Shaikh Mohammad leads UAE sweep
Mohammad leads UAE sweep
Abu Dhabi: His Highness Shaikh Mohammad Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice-President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, won the 120-km FEI CEI Three-star Open Endurance Championship ride in Euston Park on Saturday.
Riding Julius de la Drome, Shaikh Mohammad led a 1-2-3 finish for the UAE in the 120-km event and later Sultan Bin Sul-ayem won the 160-km ride to make it a memorable double triumph for the UAE.
Shaikh Mohammad, who won in Syria last month, was making his first appearance in Europe this season as he led a team of UAE riders in preparation for the World Championship in Malaysia next November.
Riders from France, the UK, Australia and the UAE were part of the Open ride in which Shaikh Mohammad and his horse Julius de la Drome completed the 120-km distance in 6 hours 36 minutes and 34 seconds.
The ride consisted of five loops which took the riders through private estates and forest tracks.
Shaikh Mohammad's average speed in the ride run in five loops of 36.6, 32, 16, 20 and 16 km was 18.25km/h.
According to reports, Shaikh Mohammad slowed down considerably to shepherd Shaikh Rashid Dalmook Bin Juma Al Maktoum, who was third behind Abdullah Bin Huzaim. The three UAE riders, led by Shaikh Mohammad, finished together.
Home win
The 160-km ride, which started 90 minutes before the 120-km ride was won by Sultan Bin Sulayem, the bronze medallist at the Doha Asian Games.
Bin Sulayem partnered Pazoul El Parry to complete the gruelling six-stage 160-km ride in 9 hours 40 minutes 50 seconds.
Four seconds behind Bin Sulayem was another UAE rider, Abdullah Thani Bin Huzaim with Rachel Atkinson making the hosts proud with a third place finish.
Shaikh Mayed Bin Mohammad Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Chairman of Culture and Arts Authority, took part in the 160-km ride and withdrew in the third loop.
Saeed Al Tayer, Vice-Chairman of the Emirates Racing Association, said the double win by the UAE riders was a brilliant result. "This was Shaikh Mohammad's second win in the two rides that he has taken part in. It is a proud achievement," he said.
"The UAE riders will be taking part in a series of rides in preparation for the World Endurance Championship in Malaysia. Once again on Saturday our riders displayed the experience to win both the 120-km and the 160-km rides," Al Tayer said.
Results
120-km FEI CEI Three-star Open ride in Euston Park:
- Shaikh Mohammad Bin Rashid Al Maktoum (Julius de la Drome) Time: 6 hrs 36.34 secs;
- Abdullah Bin Huzaim (Skyros de Peyrols) 6:36.35;
- Shaikh Rashid Dalmook Juma Al Maktoum (Papaye de Ghazal) 6:35:36.
160-km FEI CEI Three-star Open ride in Euston Park:
- Sultan Bin Sulayem (Pazoul El Parry) 9 hrs 40 mins 50 secs;
- Abdullah Thani Bin Huzaim (Castlebar Kadeem) 9:40:54;
- Rachel Atkinson (Vanash) 10:30:03 secs.
