HH Sheikha Fatima Bint Mubarak Apprentice race in Kazan, Tatarstan
31 August 2017, Kazan, Tatarstan ~ Russia’s Andrey Ivanov rode the 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, 30 August 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 highlighted by the prestigious Tatarstan President’s Cup.
Wednesday also marked the Tatarstan 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.
HH Sheikha Fatima Bint Mubarak Apprentice World Championship
Eight Apprentice jockeys filled the race with two jockeys representing Russia, and it was Russia’s Andrey Ivanov riding Batenisa who 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 in a three-way battle for the finish. The Russian responded, egged on by the home crowd, and won by over two lengths in the time of 1:51:53. Arvevalo and Grandinka followed in second while Padilla and Arabskaya Karoleva finished in third place.
Apprentice Ivanov said he was 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. 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.”
The eighth edition of the 2017 Apprentice Championship Series 1600-metre race was reserved for three-year-old Purebred Arabians and carried a prize fund of €20,000.
Wathba Stallions Cup
Iman ridden by F.S Giniyatullin won the €5000 Wathba Stallions Cup run over 1400 metres for two-year-old Purebred Arabian horses. Montelu and Saladin finishing second and third respectively.
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.”
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.
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