Wathba Stud Farm Cup meeting held in Hereford

Simon Walker / Callymay

Callymay win keeps Thomas, Walker on top

Hereford, UK - Delyth Thomas’s Callymay stole the thunder in the eight-race Wathba Stud Farm Cup meeting held in Hereford on Sunday, June 5 under the umbrella of the HH Sheikh Mansoor Bin Zayed Al Nahyan Global Arabian Horse Flat Racing Festival.

Callymay made it three on the bounce this season, when winning at the Hereford racecourse in the meeting organised by the Arabian Racing Organisation (ARO). The win by the 6-year-old mare, owned and trained locally by Thomas, maintains the trainer’s grip on the Arabian Racing Organisation (ARO) 2016 Championship, and also kept Simon Walker at the top of the Jockey’s Championship too. Walker has won the jockey’s title no less than nine times, including last season.

Thomas commented. “She ran a blinder today. She loves racing and she’s entered at Bath on Saturday, so she’ll probably go there next. I certainly never expected to be leading the Trainer’s Championship at this stage of the season. It’s very exciting.”

The feature race of the day - the Wathba Stallions (0-95) Handicap stakes over a mile and a furlong, saw a decisive win by Sunbulla, drawing clear of her nearest rival by eight lengths. A daughter of the  deceased stallion Monsieur Al Maury, she is a half sister to his Dubai International Stakes (Group 1) winner Al Hibaab. Trained by Phil Collington, she formed the second leg of a double for the first season handler, who won the opening maiden with an Athbah Stud homebred, Dossar Athbah.

Collington was delighted saying: “Dossar Athbah is a lovely horse. We thought going into his first run today he could be a bit green, as he has taken his time to come to hand, but it was a nice performance to win like he did and having the second and third as well was great too. We’ll see what rating he gets on Tuesday and make a decision from there.

He continued, “Sunbulla could have run at the opening meeting at Chelmsford, but I just wasn’t happy with her and this was the next most suitable opportunity. She has clearly loved the ground, but I didn’t think she would win as well as she did. DIAR is obviously a possible target, but we’ll see how she comes out of the race and let the Boss decide.”

Amanda Smith, ARO Racing Manager commented. “The weather was kind to us again and we had some very competitive racing today, which the crowd undoubtedly enjoyed. We look forward to returning here for the next HH Sheikh Mansoor Festival meeting on 7 August.”

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