Abu Dhabi: Shaikh Hamdan Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Deputy Ruler of Dubai and Minister of Finance and Industry, said that if endurance became an Olympic sport the UAE had a very good chance of winning the gold medal.
Speaking to reporters at the Emirates International Endurance Village in Seih Assalam during the Shaikh Rashid Bin Hamdan Al Maktoum Challenge ride yesterday, Shaikh Hamdan praised the display by the UAE endurance riders who won two gold medals and a bronze medal in endurance which made its debut in the Doha Asian Games.
Efforts on
The FEI, the governing body of equestrian sport has been making efforts to try and get endurance included as an Olympic discipline.
"If Endurance Riding becomes an Olympic sport the UAE, which is a dominant force in the discipline, have a 90 per cent chance of winning it," he said.
Shaikh Rashid Bin Mohammad Bin Rashid Al Maktoum won the individual gold in the 120-km endurance ride at the Doha Asiad and along with Shaikh Hamdan Bin Mohammad Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Shaikh Ahmad Bin Mohammad Bin Rashid Al Maktoum and Shaikh Majid Bin Mohammad Bin Rashid Al Maktoum won the team gold.
Sultan Bin Sulayem won the bronze medal in the individual category.
Blistering show
In reply to a question from a fellow journalist on his Breeders' Cup Classic winner Invasor, Shaikh Hamdan said he would like to see him in the Dubai World Cup.
Invasor, which is owned by Shaikh Hamdan, came up with a blistering performance to outduel favourite Bernardini and win the $5 million Breeders' Cup Classic, America's richest race.
Invasor, which is trained for Shaikh Hamdan by former UAE champion jockey Kiaran McLaughlin, is likely to return to the Nad Al Sheba where he has tasted the only defeat of his career.
The four-year-old colt has won nine of his ten starts with his only loss coming in the UAE Derby.
