French Beat wins Wathba Stud Farm Cup in Santa Rosa, California

French Beat, trained by Sandy Torok and ridden by Chris Russell got the better of Burning Speed by a nose to win the HH Sheikh Mansoor bin Zayed Al Nahyan Global Arabian Flat Racing Festival’s Wathba Stud Farm Cup race held in Santa Rosa, California on Saturday, July 30.

French Beat, owned by Jim Schleimer came up with a final burst to pip the Ramon Pulido-trained Burning Sand under jockey Pedro Flores to post a narrow win by a nose with Hellen Shelley’s A Sargent General under Pablo Flores in third place a further 1 3/4 length behind.

A competitive field of eight runners went to post in this Wathba Stud Farm Cup series which aims to encourage and boost Purebred Arabian racing at the grass-roots level.  

After a thrilling race in front of nearly 6,000 fans at the Santa Rosa race course, winning jockey Chris Russell said, "French Beat is much more talented than he shows. He hasn't come into his own yet. He was second in a Pleasanton race and now has improved on that run.”

“This is a great race and I always enjoy and love riding Arabian horses," added Russell.

Winning trainer Sandy Torok said, “I have been confident in him all along. French Beat was bought over the internet from Florida.  He's hard to ride because he gets lazy.  I told Chris (Russell) he'd have to earn it this time and he did."

Abdullah Al Qubaisi, Director of Communications of Abu Dhabi Authority for Culture and Heritage (ADACH) said, “The Wathba Stud Farm Cup race series in the US which we launched in Pleasonton in California has been a huge success and we still have a couple of more to be held in Fairplex and Fresno in the US.”

Ali Al Mulla, Chairman of Areej Al Ameerat said, “We are happy to be associated with this race series which has been gaining in popularity and success.”

Mirna Youness of La Sirene said, “To be supporting this race series gives us great pleasure and we are looking forward to the remaining races in this series.

The HH Sheikh Mansoor bin Zayed Al Nahyan Global Arabian Flat Racing Festival is organised by the Abu Dhabi Authority for Culture and Heritage (ADACH) and co-ordinated by Abu Dhabi Sports Council in association with Emirates Arabian Horse Society with support from Invest AD, Areej Al Ameerat, La Sirene, the UAE’s General Women’s Union, Abu Dhabi International Hunting and Equestrian Exhibition 2011, Wathba Stud Farm and Abu Dhabi Equestrian Club.