8 March 2015, Abu Dhabi ~British apprentice champion jockey Oisin Murphy teamed up with trainer Ahmed Al Mehairbi to steer AK Adour (Akbar (FR) x Petite Class (FR) by Barour De Cardonne) home in the 14th and penultimate round of the Wathba Stud Farm Cup For Private Owners Only at the Abu Dhabi Equestrian Club on Sunday, 8 March, in the next to last meeting of the Abu Dhabi season.
The well-bred six-year-old son of Akbar came from nowhere to pip the mount of Royston Ffrench, Abu Al Mels, storming home unchallenged to prevail by more than three lengths. The winner covered the 1200m in 1:15:58. Sns Mujood, ridden by Silvestre De Sousa was two and half lengths back in third place with TM Ac-Dc coming in fourth.
Raced by Faisal Al Rahmani and trained by Ahmed Al Mehairbi at the Al Mehairbi Stables in Abu Dhabi, AK Adour has claimed his first win in six starts.
“He’s a kind of improving horse who never gives up and I was confident that it was his day,” said the winning trainer when interviewed later.
“At last he did it and never put me down,” he said. “I would like to thank HH Sheikh Mansoor bin Zayed Al Nahyan, UAE Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Presidential Affairs for encouraging the breeding of this noble creature through the Wathba Stud Farm Cup series,” he said.
Al Rahmani added: “The bonus which is provided by the HH Sheikh Mansoor bin Zayed Al Nahyan Global Arabian Horse Racing Festival is paying off. All breeders and owners are attending the races to promote their breed and this is a great breakthrough.”
Meanwhile, Adnan Sultan Al Nuaimi, director general of the Abu Dhabi Equestrian Club and Mosallam Al Amri, director of Al Jazira Stables, presented the prizes and trophies to the winning breeder, owner, trainer and jockey of the winning horse.
1″>The HH Sheikh Mansoor bin Zayed Al Nahyan Global Arabian Horse Flat Racing Festival is organised by the Abu Dhabi Tourism and Culture Authority and coordinated by Abu Dhabi Sports Council in association with Emirates Racing Authority, IFAHR and Emirates Arabian Horse Society, supported by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs , the General Authority of Youth and Sports Welfare with The National Archives as the official partner and Emirates airline as the official carriers and sponsored by Invest AD, Tourism Development & Investment Company (TDIC), Abu Dhabi National Exhibition Centre (ADNEC), Al Awani General Enterprises, Kabale, Al Wathba Centre, the UAE’s General Women’s Union, the HH Sheikha Fatima bint Mubarak Ladies Sports Academy, Abu Dhabi International Hunting and Equestrian Exhibition 2015, Dr. Nader Saab Switzerland, Al Wathba Center, Abu Dhabi Equestrian Club, Eastern Mangroves Suites-Abu Dhabi by Jannah, Yas Channel, Omeir Travels and Racing Post.
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