2 September 2019, Warsaw, Poland ~ On 18 August 2019, the Arabian races at Sluzewiec in Warsaw, Poland, reported four top races. The Al Khalediah Poland Cup and the Europy race were both for four-year-old and older horses and the Bialki stakes for three year olds.
Al KHALEDIAH Poland Cup
The Al KHALEDIAH Poland Cup, race 4 of the day was over 1.600m, with prize money of 70.000 zl and was easy won with three lengths in front by the 5-yr-old ANOOD Al Khalediah (Nayef Al Khalediah x Shaza al Khalediah by Khalid El Biwaibiya). In the saddle was jockey S. Mazur, and the filly is trained by M.Borkowski. Win time was 1:47.
EUROPY prize (Sheikh Zayed Bin Sultan Al Nahyan Cup)
The feature Arabian race of the day was the Europy with 148.750 zl (app.37.200 €) in prize money over 2.600 meters. Nine horses lined up with two fillies in the fray. The winner by seven lengths was the 6-year-old colt SALAM Al Khalediah (Nashwan Al Khalediah x Queshe du Paon by Akbar), Bred by Khalid B.S.B. Abdul Aziz Al Saud and owned by Polska AKF Sp.z.o.o. Winning trainer was M.Kacprzyk and this was a second win for the day by jockey S. Mazur. (Total win time 2:58,8”) In the finish SALAM was taking the lead and no others could beat him.
BIALKI STAKES
The BIALKI Stakes for 3-year-old colts and fillies was over 2.000m and offered a total purse of 52.500 zl. This race is considered the most important race of the 4-year old year.
Seven horses from five different countries were nominated. Drug´s WIKTORIA held the pace for almost 3/4 of the race. In the last 500m the big boys started to go in front. This group of four was very fast. In the last meters TABARAK´s ELVIRA (Tabarak x Elea by Dormane) came from behind to win with an unbelievable finish of ½ length in front. (Total win time: 2:29,9”). The trainer was Piotr Pankowski, jockey M. Srnec. TABARAK´s ELVIRA is bred and is owned owned by Gestüt Chat Austria, Elisabeth and Helmut Chat. Now she is following the footprints of her dam Elea by Dormane, also a very successful racehorse in Warszawa Tor Sluzewiec.
The weather was hot and humid but still the Grandstands (Tribunes) were full and all enjoyed the addition of the H.H.Sheikha Fatima Bint Mubarak Ladies World Championship race. Ten horses 4-yrs and older were ridden in the 1600m race by amateur jockeys with their mounts selected by ballot. This exciting race was won by jockey S.Stappaerts on MONTHER Al KHALEDIAH.
Notes:
The famous Sluzewiec racetrack was built in 1939 and has recently undergone an extensive restoration to update the Art Deco Grandstand building and interior.
More than 1000 horses are in training at the Sluzewiec track. Now many young trainers and riders make this location very important in the Arabian horse racing world.
Text by Elisabeth Chat, photos by Tor Sluzewiec