Dubai: Rashid Ahmad Al Beloushi and his elder brother and trainer Yousuf Ahmad Al Beloushi made it a 1-2 for their family as well as Al Reef Stables to drive away with a Range Rover each after the Dubai Crown Prince Endurance Cup, 120-km Two Star ride on Saturday.
The young Rashed on Davlyn Park Picasso unleashed one of the fastest final loop speeds when his average speed of 37.97 kmph for the final 20-km stage took him from 10th place to first leaving behind a handful of fancied riders including Yousef, who trained the winning horse. Even more remarkable was the winning time of 4 hours 04 mins 32 secs which was better than last year’s 4:21.46 - also set by a horse trained by Yousef when Sultan Ahmad Al Beloushi won this prestigious ride on Cronus.
While Rashid rode Davlyn Park Picasso at 10th after 100 kms, Yousef was fourth on Elyphyn Silverlight while it was Saeed Ahmad Jaber Al Harbi on La Crysada who was in the lead. Even as leads were being exchanged at the top, young Rashid who had kept his horse’s speed to just over 24km/h in the penultimate stage of 20 kms, went for it and finally made it by almost breaking the four-hour barrier for a 120-km event.
Saeed, who had finished fourth in the 120-km Dubai Crown Prince Endurance Ride on Friday, slipped to sixth place while Buti Mohammad Bin Touq Al Merri on Glenewan Pebble finished third to win the third Range Rover of offer.
Saturday’s ride was attended by His Highness Shaikh Mohammad Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, UAE Vice-President and Prime Minister and Ruler of Dubai, Shaikh Hamdan Bin Mohammad Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Dubai Crown Prince, Shaikh Mansour Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Presidential Affairs, Shaikh Hamdan Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Deputy Ruler of Dubai and Minister of Finance, Shaikh Hazza Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, National Security Adviser, Shaikh Tahnoun Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Head of the Abu Dhabi Emiri Flight, among others.
The top three finishers in the Dubai Crown Prince Endurance Cup received Range Rover cars plus cash awards and Yousuf, who finished second in 2011 and seventh last year, said it was a great individual as well as training effort. “I am very happy that the Al Reef Stables based in Al Ain are finishing the Dubai season with this great 1-2 finish. Conditions were tough and Rashid did come up with a superb effort on the final loop,” said Yousuf.
On Friday, a Range Rover, a Lexus, a Nissan Patrol and two FJ Cruisers were given away to the top five in the 120-km Dubai Crown Prince Endurance Ride which is open only to private stables and individual owners.
Saeed Saqer Mohammad Al Ameri on Rowallan Simon won the four-stage event in 4 hrs 24 mins 11 secs with Saif Mubarak Al Kaili on Ib Indio second and Mohammad Aida on LC Benicio third, respectively.
