Young Scipioni partners ‘veteran’ Sartejano to victory

HH Sheikha Fatima World Championship race in Copenhagen

Nine-year-old Sartejano was back to winning ways carrying Italian Apprentice jockey Daniel Scipioni to a superb win in the HH Sheikh Mansoor Bin Zayed Al Nahyan Global Arabian Horse Flat Racing Festival’s HH Sheikha Fatima Bint Mubarak Apprentice World Championship race at the Klampenborg Racecourse, Copenhagen, Denmark on Saturday, August 7.

It was a sizzling display by the 20-year-old from Italy as he rode the former ‘veteran’ star from Diana Dorenburg’s yard to a great win in the 7-furlong contest which was watched by nearly 30,000 fans.

Sartejano, a son of Dormane, had been a great champion when winning the European bonus of Euros 30,000 Festival’s Sheikh Zayed Bin Sultan Al Nahyan Cup way back in 2011.

However with just one win in 2015 and up to Saturday’s race, Sartejano was not one of the favourites going into the race but the Italian Scipioni seized a gap as they turned for home and battled away with Mad Makz under Fanny Olsson making a determined bid on the outside.

Sartejano had enough to steer clear of the Swedish raider while in third place was pre-race favourite Athlete Del Sol under British Apprentice Rhiain Ingram.

The winner took 1.33 minutes and with this win Scipioni qualifies for the final in Abu Dhabi on November 6.

“I am very happy. This is only my fourth career win and I only got a license to race earlier this year,” said the Italian who has ridden in 24 races so far. Frankie Dettori is the man that Scipioni idolizes and the Italian said he is looking forward to the trip to Abu Dhabi.

HE Sultan Rashid Al Kaitoob, the UAE Ambassador to Sweden, Denmark and Finland along with 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), Chairperson of Ladies & Apprentice Racing Committees in the International Federation of Arabian Horse Racing Authorities (IFAHR) attended the prize distribution ceremony.

“August 6 is the anniversary of the accession as Ruler of Abu Dhabi of the late Sheikh Zayed Bin Sultan Al Nahyan and this big race being held here is quite appropriate as Sheikh Zayed was one of the main promoters of Purebred Arabian racing. We are proud to stage this race here in Denmark and I thank HH Sheikh Mansoor Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Presidential Affairs for his support to Arabian racing,” HE Al Kaitoob said.

Ms Sawaya hailed the success of the young Italian jockey and said the Festival was happy with the progress of the race series for Apprentice jockeys. “I thank Her Highness Sheikha Fatima Bint Mubarak, Chairwoman of the General Women's Union, Supreme President of the Family Development Foundation (FDF) and Head of the Supreme Council for Motherhood and Childhood for her support to this series which is really making a huge difference to the aspiring jockeys. This is our first big race here in Denmark and we are delighted with the success,” Ms Sawaya stated.

Nicholas Cordrey, Chief Executive of Klapenborg Galopbane said,”The HH Sheikha Fatima Bint Mubarak Apprentice World Championship is a great opportunity for the Apprentice jockeys to experience different countries and racing conditions.”

“These jockeys must remain cool, learn more about the sport and the competition and this will help in their progress. It was a great win by the young Italian today,” he 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