Bahrain’s Jasim thrills home fans with fine win

Bahraini Apprentice jockey Abdul Rahim Jasim thrilled his home crowd with a convincing victory in the HH Sheikha Fatima Bint Mubarak Apprentice World Championship IFHRA race held at the Rashid Equestrian and Horse Racing Club in Sakhir, Bahrain on Friday, March 16, 2018.

It was a big day for Jasim, who recorded his 11th career win in 101 starts, and it came on the biggest day of Bahrain flat racing as the three His Majesty King Hamad Bin Isa Al Khalifa Cup races were also held on Friday.

Jasim partnered Al Hamdany 1697, owned by Safra and trained by Alan Smith in his victory in the 1400-metre event carrying a prize fund of BD10,000 and with this became the second Apprentice jockey to qualify for the 2018 HH Sheikha Fatima Bint Mubarak Apprentice World Championship final to be held in Abu Dhabi in November.

Jasim rode Al Hamdany 1697 to a one-and-three-fourth-length win over Kuheilaan Aafas 1695 ridden by Zimbabwe’s Jordan Uys. Al Hamdaany 1680 under Ireland’s Laura Coughlan finished third while Mlolshan 1649 ridden by Belgium’s Loid Bekaert took fourth place.

In the day’s big races Shogun, owned by Al Adiyat Racing, trained by Alan Smith and ridden by Frankie Dettori, and Milyar, owned by HH Sheikh Mohammed Bin Abdulla Bin Isa Al Khalifa, trained by James Naylor and ridden by Jimmy Quin, were the biggest winners of the day lifting His Majesty King Hamad Bin Isa Al Khalifa Cups for imported and locally bred horses respectively, each carrying a cash prize of BD20,000.

Al Jellaby 1544, owned by Hamad Al Merisi, trained by Yousif Taher and ridden by Jimmy Quin, claimed the third trophy for His Majesty King Hamad Cup (for Arabian horses), carrying a cash prize of BD7,000, beating Kuheilan Aafas 1675 by three-fourth-length.

His Royal Highness Prince Salman Bin Hamad Al Khalifa, Crown Prince, Deputy Supreme Commander and First Deputy Premier and other top Bahraini officials attended the race meeting.

The UAE Ambassador to Bahrain, HE Abdullredha Abdulla Al-Khoori, HE Lulwa Al-Awadhi, Secretary General of Bahrain’s Supreme Council for Women, 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 International Federation of Horse Racing Academies (IFHRA), Chairperson of Ladies & Apprentice Racing Committees in the International Federation of Arabian Horse Racing Authorities (IFAHR) and others gave away the trophy to the winning connections of the HH Sheikha Fatima race.

HE Abdullredha Abdulla Al-Khoori hailed the success of the race and congratulated the Bahraini jockey on his success. “I thank His Highness Sheikh Mansoor Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Deputy Prime Minister of the UAE and Minister of Presidential Affairs and Her Highness Sheikha Fatima Bint Mubarak, Chairwoman of the General Women's Union, Supreme President of the Family Development Foundation (FDF) and Head of the Supreme Council for Motherhood and Childhood, for the huge success of the Festival’s events all over the world.”

“Arabian horse racing both in the UAE as well as in Bahrain is given huge importance and this race is testimony to that. The Festival is doing a great job in promoting the UAE’s culture and heritage all over the world,” he added.

“It is always special when a jockey from the host country wins a race. This helps to motivate other young jockeys and aspiring jockeys to take up the sport and participate in international races like the HH Sheikha Fatima Bint Mubarak Apprentice World Championship IFHRA race,” said Ms. Lara Sawaya.

“Bahrain is a very important stop for the Festival and we thank the Bahraini officials for the fantastic approach to the Festival’s race. The Festival now heads for the US for the HH Sheikha Fatima Bint Mubarak International Awards and the US Darley Awards. On April 6th we have the Awards function at the Dolby Theatre in Hollywood, followed by the HH Sheikha Fatima Bint Mubarak Darley International Stakes race at Santa Anita on April 7. On 8th of April we round off with a Gala Dinner at the Beverly Wilshire Hotel all under the umbrella of the Festival,” Ms. Sawaya 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, Al Massood Automobiles and Nissan Middleast as official car partners, in cooperation with Emirates Racing Authority, IFAHR, Emirates Arabian Horse Society, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, General Authority for Sports 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 2018, Abu Dhabi Equestrian Club, Eastern Mangroves Suites-Abu Dhabi by Jannah, Anantara Eastern Mangroves Spa and Resort.

Source: HH SH Mansoor Festival / Satya Narayan