Al Naboodah registers 1-2 in Wathba Stud Farm Cup

AF Mukhifah won the HH Sheikh Mansoor Bin Zayed Al Nahyan Global Arabian Horse Flat Racing Festival’s Wathba Stud Farm Cup for Private Owners Only race at the Abu Dhabi Equestrian Club racecourse on Sunday, January 15, 2017.

Owner Khalid Khalifa Al Naboodah and trainer Ernst Oertel combined with four of the 13 runners in the 1200-metre conditions race and provided both first and second.

Ridden by Bruno Reis, AF Mukhifah gained the day, chased in vain throughout the final 200m by AF Maher under Antonio Fresu. In third place was Satish Seemar’s Extra Hope under Richard Mullen.

For the winner, it was a second career victory on her fifth start and, understandably, Al Naboodah, who also bred both horses, was delighted.

Earlier the meeting was dominated by the Al Asayl Stables, the team of the UAE President HH Sheikh Khalifa Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, his trainer Eric Lemartinel and main jockey, Tadgh O’Shea. While Al Asayl horses won half of the six races on Sunday evening, O'Shea went one better with four winners.

Mr. Adnan Sultan Al Nuaimi, Director General of Abu Dhabi Equestrian Club and Ms. Lara Sawaya, Executive Director of the HH Sheikh Mansoor Bin Zayed Al Nahyan Global Arabian Horse Flat Racing Festival, Chairperson of the Int’l Federation of Horse Racing Academies (IFHRA) and Chairperson of Ladies & Apprentice Racing Committees in the International Federation of Arabian Horse Racing Authorities (IFAHR) along with other sponsors’ representatives gave away the trophies to Mr. Al Naboodah and his team.

The HH Sheikh Mansoor Bin Zayed Al Nahyan Global Arabian Horse Flat Racing Festival is sustained by the Abu Dhabi Tourism and Culture Authority and coordinated by Abu Dhabi Sports Council, with National Feed and Flour Production and Marketing Co. LLC as associate sponsors, IPIC as Strategic Partner, The  National Archives as the official partner and Emirates airline as the official carriers, in cooperation with Emirates Racing Authority, IFAHR, Emirates Arabian Horse Society, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, General Authority of Youth and Sports Welfare  and sponsored by Al Aweer Stables, Ayadii LLC, Global United Veterinary Services LLC, Bloom, Petromal, Rise General Trading Co. LLC, Hayatna, Wathba Stallions, Abu Dhabi Falconers Club, Emirates Falconers Club,  Mohamed Bin Zayed Falconry and Desert Physiognomy School, Abu Dhabi National Exhibition Centre (ADNEC), Al Awani General Enterprises, Kabale, Omeir Travels, Dr Nader Saab Switzerland, Laboratories Fadia Karam Cosmetics, YAS Channel, Racing Post, Paris Turf,  Al Wathba Centre, the UAE's General Women's Union, The Supreme Council for Motherhood and Childhood, the HH Sheikha Fatima Bint Mubarak Ladies Sports Academy, Abu Dhabi International Hunting and Equestrian Exhibition 2016, Abu Dhabi Equestrian Club, Eastern Mangroves Suites-Abu Dhabi by Jannah, Anantara Eastern Mangroves Spa and Resort.

Source: HH SH Mansoor Global Arabian Flat Racing Festival / Satya Narayan
Photo: Morhaf Al Assaf