Sport | Horse Racing
Celebrating a 'big day' for Arabians
Nayef Al Khalidiah gives trainer bernard every reason to feel good at Ascot.
- By M. Satya Narayan, Senior Reporter
- Published: 22:41 July 26, 2009
- Image Credit: Image: Gilly Wheeler
- Al Muheer owned by Dubai-businessman Saeed Manana sprints to victory in the Abu Dhabi International Stakes at Ascot racecourse on Saturday.
Ascot: It was his third win in the Emirates Equestrian Federation-sponsored The President of the UAE Cup (Arabian Derby of the UK) but trainer Jean-Francois Bernard termed the win as "big and a very special day for Purebred Arabian racing".
The Frenchman saddled Nayef Al Khalidiah and along with jockey Christophe Lemaire became part of history as it was the first-ever Arabian race held at the over 300-year-old race course.
"This is a big day. It is a great moment to win on the King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Stakes race day. This is also a great day for Purebred Arabian racing," said the respected trainer, most of whose horses are owned by Prince Khalid Bin Sultan Al Saud of Saudi Arabia.
"Arabian racing is not what it was ten years ago. It has changed and surely deserves to be part of such important race meetings," said Bernard, who was heading straight away to his base in La Teste in the south of France where he saddles another runner in the Prix Zayed Le Premier today.
Winning jockey Lemaire said, "This is something special."
"To win the first-ever Arabian race at Ascot is something I will cherish for a long, long time," said the French veteran.
Arabian racing certainly has come a long way and on a day when UAE owner Saeed Manana and trainer Clive Brittain pulled off a 265-1 Ascot double, punters did not have much to complain with the result of the first ever Arabian race. The winner was 4-1 and came from a strong stable while the favourite General at 11-10 finished second and Raked, owned by Shaikh Mansour Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Presidential Affairs, was third at 5-1.
While back in the UAE and the other Arab countries, it is passion that drives the Purebred Arabian racing fraternity, here in Europe and around the world it is the punters and book-makers who can complement the Arab initiative to popularise the breed that they consider as part of their culture and heritage.
Fryvolous won a Group 2 race in Newmarket on July 8 as the strong favourite, then in Newbury last week the Simpson runner finished third behind the favoured duo of Al Dahma and Risk Al Maury. Earlier in Chantilly, France it was Qatar's Raqiyah which finished first without upsetting the betting market while in Duindigt, Holland, Simmbad, also trained by Jean-Francois Bernard, won as the favourite. The results will surely instill confidence among the punters who have to initially rely on the form book as well as the odds as they get to know and follow the Purebred Arabian racehorses.
Taleb Daher Al Muhairi, secretary-general of the Emirates Equestrian Federation, said, "Already owners and trainers have begun to aim at this race for the next year. Everyone liked what they saw and that is what we are keen to pursue - to show to the racing world that the Arabian horse has the racing skills to trigger the passion of the fans."
"Purebred Arabians have the class, the ability and the consistency and are here to stay as race-horses," he added.
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