Al Beloushi wins Sorouh Challenge

Abu Dhabi: Omair Hussain Abdullah Al Beloushi revealed why he holds the world record for the fastest time when he won the 120km Sorouh Challenge.

Riding Silversprings Kabir Arwa, he turned up the heat on two gold medallists from last week's World Endurance Championship in Malaysia to win Saturday's race.

Mohammad Ahmad Ali Al Subose, a member of the gold medal winning UAE team in Malaysia, and Maria Alvarez Ponton of Spain, who won the world champion, could not match Omair's speed.

The pair had to be content with the second and third places respectively.

Opening event

His Highness Shaikh Mohammad Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice-President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, and Shaikh Mansour Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Minister of Presidential Affairs, attended yesterday's first open ride of the season.

Shaikh Hamdan Bin Mohammad Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai, and Shaikh Majid Bin Mohammad Bin Rashid Al Maktoum also took part.

A fascinating tussle between Omair, Maria, Ali and Yousef Ahmad Al Beloushi ensured the UAE's open category season got off to a terrific start.

Omair, on Silversprings Kabir Arwa, finished the first and second loops in the lead while Yousef, who also trains Omair's horse, took the lead in the third loop on Jibbah Enog. The Dubai-based Maria then made her move on EO Fawati to forge ahead and went into the final stage in first with Yousef second, Ali third and Omair in fourth place.

Yousef's challenge never took off and he fell back but it was Omair who made up more than a minute to finish ahead of Ali with Maria in third place.

Omair Hussain was in superb form to win the specially-designed Sorouh Challenge Trophy. "This is his first ride and he was fantastic.

"It is a big win for Al Reef Stables and my trainer Yousef. We also won the Junior ride in Boudtheib and this is a great start," said Omair, who broke the 160km world record last year in Dubai.

Omair's average speed in yesterday's 120km event sponsored by Sorouh Real Estate was 25.43kmph and he completed the five-stage race in four hours, 43 minutes and nine seconds.

"I came from Jordan where I rode three loops yesterday before I retired my horse.

Competitive

"Today's race was very tough and highly competitive. I will aim for a top three finish in every race this season," said Ali Al Subose.

World champion last week but third here, Maria said she was beaten by a better rider-horse combination.

"I just could not do much as I knew the other two horses looked better.

"The pace was quite high but I will be back," said Maria.

Three-race series

Under directions from His Highness Shaikh Mohammad Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice- President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai and Shaikh Mansour Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Minister of Presidential Affairs, a three-round series of Body Weight (above 75 kgs) rides will be staged during the current season.

Taleb Dhaher Al Muhairi, Secretary General of the UAE Equestrian and Racing Federation, said the three-race series would start with the National Day Cup.

He said: "There will be a separate Body Weight ride on the National Day Cup which will be the first round of the new series.

"Round two will be held in Bahrain while the series will end with the third round in Dubai," Al Muhairi said.

The secretary general said more details on how the three-race series would work will be revealed later.

"It will be a three race series in which the results of each round will be counted towards the overall positions," he said.

"More details on the exact dates of the other rounds and the finer aspects of how the points will be calculated towards the overall results will be worked out and announced soon," Al Muhairi said.