Dubai: Pat Buckley, who has played a pivotal role in fostering the growth of horse racing in the UAE, believes that the sport is currently in a very healthy position
Over the 23 years that he has spent at the helm at the Abu Dhabi Equestrian Club (ADEC), where he is at present the Racing Manager & Technical Adviser, Buckley has seen UAE horse racing undergo amazing transformations in the quality of racing and facilities, structure, economy and how it found its prominent place on the global sporting map.
A former Grand National winning jockey, Buckley has demonstrated his voluminous skills as an administrator, an official, a commentator, a coordinator and a marketing man.
His affable demeanour serves him well and he enthusiastically details some of the amazing things that have happened over the years, including the success of the Carnival, the expansion of Purebred Arabian racing in Abu Dhabi, the objective of hosts lower class races at the Sharjah Equestrian & Racing Club and more recently the Al Ain Equestrian Shooting & Golf Club, and the return of dirt racing to Meydan.
Excerpts from a recent interview:
Gulf News: Pat, thanks for talking to us. From your grand perspective what are your views on the status of UAE horse racing?
Buckey: UAE racing has progressed over the past 23 years since we had our first meeting here in 1991, which seems like a long time ago. In those days we were running around trying to get horses to race. But with initiatives of Shaikh Mansour Bin Zayed Al Nahyan [Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Presidential Affairs] and the great encouragement and support of his His Highness Shaikh Zayed it actually got going. And after a very short time we had a very good foundation. This has translated UAE racing into an international sport with the arrival of Meydan, the Carnival, changes in management and changes in ideas, which have helped propel the sport forward.
What sticks out as one of the best things about the sport in the UAE?
UAE racing is financially independent, we don’t have to go running around with a cap in our hands searching for funds. The sport is well supported both from the corporate sector and the Royal Families in Abu Dhabi and Dubai. I use the Royal We because we are under the directions of the Al Nahyan family and the Al Maktoum family. This season alone in Abu Dhabi, we have upped the total prize money to Dh15 million with the highlight behind the HH The President Cup in the middle of February which is worth Dh3 million on its own, while the Emirates Championship has gone up to being a Dh1 million.
How much of a challenge has it been to grow Arabian and Thoroughbred racing simultaneously?
Not all that difficult. When we started, we were more or less on an even keel with a single racecard featuring three races for Arabs and three for thoroughbreds. But then it developed into the emphasis being on thoroughbred races in Dubai and Jebel Ali with the Purebred Arabian racing being a feature at Abu Dhabi, Sharjah and now Al Ain. It’s a nice balance to have and brings more depth and scale to both types of racing.
We have developed a nice little domestic UAE circuit with Sharjah and Al Ain staging more meetings to shore up the three major centres at Meydan, Jebel Ali and Abu Dhabi Equestrian Club. Your thoughts?
Yes that’s right. There is always growth for expansion and all venues have a role to play. Thanks again to the initiative of Shaikh Mansour, who introduced the Al Wathba Stud Farm Cup for private owners only, it gave the local, independent owners a very broad incentive to compete. For the last two seasons we’ve had so many entries and declarations for these races which is very encouraging. Even lower class races now have a place in the UAE with Sharjah happy to host races of this catageory where its about participation and not just about big prize money.
Will the return to a dirt surface at Meydan change the character of the venue, will it have a wider appeal than the erstwhile synthetic track?
I’m sure many of the traditionalists will like the return to dirt and it may well indicate a resurgence in the participation of horses from America because they’ve been giving Meydan a bit of a miss in recent years due to the old synthetic surface. As a consequence it could mean we will see more American owned and trained horses running in the Carnival next year. On the other hand, taking into consideration the pros and cons of racing on dirt, there is the kickback factor to consider. Some horses and jockeys dislike the effects of racing on the surface, but others don’t mind. But as I understand it now, with technology having improved vastly, I’m sure we’re going to see a good surface come up at Meydan. A lot of consideration has been given to the quality of sand, materials and expertise that is being employed at Meydan to ensure that it comes up as a natural and safe racing surface.
You’ve had so many roles to play over the years, what was the ride like?
The great thing is it all started when I was riding at my father’s stables in Ireland more than 60 years ago. There have been ups and downs, mostly injuries, but I’ve had so much fun. And still love what I’m doing.
