Temperature will reach up to 36ºC and 37ºC in Abu Dhabi and Dubai, respectively
uae4 hours ago
There can be no better feeling than having family witness a fine achievement, even more so, when you accomplish it at a place which you may well call home.
Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai, may have truly felt on top of the world after he won the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques Endurance Cup in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia on Saturday.
Sheikh Hamdan, popularly known as 'Fazza,' was watched and cheered on by his father His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice-President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, as he triumphed in the SR15 million CEI12* race in the picture-postcard province of Al Ula.
Sheikh Hamdan, who is as passionate as his father when it comes to horses, won the race, which attracted a top field of 200 riders from 17 countries.
Sheikh Hamdan finished the 120km race over four laps through the desert and mountains of Al Ula with a time of four hours, 35 minutes and 13 seconds.
MRM Stables' Saif Al Mazrouei finished second followed by F3 Stables' Saeed Al Harbi.
After the race, Sheikh Mohammed held the Saudi Arabia flag in a show of unity and Sheikh Hamdan spoke of the special bond between the UAE and Saudi Arabia.
"I am proud to be here today because this region has captured my heart, and I'm proud to represent Saudi Arabia," said Sheikh Hamdan.
And to illustrate his point, Sheikh Hamdan said that Saudi Arabia holds a special place in his heart.
"If you open my heart, you will find Saudi Arabia in my heart. This reflects how much we love Saudi Arabia. Saudis are Emiratis and Emiratis are Saudis. We are one people," he added.
Sheikh Hamdan also revealed that he was left awestruck by the beauty of Al Ula when he had visited the province last year.
"When I came here last year, I promised to come back because the Al-Ula Province is breathtaking. It made me think about how beautiful this region was 1,000 years ago," Sheikh Hamdan said.
Sheikh Hamdan is a strong advocate when it comes to sports and fitness, and he walks the talk himself by being fit and involved in various sports, especially horses.
"I love horses, they are my life. When I ride my cars I feel bored. With horses it is different. I love to be with them, stay with them.
The event was attended by Prince Abdul Aziz bin Turki Al Faisal, Chairman of the General Sports Authority in Saudi Arabia; Sheikh Shakhbout bin Nahyan Al Nahyan, UAE Ambassador to Saudi Arabia; Khalifa Saeed Sulaiman, Director General of the Department of Protocol and Hospitality in Dubai; and Saeed Humaid Al Tayer, CEO of Meydan Group.
The race was organised by the Royal Commission for Al Ula and the official organisers of the Winter at Tantora festival (that runs from December 19 to March 7) in association with the Saudi Arabian Equestrian Federation.
james@khaleejtimes.com
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