Gazel T wins Wathba Stud Farm Cup in Malmo

Malmo, Sweden: Gazel T, ridden by Eduardo Pedroza, finished strongly to complete back-to-back victories in the Wathba Stud Farm Cup (PA G3) at the Jagersro Racetrack on Tuesday.

SR Dorwan, the mount of Mark Scott finished second and Gallab, ridden by Espen Ski finished third.

The race was run over 1,730 metres on dirt and attracted a quality field of eight runners who have battled it out to the wire.

The winner covered the distance in 2:10:60 seconds to prevail by half a length.

Winning rider Pedroza was full of praise for his horse Gazal T and said: “He’s an honest and keen performer who has done well to deal with the difficulties he encountered during the race. He didn’t break well, but managed to fight courageously when it mattered in the crucial stages and won gamely. I won this race last year at the same venue, and he has improved a lot since then.”

Rashid Obaid Al Suwaidi, adviser at the UAE embassy in Stockholm commented on the Wathba Stud Farm Cup series: “This success would have not been achieved without the strong support and backing of the wise leadership of The President His Highness Shaikh Khalifa Bin Zayed Al Nahyan and His Highness Shaikh Mohammad Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice-President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, and General Shaikh Mohammad Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Deputy Supreme Commander of the UAE Armed Forces, coupled with the role which is played by Shaikh Mansour Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Presidential Affairs, to promote sports in general and Arabian horse races in particular.”

Lara Sawaya, director of the Shaikh Mansour Bin Zayed Al Nahyan Global Arabian Horse Flat Racing Festival and head of the International Federation of Arabian Horse Racing Authorities (IFAHR) Ladies Racing praised the great success of the Wathba Stud Cup in Malmo. She said it was a pleasure to witness the same owner and trainer winning the series for the second time after prevailing in the 4th round of the HH Shaikha Fatima Bint Mubarak Ladies World Championship in the Hoppegarten on Sunday.

“The series which are held at varying distances and venues have turned out to become the focus of owners, trainers and jockeys around the globe thanks to the farsightedness of the vision of Shaikh Mansour Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, UAE Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Presidential Affairs, to promote the Arabian horse,” she said.

“Abu Dhabi Sports Channel which has streamlined this race live from Malmo has been confirmed the main sponsors of the World Juniors Endurance Championship scheduled to be held in France on June 10. The details of the event will be unveiled during a news conference in Toulouse ahead of the Shaikha Fatima Bint Mubarak Ladies World Championship and Shaikh Zayed Bin Sultan Al Nahyan Cup. The city will also host the 4th World Arabian Horse Conference from June 4 to 10,” Lara said.

“I would like to thank Shaikha Najla Al Qasimi, UAE ambassador to Sweden and adviser Rashid Obaid Al Suwaidi, as well as the members of the UAE embassy in Stockholm for the assistance which they have provided to facilitate our job,” she added.

Ali Mousa, director general of the Dubai Equestrian Club thanked Shaikh Mansour for promoting the Arabian horse worldwide.

Meanwhile, Newbury racecourse in the UK hosts the next round of the Shaikha Fatima Bint Mubarak Ladies World Championship IFAHR on May 18, to be followed by Toulouse on June 9 alongside the Shaikh Zayed Cup.

The seventh round will be held at Duindigt Racecourse in Holland on June 23, California in the US on July 6, Caulfield Racecourse in Australia on June 13, Poland on August 25 and Sweden September 15. The final round will be held in Abu Dhabi on November 10.