Dana Al Mutawa wins Rashid Ride
1-2-3 sweep by Seih Assalam Stables in Rashid Bin Hamdan Al Maktoum Challenge Festival
Abu Dhabi: It was a rare 1-2-3 for trainer Ali Al Muhairi and Seih Assalam Stables while even more rare was a 1-2 finish by women riders in an open event in the 120-kilometre Rashid Bin Hamdan Al Maktoum Challenge Festival ride here on Saturday. Dana Mohammad Sharif Al Mutawa won the race, followed by Ireland’s Amy Louis McAuley in second.
While Al Mutawa earned her first win in the CEI Two Star ride, it was also the 19-year-old McAuley’s best finish while Al Muhairi and his assistant Takhat Singh Rao marked the dominance of the stables. Al Mutawa, on Hirstglen Horizon, took four hours 28 minutes and 25 seconds to finish just ahead of McAuley on Nirida de Paute while Shaikh Hamed Dalmook Al Maktoum on Colonial Boy completed the sweep.
It was Al Mutawa’s first win in a Open CEI ride and prior to this, she had won the CEN 80km Shaikh Sultan Bin Zayed Al Nahyan Endurance Festival for Ladies (a national ride) on Ramalea Captain Straight in March 2011.
Shaikh Hamdan Bin Mohammad Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai and Chairman of the Dubai Sports Council, and Shaikh Hamdan Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Deputy Ruler of Dubai and Minister of Finance, attended the event.
Al Muhairi, the racing manager for Shaikh Hamdan Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, attributed the clean sweep to the teamwork in the stables. “We dedicate this win to Shaikh Hamdan, who is always supporting and guiding us and is a keen supporter of endurance,” Al Muhairi said. He highlighted the efforts of his assistant Singh and said: “We have a good team and they work very hard in training and keeping the horses ready for the competitions.”
The 21-year-old Al Muwata, who was third going out into the final stage, said: “My horse did very well to gather pace on the final stage and that helped me win. This is my best ever performance and I thank Al Muhairi for the support.”
Al Mutawa won a car while all the riders from the 124 who started the 120km event will get a share of the Dh400,000 on offer.
McAuley, who started endurance riding four years ago, was delighted with her second place. “This is my best ever finish and I am very happy,” said the Jumeirah College student, who had also finished fifth in the President’s Cup for Ladies ride last year. “My horse was great today.”
Shaikh Rashid Bin Hamdan Bin Rashid Al Maktoum gave away the trophies in the presence of Adnan Sultan Al Nuaimi, director general of Abu Dhabi Equestrian Club, Lara Sawaya, director of the Shaikh Mansour Bin Zayed Al Nahyan Global Arabian Flat Racing Festival and Head of IFAHR Ladies Racing and others.
