AF La’Asae wins 2200m contest in Abu Dhabi and Mullen steers another Wathba Cup winner for owner Al Naboodah

On a day when horses from the Al Asayl Stables were in dominant form, AF La’Asae gave breeder-owner Khalid Khalifa Al Naboodah a smart win in the HH Sheikh Mansoor Bin Zayed Al Nahyan Global Arabian Horse Flat Racing Festival’s Wathba Stud Farm Cup for Private Owners Only race at the Abu Dhabi Equestrian Club racecourse on Sunday, December 11, 2016.

After winning three races on the trot for Al Asayl Stables, Tadhg O’Shea looked set to make it four in the Dh 70,000 Wathba Stud Farm Cup for Private Owners Only as he was on the Helal Al Alawi-trained AK Adour in a 2200 metres conditions race.

Turning for home, O’Shea looked to hold a massive chance but Richard Mullen had other ideas aboard AF La’Asae and the pair stormed clear two furlongs from home and never looked in danger of being caught.

AF La’Asae won with nearly two lengths to spare in a time of 2:29.24 while Djelila Al Mels under Patrick Dobbs finished second and O’Shea had to be content with a third place finish on Ak Adour.

Trained by Ernst Oertel, AF La’Asae has now won three of his five career starts for owner and breeder, Khalid Khalifa Al Naboodah.

Earlier the Al Asayl Stables team enjoyed a highly successful evening on Sunday, combining to claim three of the first four winners on the card.

Pride of place went to Mahbooba, who, like all the Al Asayl winners is owned by the UAE President HH Sheikh Khalifa Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, trained by Eric Lemartinel and ridden by Tadhg O’Shea.

Conceding weight to all of her nine rivals, Mahbooba was the comfortable winner of a 1600m conditions contest that was restricted to fillies and mares.

Earlier, a full field of 16 may have gone to post for the 1600m maiden but only one truly mattered throughout the straight with Tahany powering clear under O’Shea.

Just 30 minutes later the same connections were back in the winner’s enclosure but the admirable RB Dixie Burning had to work a lot harder for her victory in a 1600m handicap.

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

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