Abdul Rahim Helal Al Junaibi emerged winner of the 120 km CEI two-star race after the first and third horses to cross the finish line were eliminated for lameness.

Defending champion Ali Khalfan Al Jahouri's mount Bashaar was eliminated after crossing the finish line first and the same fate fell on Bahrain's Shaikh Nasser bin Hamad Al Khalifa's 12-year-old Arab stallion Al Zaeem Vandik, who was a close third. Ali Khalfan rode Bashaar to victory in last year's inaugural Gulf Championship in Bahrain and had also won a race in Qatar and the King's Cup in Bahrain on the 11-year-old part Arab gelding.

The first three riders went clear from the rest of the field on the final 14km loop with Shaikh Nasser mounting an all-out challenge on the two Emirates riders, accounting for his elimination with Ali Khalfan at the end.

Shaikh Nasser said he lost valuable time due to some technical reason at the start of the final loop and fell more than a kilometre behind the leading group.

"It was a close race until the end but what happened afterwards was quite unfortunate. We have some up and coming talented young riders and looking forward to the next edition of this championship," he added.

Bahrain King, His Majesty Shaikh Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa accompanied his sons Shaikh Nasser and Shaikh Khalid, who retired his horse Riffa at the end of the third loop throughout the ride attended by General Shaikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai and UAE Minister of Defence, and Shaikh Mansoor bin Zayed Al Nahyan.

Junaibi was winning his second race after clinching the opening leg of the $ 1.5 million Triple Crown race series at the Dubai Endurance City in Seih Assalem earlier this month.

"Shaikh Nasser pushed me and Ali Khalfan to the limits. He made us work hard right to the finish," said the Al Wathba Stables rider, who completed the trip in five hours 14 minutes and five seconds on 10-year-old gelding Super.

"We expected one of the horses from our stables to win this race as we had some of the horses with the best form from the 48 entries.

"Obviously I am delighted that we managed to pull it off despite the tough competition all-round," said the 25-year-old Junaibi, who was runner up behind Ali Khalfan in the National Day Cup on the same horse.

Al Reef Stables' Abdulla Khamis Ali Saeed on KHF Tersoro, Ahmed Hassan Al Hammadi onboard Balgownie Sandy and Matar Al Hammadi, riding Travallas, filled the next three places ahead of Adnan Sultan Al Nuaimi on Allura Park Star Minoan.

Shaikh Hamdan bin Mohammed Al Maktoum retired 10-year-old Muneef at the end of the penultimate loop and his younger brother Shaikh Majid's 12-year-old mare Lahi Da Figueirada was eliminated for metabolic at the end of the third loop.