,000 to the Permanently Disabled Jockeys' Fund apart from today’s race prize fund of US $ 100,000,” she added.

The fans fully participated in the Festival-initiated ‘Best Hat & Best Fashion Competitions’ and this was a huge hit with the ladies. Prizes included a ROLEX watch,  a trip to Rome for the winner and a guest to the World Arabian Horse Racing Conference in Italy from May 24-30, 2016 and a CHOPARD necklace. There were also three all-inclusive trip giveaways to Abu Dhabi through a free raffle draw.

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 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, 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