UAE lady jockeys impress in HH Shaikha Fatma Bint Mubarak Ladies Fegentri Cup
Poulain Kossack wins HH Sheikh Zayed Cup

Duindigt, The Netherlands

Five-year-old Poulain Kossack under Jadey Peitrasiewicz won the prestigious HH Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan (Listed) Cup while the pair of UAE lady jockeys impressed in their debut in the HH Shaikha Fatma Bint Mubarak Ladies Fegentri Cup which was won by Britain’s Rachel King.

The two races, part of the Abu Dhabi Authority for Culture and Heritage’s HH Sheikh Mansoor Bin Zayed Al Nahyan Global Arabian Racing Festival, was watched by a large band of fans including UAE ambassadors and some of the world’s top owners, breeders, trainers, vets and racing officials who were here to attend the World Arabian Racing Conference.

Owned and trained by Huub Otermans, Poulain Kossack won under Peitrasiewicz with Vizir des Cedreas and Bachi Bouzouk in second and third while favourite Rasheeqah finished fourth. Poulain Kossack won by a length from Vizir des Cedres in a timing of 2:09.2.

“It is a great win for me as I had won on this horse last year and today I could not have asked him more,” said Peitrasiewicz.

Earlier in the richest-ever HH Shaikha Fatma Bint Mubarak Ladies Fegentri Cup, Rachel King on Sankado won by just over a head from Athlete del Sol, the latter ridden by last year’s Ladies Fegentri champion Tina Henriksson.

Sankado won in a time of 2:12.8 over the 1900 metres distance with Phraseur Kossack in third place. Fatma Al Marri of the UAE riding Vantage Lady finished 5th while Shahtra Al Hajjaj on Tarfa finished 7th out of the 9 who completed in the 11-horse field.

Omani Fatma Al Manji fell off her horse Siba at the top of the home stretch while Qatari Khadija Al Bastaki had to pull out as her horse Nil Ishan Ibn Al Sakbe was a non-runner.

Noura Khalifa Al Suwaidi, Director of the Emirates General Women’s Association and chairperson of the UAE Women Sport gave away the trophies to the winners.

“This is a proud moment for us as our UAE lady jockeys competed against world class rivals. It is a big honour for our Emirati women who have always been supported by HH Shaikha Fatma Bint Mubarak. HH gives us the power to promote the talent that we have,” she said.

Shaikha Najla Al Qassimi - UAE Ambassador to Sweden, Ali Thani Al Suwaidi- Ambassador of the UAE to The Netherlands, Asim Mirza Al Rahmah-UAE Ambassador to Poland, Mohammad Mir Abdullah Al Raisi- UAE Ambassador to France and Heba Hamoud Al-Jenaibi, second secretary at the UAE Embassy in London and Obeid Al Suweidi, First Secretary of the UAE Embassy in the Netherlands along with Lara Sawaya, Director of HH Sheikh Mansoor Bin Zayed Al Nahyan Global Arabian Horse Racing Festival, Adnan Sultan Al Nuaimi, Director General of Abu Dhabi Equestrian Club and Stephen Bowey, Executive Director, Marketing of Invest AD took part in the prize distribution of the two races.

Ali Thani Al Suwaidi- Ambassador of the UAE to The Netherlands hailed the support of HH Shaikha Fatma Bint Mubarak and HH Sheikh Mansoor Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Presidential Affairs for supporting the ace day at the Duindigt race course.

“The two UAE lady jockeys proved that the Emirati women are equally talented and with this great step forward they will soon taste success with their hard work and dedication,” he said.

“This has been a truly great day for the HH Sheikh Mansoor Bin Zayed Al Nahyan Global Arabian Horse Racing Festival as the two races carry the UAE’s prestige with them. Two quality races and with so many important members of the racing fraternity in attendance the race meeting has achieved great success,” said Lara Sawaya.

Stephen Bowey said, “This has been a tremendous day of racing: historic, exciting, and symbolic of the promising future for Arabian flat racing.”

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