Lightning Bolt wins Sheikh Zayed Cup

Another win for Dutch connections in HH Sheikh Mansoor Festival race

Trainer Karin van den Bos and owner Landgoed Waterland once again hogged the limelight while Italian lady jockey topped in the ladies event as two more races in the HH Sheikh Mansoor Bin Zayed Al Nahyan Global Arabian Horse Flat Racing Festival were worked off on September 23 at the Duindigt racecourse in The Hague in The Netherlands.

The Sheikh Zayed Bin Sultan Al Nahyan Cup, a Group 2 contest was the big race of Sunday’s meeting and pre-race favourite Lightning Bolt scored another superb win to make it a memorable day for trainer van den Bos and owner Waterland.

Lightning Bolt, the 6-year-old son of Munjiz- a stallion that stands at Wathba Stallions owned by HH Sheikh Mansoor Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Deputy Prime Minister of the UAE and Minister of Presidential Affairs- added the Dutch leg of the Sheikh Zayed Cup to the Ostend leg in the same series that he won last month.

With ace jockey Tadhg O’Shea on board, Lightning Bolt finished ahead of Meelad under Pelletan while in third place was Jamas D.A. under Anna van den Troost.

The winner completed the 1900-metre distance in 2:14.3 to ensure another visit to the winner’s enclosure for his connections.

Italian Ilaria Saggiomo did it on Lets Do It in the Festival’s HH Sheikha Fatima Bint Mubarak Ladies World Championship race which was run over 2000 metres.

The 40-year-old Saggiomo, who has ridden over 600 races and was the Fegentri World Ladies Jockey Champion in 2002, scored victory number 77 on Lets Do It and will now proceed to take a shot at the HH Sheikha Fatima Bint Mubarak Ladies World Championship final on November 9, 2018 in Abu Dhabi.

Saggiomo, who also is a trainer by profession, steered Lets Do It to win the Euros 20,000 race.

Dabaab, under 28-year-old veterinary surgeon Anna Gil of Poland, finished second while Alazeez under UK’s Anna Wallace finished third.

In the HH Sheikha Lateefa Bint Mansoor Bin Zayed Al Nahyan International Pony Championship race, 14-year-old Koos Westendorp on Bolero finished first and qualified for the final in Abu Dhabi on November 9, 2018.

The UAE Ambassador to the Netherlands, HE Saeed Al Nowais, Adnan Sultan Al Nuaimi, ADEC Director General and Margareet de Ruiter of the Dutch Arabian Racing Committee gave away the trophies.

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, The National Archives as the official partner and Emirates airline as the official carrier, in cooperation with Emirates Racing Authority, IFHRA, IFAHR, Emirates Arabian Horse Society, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Abu Dhabi Youth Council, General Authority for Sports and sponsored by Ayadi LLC, Global United Veterinary Services LLC, Nissan Middleast Al Massood Automobiles, Nirvana Travels and Tourism LLC, Equicare Veterinary Services, Alawal Stud, Cavalos Equine Care & Supplies, SET Sustainable Environmental Technologies, Al Awani General Enterprises, Omeir Travels, Kabale, YAS Channel, Abu Dhabi Falconers Club, Emirates Falconers Club, Mohammed Bin Zayed Falconry and Desert Physiognomy School, 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 2018, Abu Dhabi Equestrian Club and Anantara Hotel.

Source: HH SH Mansoor Festival / Satya Narayan