Hassan Abdullah Yousef Al Hammadi and 8-year-old bay gelding Ro-Saad retained the Emirates Challenge title after a splendid victory in yesterday's 120-km ride at the Emirates International Endurance Village in Al Wathba.

The Al Wathba rider had won the same ride last year on Ro-Saad and repeated the triumph, this time under testing conditions and high temperatures.

Hassan completed the 120-km ride in a time of 4 hours, 44 minutes and 15 seconds. Marzooq Salem Al Merri finished second to complete a 1-2 for the Al Wathba Stables, while young Shaikh Khalid Bin Sultan Bin Zayed Al Nahyan finished third.

Yesterday's ride, which brought the curtain down on the Emirates International Endurance Village's 2004-05 season, was attended by Shaikh Hamdan Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Deputy Ruler of Dubai and Minister of Finance and Industry, and Shaikh Mansour Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Minister of Presidential Affairs.

Earlier, a total of 77 riders got off to a mass start at 6am and as the temperatures began to soar so did the battle for honours. Just before the final stage of 14 kms, there were nearly five riders in contention with just about four minutes separating them.

Leading the pack after that penultimate stage, with 106 kms covered, was Yousef Ahmad Al Bloushi on El Hadzin Deleyre followed by Marzooq Salem, Hassan and Shaikh Khalid.

However, Ro-Saad, the horse that won the National Day Cup with Shaikh Mansour earlier this season at the same venue, answered Hassan's call and together the winning pair recorded the day's fastest average speed for a stage- 32.43 kmph.

That effort overpowered the opposition and though Yousef Ahmad Al Bloushi finished second, the speed took its toll and his horse got eliminated.

Marzooq Salem with a speedy 29.10 kmph in the final 14 kms finished second and Shaikh Khalid, with a more steady approach, finished third.

Mohammad Al Sayed of EIEV and Hussain Mohammad Hussain, Secretary General of the UAE Equestrian and Racing Federation, along with representatives of Abu Dhabi Commercial Bank and JC Maclean distributed the trophies.

Results

1. Hassan Abdullah Yousef Al Hammadi (Ro-Saad) 4:44.15; 2. Marzooq Salem Al Merri (Ro-Fabiola) 4:46.29; 3. Shaikh Khalid Bin Sultan Bin Zayed Al Nahyan (Asuleja) 4:53.18; 4. Khalifa Bin Ghalaitha (Genio 11) 4:59.01; 5. Shareef Mohammad Abdullah Al Bloushi (Gori) 5:02.47; 6. Mohammad Iqbal Hussain-Bangladesh-(ZC Kingshah) 5:11.32; 7. Majid Ali Hassan Al Marzooqi (Bennalong Nile King) 5:14.26; 8. Mubarak Khalifa Bin Shafya (Kaysand Farrazah) 5:14.27; 9. Ahmad Mohd. Jasim Al Hammadi (Delta Moon Shine) 5:29.06; 10. Hassan Ahmad Mohd. Al Bloushi (Cameo Zinniaa) 5:32.34