Rashid strong favourite for individual honours

Cairo: Asian Games gold medallist Shaikh Rashid Bin Mohammad Al Maktoum is expected to lead a strong UAE team of riders in tomorrow's 120-km endurance ride in the ongoing 11th Pan Arab Games.

Shaikh Rashid, who won the individual gold as well as a team gold at last December's Asian Games in Doha, will be starting off as one of the favourites to win the individual gold.

Shaikh Mayed Bin Mohammad Al Maktoum, who was also a member of the team gold-medal win in the Asiad along with individual Asian bronze medallist Sultan Bin Sulayem and current European Open champion Mubarak Khalifa Bin Shafya are all part of the UAE side.

Abdullah Thani Bin Huzaim and Salem Rashid Bin Ghadayer complete the 6-member UAE team.

Four riders will be part of the team while all six will take a shot at the individual medals on offer.

Keen competition

The UAE will be starting off as firm favourites in tomorrow's ride which will be held at the Saqarah Club Endurance Village in Cairo.

Apart from the UAE seven other teams will also be taking part in the 120-km ride.

Riders from Bahrain, Qatar, hosts Egypt, Libya, Syria, Jordan and Saudi Arabia complete a strong line-up. The UAE's main challenge is expected to come from Bahrain and Qatar while Syria also have some quality competitors in the field. The UAE horses which will be running are Kaysand Farrazah, Dalton du Canmant, Omani Iman, Durwinger Makaal, Reyton Remi and Spendacrest Kamouflage.

Ali Moosa Al Khamiri, General Manager of Dubai Equestrian Club, told Gulf News that the horses have all arrived in good condition. "We will be naming the final pairing of riders and horses after today's pre-ride veterinary check. Our riders have immense experience and they have also ridden here in the past," he said.

Medals from the endurance event, which has been included here for the first time, are likely to boost the UAE's tally.

Four riders will be part of the team while all six will take a shot at the individual medals on offer.