Russian Ivanov steers  Batenisa to victory

HH Sheikha Fatima Bint Mubarak Apprentice race in Kazan, Tatarstan

Russia’s Andrey Ivanov rode three-year-old bay mare Batenisa to victory in the HH Sheikha Fatima Bint Mubarak Apprentice World Championship race at Kazan International racecourse in Tatarstan on Wednesday, August 30, 2017.

The race, which is part of the HH Sheikh Mansoor Bin Zayed Al Nahyan Global Arabian Horse Flat Racing Festival, was staged along with a Wathba Stallions Cup on a day when the prestigious Tatarstan President's Cup was also run.

Wednesday also marked the National Day and a large number of racing fans along with His Excellency Rustam Minnikhanov, President of the Republic of Tatarstan, Russian Federation, HE Vasil Shaikhraziew, Deputy Prime Minister of the Republic of Tatarstan, Ms. Lara Sawaya, Executive Director of the HH Sheikh Mansoor Bin Zayed Al Nahyan Global Arabian Horse Flat Racing Festival, General Manager of Wathba Stallions, 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), Sergei Vasilko , Director of Kazan Racecourse and other top ranking officials of Tatarstan attended the race meeting.

In the HH Sheikha Fatima Bint Mubarak Apprentice World Championship race, eight Apprentice jockeys  were left in the fray after South African Lyle Hewitson pulled out. That included two from Russia and one of them- Andrey Ivanov- stole the limelight to win and qualify for the November  final in Abu Dhabi.

Two three-year-old grey mares- Grandinka ridden by Peru’s Erick Arevalo and Arabskaya Karoleva under Argentina’s Romulo Padilla joined Batenisa under Ivanov in a three-way battle for the finish. But the Russian, egged on by the home crowd, did well to finish ahead of the Peruvian with Argentina’s Padilla in third place.

Batenisa won by over two lengths in a time of 1:51.53 over the 1600-metre in this race reserved for three-year-old Purebred Arabian horses and carried a prize fund of Euros 20,000.

The third running of the HH Sheikha Fatima Bint Mubarak Apprentice World Championship race here was also accompanied by the Festival’s Wathba Stallions Cup race which was run over 1400 metres and was open to two-year-old Purebred Arabian horses.

Iman ridden by F.S Giniyatullin won the Euros 5000 race with Montelu and Saladin finishing second and third respectively.

The Russian apprentice Ivanov said he was very, very happy to qualify for the final. “I am looking forward to the Abu Dhabi final. Today it was a great moment to compete against jockeys from around the world. Happy to win in front of our racing fans,” said the winning jockey.

“This is my first win on an Arabian horse and I thank the trainer and owner V. Sergeev for his instructions. He wanted me to judge the pace from behind and not hit the front. The filly showed a lot of promise and won easily,” said Ivanov, who is the 8th to qualify so far this year in the HH Sheikha Fatima Bint Mubarak Apprentice World Championship race series.

HE Vasil Shaikhraziew, Deputy Prime Minister of the Republic of Tatarstan, welcomed the UAE team and hailed the support of His Highness Sheikh Mansoor Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, UAE Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Presidential Affairs and Her Highness Sheikha Fatima Bint Mubarak, Mother of the UAE, Chairperson of the General Women's Union, Supreme Chairperson of the Family Development Foundation and Chairwoman of the Supreme Council for Motherhood and Childhood and Mother of the World to Arabian horse racing in Tatarstan.

Ms. Sawaya said Kazan was an important stop for the Festival and this year the addition of the Wathba Stallions race reflects that. “We wish all Tatarstan citizens on their National Day and it was great to have the Festival’s races alongside the Tatarstan President's Cup race. The Wathba Stallions Cup has been introduced this year to help boost the Purebred Arabian racing here at the grassroots level. Twelve two-year-old horses took part in the Wathba race and we are happy with this progress,” she said.

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, 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 Ayadi LLC, Global United Veterinary Services LLC,  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, 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 2017, 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