Mullen steers Extra Hope to another win in Wathba Stallions Cup race series

Extra Hope scored his second successive win in the HH Sheikh Mansoor Bin Zayed Al Nahyan Global Arabian Horse Flat Racing Festival’s Wathba Stallions Cup For Private Owners Only race series on Sunday at the Abu Dhabi Equestrian Club race course.

Richard Mullen led from the start on Extra Hope to strike for trainer Satish Seemar in the 1200 metre race which carried a prize fund of Dh. 80,000. Extra Hope had landed a 1000m handicap at Al Ain on their most recent start, just nine days ago, providing a welcome winner for owner Ali Haddad who has not enjoyed much luck in recent seasons.

It was AF Mukhifah under Tadhg O’Shea finishing behind the winner for the second time while Gerald Avranche rode AF Ashras to third place. 

“It is always great to ride a winner in these colours for Ali Haddad who is such a great supporter of racing here in the UAE,” said Mullen.

“I won on this filly at Al Ain just last Friday ago when she did it easily but that was over 1000m and the extra 200m, on turf was a bit of a doubt coming here but she did that nicely,” he added.

“She has a lot of natural speed and did well to get across to the front from our draw. Hopefully there is more to come.”

Ms. Lara Sawaya, Executive Director of the HH Sheikh Mansoor Bin Zayed Al Nahyan Global Arabian Horse Flat Racing Festival, General Manager of Wathba Stallions, 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), Faisal Al Rahmani, IFAHR chief and Adnan Sultan Al Nuaimi- Director General of the Abu Dhabi Equestrian Club along with other guests 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 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 Ayadi LLC, Global United Veterinary Services LLC,  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, 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 2018, 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 and Bharathi Gowda
Photos: Morhaf Al Assaf