Jadey, now world’s lady champion jockey

Dutch professional becomes the new world’s lady champion jockey with Abu Dhabi victory.

Jadey Pietrasiewicz powers Molahen Al Elhan to victory. Supplied photo

Abu Dhabi: It’s the Dutch professional lady jockey Jadey Pietrasiewicz who made all to lead from the wire to the wire onboard Molahen Al Elhan to become the new world’s lady champion jockey after she landed the Shaikha Fatima bint Mubarak Ladies World Championship, the highlight of the Grand finale of the Shaikh Mansour bin Zayed Al Nahyan Global Arabian Horse Flat Racing Festival ate the Abu Dhabi Equestrian Club on Sunday night.

“I have followed the instructions of the trainer Ernst Oertel and Molahen Al Elhan has never let me down.

“I have decided to ignore my ride last year to come again to Abu Dhabi, thanks to Shaikh Mansour bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Presidential Affairs,” Jadey said.

The win was a third for the horses of the President, His Highness Shaikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan, which are trained by Ernst Oertel.

Meanwhile, the colours of the patron of the festival Shaikh Mansour have dominated the scene in the Shaikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan Cup (PA Group-3) with Thakif going home better under Harry Bentley ahead of stable companion Shateh in the hands of the UAE apprentice Saeed Al Mazrouei. Shayl Aldhabi (Ernst oertel/ Tadhg O’Shea) was third.

“Thakif was on the bridles all the way and I needed only to shake the reigns when it mattered as the posed loomed up. He did a very good business and things could not have been bettered,” said the winning jockey Harry Bentley later.

Trainer Majid Al Jahouri commented: “Saeed Al Mazrouei set a fast pace which has suited Thakif and Harry Bentley gave him everything to stride home comfortably.”

The race was attended by Shaikh Nahyan bin Mubarak Al Nahyan, Minister of Culture, Youth and Community Development and Chairman of the General Youth and Sports Welfare Authority, and other top officials.

Munzade came with a late run under the strong drive of the Turkish apprentice jockey Vahdettin Kaplan to pip stable companion Najm Al Emarat in the shadow of the post to lead a 1-2-3 finish for reigning champion trainer Ernst Oertel in the 2200m Shaikha Fatima bint Mubarak Apprentice Jockeys (IFAHR) World Championship Purebred Arabians Prestige, the fourth race on the card. The field was reduced to 13 runners after the withdrawal of Manisha and the stars of the future left the machines very quickly as the starter said go. The winner was perfectly poised in the centre of the field and was always going well before he began to make a smooth progress in the home turn with three furlongs remaining to travel. At this stage, French contender Gianni Siaffa asked Najm Alemarat to improve and the Dormane son responded keenly to hit the front and looked like a winner in the concluding stages. But, Munzade got up to a flyer and prevailed by a short-head on the line.

Early in the evening Tadhg O’Shea partnered Live Rich to land the 1600m Wathba Stud Farm Cup (Private Owners Only) Purebred Arabians Handicap, the first round of the new season’s series.

Trained by Saeed Hadher Al Mazrouei, the five-year-old by TH Richie ran a cracking race to the delight of his trainer. “He’s in a very good form and I have expected him to win,” said a jubilant trainer Saeed Al Mazrouei later. “I would like to thank Shaikh Mansour for supporting small breeders and owners and encouraging them to improve the quantity and quality of the Arabian horses within the UAE,” he said.

Champion jockeyTadhg O’Shea who rode his first winner of the night for his boss Ernst Oertel onboard Abhaar in a seven furlong Purebred Arabians Maiden, the curtain raiser of the Abu Dhabi season said: “Live Rich gave me a great ride and did all the business when asked the question,” he said.

The second race, a 1600m Handicap and the only Thoroughbred event of the night, was won by Royal Revival, David Smith up, in tight finish to lead by half a length ahead of Marching Time under Patrick Dobbs in a spectacular style at the busy end.