12 August 2019, Windsor, UK ~ Hajres under Jean-Bernard Eyquem, won the Sheikh Zayed Bin Sultan Al Nahyan Cup (Group 1) held at Royal Windsor racecourse on Sunday, 11 August 2019. This was the first Arabian race to be staged at the Windsor track under the Festival’s name.
Hajres (Nizam (GB) x Tohfet Ennadhirine (TN)) bred by Haras Ahmed Essaied, was the starting favorite from the yard of Elizabeth Bernard and lived up to the promise as he finished ahead of the 2017 winner Mehdaaf Athbah under Tadhg O’Shea. The latter came up with a spirited effort but still fell short by less than a length as Hajres timed 1.50.18 for the distance of a mile. Jockey Kingscote drove Macallan, the Swedish raider, to third place in the race.
Earlier in the HH Sheikha Lateefa Bint Mansoor Bin Zayed Al Nahyan International Pony Championship race, the 5th in the series, Megan Bevan did very well to win and qualify for the championship final to be held in Abu Dhabi in November, 2019.
Bevan motored ahead on Motor Edd to taste her first victory in six starts. Bevan and Motor Edd finished ahead of Sienna Sheppard riding Our Little Molly and in third place was Daniel Ellis on O’Flynn’s Daughter.
The UAE Ambassador to the UK HE Mansour Abdullah Khalfan Belhoul, Ms. Lara Sawaya, Executive Director of the HH Sheikh Mansoor Bin Zayed Al Nahyan Global Arabian Horse Flat Racing Festival, 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 Genny Haynes, ARO Commercial and Finance Director along with others gave away the trophies.
“The Festival’s races in UK began with the Wathba Stallions Cup, run at Chelmsford City in June and won by Mawarid. The second Wathba Stallions Cup was run at Lingfield Park on Saturday and ended in one-two for Delyth Thomas who owns and trains the winner, Callymay and the second, Kork MHF.
Photos by Debbie Burt
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