Wathba Stallions Sprint Cup (Group 3) in Malmo, Sweden

8 October 2017, Malmo, Sweden ~ The HH Sheikh Mansoor Bin Zayed Al Nahyan Global Arabian Horse Flat Racing Festival’s Wathba Stallions Sprint Cup, the last of the five races of the Festival in Scandinavia, was run on Thursday, 5 October 2017, at the Jagersro Racecourse near Malmo in Sweden.

The Group 3 race run over 1200 metres had attracted a strong field of 11 runners which included local ace Macallan, winner of this race for last two years. Macallan has this year competed against tough opponents in the Group 3 1000-metre dash in England, and in his latest run, beat Storm Troupour by 2½ lengths and Lou Reynal by 6½.

Deutrom walks in with Storm Troupour

The Beverley Deutrom-trained Storm Troupour ridden by Dayve de Barros, along with Lou Reynal, Swedish-trained Jaldi Karo and Mad Makz had the best claims on this Jagersro race along with Dutch raider Chalwa du Breuil.

Scandinavian hopes of a third straight Wathba Stallions Cup victory were dashed as the American-bred (Mokee Arabians) Storm Troupour took full advantage of his second run on this track when he finished behind Macallan.

Barros made sure the son of Nivour de Cardonne hit the front front the kick and his improvement was affirmative as they showed their heels to the pack on Malmo’s dirt track. Macallan finished two lengths back, still the best of the Scandinavian sprinters, leaving another Swedish ambassador Jaldi Karo to third place. Chalwa du Breuil came late from deep in the field to snatch fourth place from Mad Makz and Pamill’s Lipse.

The Chairman of SARA and Vice Chairman of IFAHR Mats Genberg along with Dennis Madsen of SG handed over the prizes to a delighted Ms. Deutrom on behalf of the HH Sheikh Mansoor Festival.

It was a fine, cool day for new and old friends of Arabian racing as the Wathba Stallions Sprint Cup double-headed with the Scandinavian Arabian Derby and they already look forward to next year’s Festival races, the Sprint being the last of this season.

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.

(Report and photos: Nils Rosenkjaer)