Nadia Burger (#8) beats Klinkenberg by a nose
24 July 2017, Duindigt, The Netherlands ~ Swiss professional jockey Nadia Burger steered Chalwa De Breull to victory in the 10th edition of the HH Sheikha Fatima Bint Mubarak Ladies World Championship race (Group 3) at the Duindigt racecourse in the Netherlands on Sunday, 23 July 2017.
The large crowd cheered home favorite Cindy Klinkenberg on Lou Raynal to a close second while Sweden’s Julia Presits followed Klinkenberg home on Raya C to take third place.
It was the first first win in four starts for the 5-year-old mare Chalwa De Breull (Mahabb), also clinching a berth in the November finale of the HH Sheikha Fatima Ladies World Championship in Abu Dhabi for Berger.
The Gerald T. Zoetelief-trained Chalwa De Breull brought kudos to Wathba Stallions, the breeding operations of HH Sheikh Mansoor Bin Zayed Al Nahyan as Mahabb is one of the top Wathba Stallions.
The winner covered the 1800-metre distance in 2.04 with the race carrying prize money of €30,000. This was a 20th career win for Burger in 294 starts.
HE Saeed Ali Al Nuwais, UAE Ambassador to The Netherlands, Adnan Sultan Al Nuaimi, Director General of the Abu Dhabi Equestrian Club, Ms. Lara Sawaya, Executive Director of Sheikh Mansoor Bin Zayed Al Nahyan Global Arabian Horse Flat Racing Festival, Chairperson of 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) and Nasser Al Nuwais, Chairman of Rotana Group gave away the trophies to the winning connections.
Also attending the race meeting were UAE Chargé d’affaires Mariam Al Shamsi, and Adel Al Amiri, the second secretary of the UAE embassy, and envoys of many other countries.
Ms. Sawaya said the tears of the Dutch jockey after losing out a close finish to Swiss rider Burger reflected the huge prestige that is attached to the series and the highly competitive nature of the races.
“We have ten lady jockeys who have qualified after today and we still have four more rounds to go in Belgium, Poland, England and Australia,” she said.
The races are part of the HH Sheikh Mansoor Bin Zayed Al Nahyan Global Arabian Horse Flat Racing Festival which 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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