Nieshan avenges loss to win President's Cup

Abu Dhabi: Nieshan gained revenge on his old rival Seraphin Du Paon to win the prestigious His Highness The President of the UAE Cup (Group 1) in a breathtaking finish at the Abu Dhabi Equestrian Club on Sunday night.

Having suffered defeats to Seraphin Du Paon in this race and the Dubai Kahayla Classic (Group 1) on Dubai World Cup day last season, the Eric Lemartinel-trained six-year-old showed plenty of guts to win the 2,200-metre race, one of Abu Dhabi's most valuable for Purebred Arabians with Dh1 million prize money.

Ridden by Gerald Avaranche, Nieshan relished the longer distance after three defeats over 1,600 metres.

The winning jockey said: "He is obviously a horse with a lot of class but was finding 1,600 metres too short in his first races. He ran very well in all these big races last season and bounced back to winning ways last time in a lesser contest. This was his main early season target and a great prize to win. I am sure he will now be aimed at Meydan and [Dubai] World Cup night."

Seraphin Du Paon's connections were denied in the big race but his trainer and jockey, Ernst Oertel and Mirco Demuro, combined to win the opening 1,400-metre maiden with debutante Manisha. Dubai World Cup-winning jockey Demuro also completed a double when partnering the Hassan Saleh Al Hammadi-owned and trained Meshwar to win the following 1,600-metre handicap.

The jockey said: "That is the perfect start to a very important evening."

Impressive display

The main support race was the Group 3 Al Ruwais over 1,000 metres, won by Thakif with Harry Bentley in the saddle for trainer Majid Al Jahouri.

Bentley was delighted with the result and said: "He impressed me when we won that maiden and I thought he would go well this evening but he has probably surprised me winning that well."

Richard Hills was in the saddle on Najem Al Khalij who won the 1,600-metre Abu Dhabi Equestrian Gold Cup for Jaber Bittar and Al Reef Stables with the six-year-old registering his third win from five starts this season.

The only Thoroughbred race on the card was the concluding 1,600-metre handicap and Laa Rayb opened his local account at the eighth attempt for trainer Dhruba Selvaratnam with William Buick in the saddle.

Selvaratnam said: "He was probably unlucky at Meydan last time and it is great to see him get his head back in front."