Josco Du Cayrou shines

Josco Du Cayrou finished ahead of Ghalib to emerge winner in the Group 2 Shaikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan Cup race of the Shaikh Mansoor bin Zayed Al Nahyan Global Arabian Flat Racing Festival in Toulouse, France on Friday.

Josco Du Cayrou, ridden by Jean-Francois Eyquem, won the 2000-metre race in the colours of the Oman’s Royal Cavalry and beat Ghalib by two lengths.

Both Josco Du Cayrou and Ghalib are trained by Jean-Francois Bernard and the two four-year-old colts have been bred at the Al Wathba Stud Farm in France owned by Shaikh Mansoor bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Presidential Affairs. Dutch owner-trainer Diana Dorenberg’s Sartejano finished third in the 8-horse field which contested a total prize money of Euros 20,000.

Hamad Al Zaabi, First Secretary at the UAE Embassy in France, Ms Lara Sawaya, Director of the HH Sheikh Mansoor Bin Zayed Al Nahyan Global Arabian Flat Racing Festival and Head of IFAHR Ladies Racing, Adnan Sultan Al Nuaimi, Director General of Abu Dhabi Equestrian Club, Ali Moosa Khamiri, Director General of the Dubai Equestrian Club and Khalid Abdullah Al Hussein, Director of Sports Affairs, the General Authority for Youth Welfare and Sports and Abdul Rahim Al Hashemi of Emirates airline attended the prize giving ceremony.

“Thanks to Shaikh Mansoor bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Presidential Affairs, the UAE culture and heritage has received a huge boost through this racing series. WE are happy that Toulouse was once again selected as a venue to stage this prestigious race,” said Hamad Al Zaabi, the UAE envoy.

“Once again racing fans here in Toulouse, where there is a high standard of Arabian racing, witnessed an exciting race,” said Lara Sawaya, Director of the Shaikh Mansoor bin Zayed Al Nahyan Global Arabian Flat Racing Festival and head of IFAHR Ladies Racing.

“It was a high quality field that took part in this race and we are delighted with the success that the Shaikh Mansoor bin Zayed Al Nahyan Global Arabian Flat Racing Festival has achieved here in France and around the world,” she said.

The Shaikh Mansoor bin Zayed Al Nahyan Global Arabian Flat Racing Festival is organised by the Abu Dhabi Tourism and Culture Authority and co-ordinated by Abu Dhabi Sports Council in association with Emirates Arabian Horse Society and IFAHR, 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 Shaikha Fatima bint Mubarak Ladies Sports Academy, Abu Dhabi International Hunting and Equestrian Exhibition 2012, Wathba Stud Farm and Abu Dhabi Equestrian Club.