• Home
• /
• Local Sports

Al Owaisi emerges best in Al Wathba

The race was held as part of the Shaikh Mansour bin Zayed Al Nahyan Global Arabian Horse Flat Racing Festival

Ghanim Said Salim Al Owaisi, astride Sandine Assassin landed the 120km CEN Emirates Endurance Championship at the EmiratesInternationalEnduranceVillage in Al Wathba here on Saturday.

The race was attended by His Highness Shaikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice-President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai; Shaikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai and Chairman of the Dubai Executive Council; Shaikh Hazza bin Zayed Al Nahyan, National Security Adviser; Shaikh Tahnoun bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Deputy National Security Adviser; and Shaikh Mansour bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Presidential Affairs.

The race was held under the directives of Shaikh Mansour bin Zayed Al Nahyan as part of the Shaikh Mansour bin Zayed Al Nahyan Global Arabian Horse Flat Racing Festival with 137 riders from the UAE and elsewhere making the line-up of the gruelling challenge.

The winner covered the distance in 4 hours 16 minutes and 50 seconds at an average speed of 28.03 km/hour to cross the finish line one minute ahead of runner up Rashid Mohammed Al Baloushi and behind them came Shaikh Hamad bin Dalmook Al Maktoum. Adnan Sultan Al Nuaimi, director of the Abu Dhabi Equestrian Club, Lara Sawaya, director of the Shaikh Mansour bin Zayed Al Nahyan Global Arabian Horse Flat Racing Festival and chairman of the Ladies Racing Committee in the International Federation of Arabian Horse Racing Authorities (IFAHR) joined by Ashraf Zeitoun, representing the sponsors Arabtec the official partner of the festival alongside UAE lady jockey Anoud Al Suwaidi gave away the prizes and trophies for the winners.

The winner drove away a brand new car and a golden sword, the first runner up received a silver sword and the second runner up walked away with a bronze dragger. The full amount of Dh500,000 in prize-money was distributed among all the riders who have successfully completed the race.

Meanwhile, Shaikh Mansour bin Zayed Al Nahyan said: “The race was successful from all organisational and technical aspects. The competition was tough and underlined the readiness and good shape of the horses in the fray. This sport is part of our culture and heritage and the people of the UAE are following in the footsteps of the principles which have been laid down by the late Shaikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan.”

Speaking about the festival, Shaikh Mansour clarified: “The events and activities of the festival have contributed to the promotion of the Arabian horses and encouraged the breeders and owners to be represented in the various equine events.” The winner on his part dedicated the victory to Shaikh Mohammed and pointed out that this success was an outcome of the support and directives of Shaikh Hamdan.

Lara Sawaya commented: “The fixtures of the new season of the festival’s events would be announced in a special news conference at the Eastern Mangroves Hotel at the festival’s wing in Abu Dhabi on Friday. The conference will be held to announce Union’s Cup for the private stables only (for local citizens). The race will be held on January 4 at the Emirates International Endurance Village. The details of the endurance championship in Portugal which will be held under the umbrella of the festival from April 25 to 27, 2014 will also be announced.” Sawaya meanwhile, thanked Arabtec, the official partner of the festival, for its sponsorship of
the race.