23 June 2016, UK ~ Athbah Stud’s homebred colt Khattaf Athbah put up a game display winning from the front in the Dubai International Arabian Races (DIAR) at Newbury 24 July International Stakes on Thursday, 23 June. The ten runner juvenile contest at Newbury was a preparatory race for the Emirates Equestrian Federation International Stakes (Gr2PA) run over course and distance on 24 July as part of the Arabian Racing Organization’s flagship event Dubai International Arabian Races (DIAR).
Trainer Peter Hammersley had also won the corresponding event last year for the same connections and it was a welcome first winner since moving to larger premises over the winter. Speaking after the race he said. “They have been running well without winning, but the two colts had run nice debut races so I was hopeful today. When the ground changed to good to soft I thought it would go against Kamel Athbah that finished fifth, but it has suited Khattaf Athbah really well. The filly Shammat Al Hosn has had a nice introduction too. So we will go to Dubai Day and who knows, we might have the favorite again this year.
Abdul Moniem Ahmed, Racing Manager for Athbah Stud and the representative of HRH Prince Abdulaziz bin Ahmad bin Abdulaziz, was delighted to win the race for a second time saying. “I was so proud to bring horses here from Saudi Arabia, to represent Athbah Stud and race against other top Arabian breeders at such a prestigious racecourse as Newbury.”
“Athbah Stud has a big vision for Arabian racehorses which is why we have started to breed. We have a new base, Hope Hall Stud in Newmarket, which we moved to last year and our three runners today were all homebreds,” he continued.
The race is the third of four UK DIAR warm-up races and the first three home today qualify for a bonus should they be successful at the main event. The DIAR committee inaugurated a bonus scheme last year, which has been extended this season. The bonus races are headed by the Shadwell Dubai International Stakes (Gr1PA), the Dubai Duty Free Hatta International Stakes (Gr1 PA), the Emirates Equestrian Federation International Stakes (Gr2PA) and the Rotana Resorts and Hotels Premier Handicap Stakes (UK domestic horses only).
Arabian Racing Organization (ARO) Racing Manager Amanda Smith said. “The DIAR preparatory race series has been a great success so far and today’s contest will be of great benefit to these young horses in advance of DIAR, as many of them were having their first racecourse experience. I am delighted to see Athbah Stud having success with their homebred horses this year. They have always been a great supporter of Arabian racing in the UK and it is fabulous to see that dedication rewarded on the racecourse.”
Full Results:
[gview file=”https://horsereporter.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/06/Results-Newbury-23-June.pdf” save=”1″]~ end supplied report