MH Tawag under UAE champion jockey Tadhg O’Shea bags Wathba Cup in Abu Dhabi

In a thrilling finish, MH Tawag under UAE champion jockey Tadhg O’Shea won the HH Sheikh Mansoor Bin Zayed Al Nahyan Global Arabian Horse Flat Racing Festival’s Wathba Stud Farm Cup for Private Owners at the Abu Dhabi Equestrian Club racecourse on Sunday night, November 20.

O’Shea was in superb form riding MH Tawag for trainer Elise Jeanne in the 1600 meters conditions race carrying a prize fund of Dh 70,000.

His mount had to produce an ultra-game effort having been headed by the Patrick Dobbs-ridden Djelila Al Mels 300 meters’ from home.

MH Tawag dug deep to battle back and reclaims the initiative inside the final 100 metres and were always holding the renewed effort from that same rival.

A head separated the two while in third place was Ramadi Al Rawasi ridden by Sam Hitchcott.

It was the first win in six starts for the 4-year-old Bibi De Carrere, bred and owned by Mansoor Khalifa Sultan Bin Habtoor after a second-place finish to Af Ashras here on November 6.

O’Shea registered a winning treble at Abu Dhabi Equestrian Club on Sunday evening, landing the featured 2200 meters Thoroughbred Handicap aboard Carbon Dating in the process while his other success came in a 2200 metre handicap through arguably the best Purebred Arabian on the card. RB Rich Surprise was always going well under the Champion Jockey and, once eased to the front 300m out, was never troubled.

Ms. Lara Sawaya, Executive Director of the HH Sheikh Mansoor Bin Zayed Al Nahyan Global Arabian Horse Flat Racing Festival, Chairperson of the Int’l Federation of Horse Racing Academies (IFHRA) and Chairperson of Ladies & Apprentice Racing Committees in the International Federation of Arabian Horse Racing Authorities (IFAHR) and Mr. Adnan Sultan Al Nuaimi, ADEC Director General gave away the trophies to the winning connections.

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