Dubai: Female camels outshone their male counterparts winning the biggest prize and clocking the fastest time on the second day of the 36th Al Marmoum Heritage Festival hosted by the Dubai Camel Racing Club.
Sarab, which means Mirage in English, registered the best timing of the day when she clocked five minutes.45:06 seconds in the 5-km race.
It was one of 15 exciting Haqaqa category races held during a busy afternoon session which was attended by Shaikh Hamdan Bin Mohammad Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai, under whose patronage the 12-day festival is being held at the DCRC’s Heritage track.
Sarab is owned by Ali Hamad Saeed Al Fihaida Al Marie one of several successful owner-trainer’s of hybrid racing camels from the UAE.
However, Sihaba (Cloud) claimed the biggest prize of the day with a decisive win in her category which brought her owner, Mohammad Saif Bin Kulabe Al Katabi, a prestigious trophy in addition to the Dh250,000 cash prize.
The second richest race of the afternoon was won by the strong young male camel, Badran, (Virility), whose owner Mohammad Mubarak Bin Jerrio Al Mansouri, received a prestigious rifle as a trophy plus Dh200,000 in cash.
Earlier, the morning session on Day Two of the festival also produced fierce competition between camels owned by Emiratis and rivals from the Gulf and Middle East region.
This session also featured 15 races in the Tribesmen’s Haqaqa category.
The first race of the day started at 6:30am and set the tone for another thrilling day’s racing.
Al Aitamoose, (Beautiful Lady) ran a strong race to ensure that her owner, Hamad Salim Shameel Al Rashidi, would drive home in a spanking new Chevrolet Blazer 2017.
The second Chevrolet Blazer 2017 of the day was won by the he-camel, Mashakil (Problems), owned by Rashid Juma Hamdan Al Beloushi.
The performance of the first session was delivered by Nesaiem (Breezes), who totally dominated her rivals to post a thumping victory for owner Mohammad Mubarak Mohammad Al Katabi.
Nesaiem registered the best timing of the session, clocking five mintues 50:08 seconds for the 5-km distance.
Both days of the Festival have surpassed expectations.
After Rabsha, owned by Mubarak Mudhafar Al Dhahrie and Zaaffran, owned by Mattar Sultan Mattar Bin Markhan excelled on the opening day, it was the turn of the Tribesmen to parade their best camels.
