Abu Dhabi: French jockey Gianni Siaffa secured a first ever win as Karar scored a memorable victory in the new HH Shaikha Fatima Bint Mubarak Apprentice World Championship (IFAHR) series race in Newbury, United Kingdom, on Sunday.
It was the second race of the HH Shaikh Mansour Bin Zayed Al Nahyan Global Arabian Horse Flat Racing Festival series for apprentice jockeys and the 18-year-old Siaffa, who also took part in the inaugural race in Sacramento on July 19, did well to help the Beverley Deutrom-trained four-year-old to a smart win in the 10-horse field.
Karar took 2 mins 28.36 seconds in the 10-furlong (2,000-metre) race for horses rated 40-65 in the Premier Handicap event.
Katwalk under American jockey Laura Carson came second, while Noble Athlete under Great Britain’s Jack Gilligan was third.
It was Siaffa’s first win in 22 starts for the French jockey, who got an apprentice licence earlier this year.
The UAE’s top apprentice, Ahmad Al Subose, on Amyzing Zayin and Oman’s Yahya Al Hamdani on Wikkara finished 7th and 8th respectively.
Noora Al Suwaidi, Secretary General of the UAE General Women’s Union and Chairman of the UAE Women’s Sports Committee, said: “It is a great honour to stage this race in Newbury, which is an important racing venue for Arabian horses in the United Kingdom. With apprentice jockeys from the UAE and Oman taking part, this series will give them exposure and experience in flat racing.”
Lara Sawaya, Executive Director of the festival and Chairman of Ladies Racing at the International Federation of Arabian Horse Racing Authorities (IFAHR), said: “Siaffa will now join the winner of the opening race, Italian Gianluca Sanna, in the November 9 final race of the series in Abu Dhabi.
“But, before the Abu Dhabi finale, we have we have two more races in the series in Baden-Baden in Germany on September 7 and in Tarbes in France on October 12. This series is turning out to be an exciting addition to the festival.”
The festival is organised by the Abu Dhabi Tourism and Culture Authority and coordinated by Abu Dhabi Sports Council in association with Emirates Racing Authority, IFAHR and Emirates Arabian Horse Society.
