Al Naboodah’s 1-2-3 brings curtain down on UAE’s
Wathba Stud Farm Cup series

Khalid Khalifa Al Naboodah’s domination of Purebred Arabian racing in the UAE and in the HH Sheikh Mansoor Bin Zayed Al Nahyan Global Arabian Horse Flat Racing Festival’s Wathba Stud Farm Cup For Private Owners races in Abu Dhabi bore fruit.

In Sunday’s final race meeting in Abu Dhabi for the 2016-17 season, Al Naboodah saw three horses bred and owned by him, finished 1-2-3 in the Wathba Stud Farm Cup For Private Owners. That dramatic 1-2-3 success was enough to clinch the UAE’s owners’ championship for Al Naboodah, with Doug Watson and Richard Mullen having earlier been confirmed as Champion Trainer and Jockey respectively.

Tadhg O’Shea produced the Ernst Oertel-trained AF Maher to lead close home, denying stable companion AF Al Almaa under Harry Bentley. AF Ssayeb, who was saddled by Maria Ritchie and ridden by Fernando Jara, ran into third place in the final race of both the Wathba Stud Farm Cup as well as of Abu Dhabi Equestrian Club for 2016-17.

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), Adnan Sultan Al Nuaimi, Director General of the Abu Dhabi Equestrian Club and Mussalam Al Amri of Al Jazira Stables gave away the trophies to the winners of the Wathba Stud Farm Cup.

“We congratulate Khalid Khalifa Al Naboodah who has been such a strong supporter of the Festival and its race series. The 2016-17 season saw the Festival’s Wathba Stud Farm Cup for Private Owners run both here in Abu Dhabi and Al Ain and most of these races provided a lot of excitement to the fans,” Ms. Sawaya 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