Racing towards a new future

Dubai: Every journey has to start somewhere and the origins of the now-thriving horse racing scene in the UAE can be traced back to the early nineties when the first race was held at Nad Al Sheba.

Although there are reports of some sort of equestrian activity taking place in the seventies and eighties in parts of Dubai and Abu Dhabi, the first race ever run under the UAE Rules of Racing was in November 1992.

A Moroccan-bred horse called Shehab is credited with being the country's first ever winner, while making history in the saddle was Pakistan-born jockey Zareen Rahimulla.

Jameel Salman, a Jordanian horseman from the Abu Dhabi Mounted Police, trained Shehab.

Salman, who is still holds a UAE trainer's licence and is currently based at the Bin Nashwan Stables in Al Ain, is also credited with saddling the first winners at the Jebel Ali racecourse (Ramaha) and the Abu Dhabi Equestrian Club (Bint Al Aseel).

Despite playing such a prominent role in UAE sporting history, Salman remains modest and down-to-earth.

"I can still remember when Shehab crossed the finish line," he recalls. "It was a great feeling to have won the first ever race in the UAE. I am honoured and proud to have achieved such a feat.

"Horse racing in the UAE is now an international sport and it is getting bigger and better. The future looks very, very bright."

However, credit for launching the sport in the UAE should be given to Ali Khamis Al Jafleh, the first Chairman of the Dubai Racing Club and Lord John Fitzgerald, its first CEO.

Al Jafleh and Lord John forged a successful working partnership to bring to fruition the vision of the Maktoum family.

"Those were very exciting times," said Al Jafleh who is presently compiling a book on UAE racing history.

"Lord John and myself worked very hard to ensure that the UAE was recognised as an official turf authority by the International Federation of Horse Racing.

"In those days there were no quarantine facilities, no proper stabling and the constant threat of disease. But we had the determination to succeed. And we did."

The same year, 1992, a full UAE racing season was held, from November to March. It also coincided with the formation of the Dubai Racing Club and the UAE Equestrian Association in Abu Dhabi.

Englishman Peter Brette rode 12 winners to win the inaugural UAE jockey's championship while Pakistan's Mohammad Ali claimed the trainer's championship with 24 winners.

Today the richest race in the world, the Dubai World Cup, is held here. By 2009 the nation will have a multi-million racecourse called Meydan.