Abu Dhabi: It was a dream debut for Rashed Ahmad Al Beloushi as the 14-year-old younger brother of Al Reef champion Yousuf Ahmad Al Beloushi won the Sorouh-sponsored 120-km Shaikh Sultan Bin Zayed Al Nahyan Endurance Cup for Junior & Young riders here yesterday.
Rashed, whose elder brother was the top UAE rider of the 2006-07 season, unleashed a terrific final stage speed of over 33.96 kmph to move from fifth place to winner on 10-year-old chestnut mare Sekura.
The win was a proud moment for the family as Sekura is trained by Yousuf Ahmad at the Al Reef Stables in Al Ain, and made up for the champion's exit a few hours earlier in the three-day 240-km ride at the same venue.
Overnight leaders Shaikh Hazza Bin Sultan Bin Zayed Al Nahyan on Akab and Yousuf Ahmad on Zara Farm Chandali had led after day one but in yesterday's second leg of the Sorouh-sponsored three-day Shaikh Sultan Bin Zayed Al Nahyan Endurance Cup, both were out of reckoning after 140-kms.
Final stage
With 20kms of yesterday's 80-kms left, Shaikh Hazza's horse was eliminated for lameness while Yousuf retired his horse though he passed the fifth vet check.
With the favourites out of the race, Mohammad Hamad Al Junaibi on Ramalea Captain kept the cheers on for the hosts by finishing on top after six stages and 160-kms. Following in second place is Shaikh Khaled Bin Sultan Bin Zayed Al Nahyan with Abdullah Khamis Ali Saeed on Risco Moreno, the horse that was second in this race last year, in third place.
While the 240-km ride will see the remaining riders battle it out in today's final stage, yesterday's spotlight was on the young champion Rashed Ahmad.
The competition for Junior and Young riders was open to those aged between 14 yrs up to 21 years and Rashed Ahmad showed great skills as he came from behind to win the 120-km ride yesterday at the Boudtheib Endurance Village.
After four stages and 104kms, Britain's Kayleigh Smith led with Shaikh Abdullah Bin Faisal Al Qassimi in second while Rashed Ahmad was in fifth place, almost five minutes behind Smith.
But the final 16-kms stage saw leads being exchanged and while most of those in the leader board averaged a speed of around 24 to 26kmph, Rashed's horse Secura seemed to be in a class of her own.
Prompted by her young rider, Secura came up with a speedy finish to win by over two minutes from Smith while Shaikh Abdullah, who finished fourth was upgraded to third as Ali Ghanim Al Marri's horse failed the final vet check after finishing third.
