H.H. Sheikh Mansoor Bin Zayed Al Nahyan Global Arabian Flat Racing Festival

Official Website / CALENDAR 2012 / Photos by Morhaf

Double delight for van den Bos as UAE's Shathra Al Hajjaj shines

Delaphine Garcia-Dubois on Serouda Du Breuil

STOCKHOLM: Dutch trainer Karin van den Bos completed a double when Fredrik Johansson saddled Athlete Del Sol to win the HH Sheikh Mansoor Bin Zayed Al Nahyan Global Arabian Flat Racing Festivals' Sheikh Zayed Bin Sultan Al Nahyan (Listed) Cup having earlier teamed up with amature jockey Delaphine Garcia-Dubois who was on Serouda Du Breuil, to secure the seventh leg of the Sheikha Fatima Bint Mubarak Ladies Championship (IFAHR) race at the Taby race course, in the Swedish capital Stockholm on Tuesday (July 10).

Fredrik Johansson and Athlete Del Sol

The day also witnessed UAE's Shathra Al Hajjaj stealing the show with a creditable second on Sakba in the Sheikha Fatima Bint Mubarak Ladies Championship (IFAHR) race. Al Hajjaj got a good start and seemed to be heading for her maiden win until she was over taken by France's Delphine Garcia-Dubois towards the end of the 1.200 metre race.

Her second place comes after a close third in the same race series in Berlin, last month.

"I got a good start and looked like a winner but Sakba slowed down in the concluding stages of the race and was beaten to second place by half-a-length," said Al Hajjaj adding that she needs to improve further to achive good results.

Sheikha Najla Al Qassimi, UAE, Ambassador to Sweden gave away the trophies in the presence of Abdullah Al Qubaisi, communications director at the Abu Dhabi Tourism and Culture Authority, Ms Lara Sawaya, director of the HH Sheikh Mansoor Bin Zayed Al Nahyan Global Arabian Horse Racing Festival and head of IFAHR ladies racing, Adnan Sultan Al Nuaimi, director general of Abu Dhabi Equestrian Club, Aisha Al Marzooqi, Head off Strategic Planning at UAE Women's Sports Committee, Khalid Abdullah Al Hussein, director of Sports Affairs, General Authority for Youth and Sports Welfare, Stephen Bowey, Executive Director (corporate development) Invest AD and other dignitaries.

Prize Giving

"We are very happy to host HH Sheikh Mansoor Bin Zayed Al Nahyan Global Arabian Flat Racing Festival's races for a second year in a row here and this has put the Emirates in a commanding position in Sweden's racing circle. With HH Sheikh Mansoor Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Presidential Affair’s support, Purebred Arabian horse racing have revived in this part of the world, "said Al Qassimi. She also praised Sheikh Mansoor for his initiative in setting up the stage to host the Sheikha Fatima Bint Mubarak EARS (European Association of Racing Schools) Conference on Education and Training in 2013, in Abu Dhabi.

Abdullah Al Qubaisi said: We thank HH Sheikha Fatima Bint Mubarak, chairperson of the UAE General Women's Union for really giving a chance for women everywhere to have a race for them and especially for the UAE girl where she can compete and show that how tough she is and the proof is what Shathra has done today by finishing in second place. She lost only after a big fight she gave. It is very very important. We are also very happy with the new initiative (Sheikha Fatima Bint Mubarak EARS Conference on Education and Training) that has been launched on Monday which is really very important for us and the Middle East and the world.

Ms Lara Sawaya said:" We are proud of Shattra who came in with a fantastic performance. She is really a talented girl. She will be attending a leading European Association of Racing School in order to gain racing style and riding skills."

The HH Sheikh Mansoor Bin Zayed Al Nahyan Global Arabian Horse Racing Festival is going to great lengths to promote the Arabian horse racing across the world. It is very exciting to see the fans cheering the young ladies today, "she added.

Stephen Bowey said: "It is exciting to see the continued expansion of HH Sheikh Mansoor Bin Zayed Al Nahyan Global Arabian Flat Racing Festival and the large number of races now being held in all the corners of the world. It is a tribute to the vision of Sheikh Mansoor Bin Zayed that he continues to promote high quality Arabian flat racing events."

Karin van den Bos said "It is a great feeling. Of course to do a long travel and winning two races. It was a tough competition as Sheikh Zayed Bin Sultan Al Nahyan (Listed) Cup drew really good horses including favourite Rasikh.”

Rasikh initially did all the running only to be beaten to third place by Athlete Del Sol and Al Dahis.

In the ladies ride, professional jockey Racheal Kneller on Anagorn Z Regula finished fifth and Omani jockey Fatma Al Manji on Windflower settled for eighth place.

The H.H Sheikh Mansoor Bin Zayed Al Nahyan Global Arabian Flat Racing Festival is organized to promote purebred Arabians in different parts of the world with the sponsors being by the Abu Dhabi Tourism and Culture Authority and co-ordinated by Abu Dhabi Sports Council in association with Emirates Racing Authority ,IFAHR and Emirates Arabian Horse Society, supported by General Authority for Youth and Sports and Fegentri with Emirates airlines as the official carrier and sponsored by Invest AD, Al Rashid Investment, Areej Al Ameerat, Mauzan, Al Awani General Enterprises, Kabale, the UAE's General Women's Union, the Sheikha Fatima Bint Mubarak Ladies Sports Academy, Abu Dhabi International Hunting and Equestrian Exhibition 2012, Wathba Stud Farm and Abu Dhabi Equestrian Club.

Saada Saab Antypas
press coordinator