Rashid scores maiden horseracing win

Class is a potent element in sport, but courage is often the clincher and Sheikh Rashid bin Mohammed Al Maktoum revealed both qualities at Nad Al Sheba on Thursday night when winning his first ever flat race.

Having already established himself as an outstanding endurance rider where he even topped the world circuit for two years, Sheikh Rashid secured his dream flat racing win astride Martello Tower in a limited conditions race for amateur riders licensed by the Emirates Racing Association.

Sheikh Rashid beat his younger brother Sheikh Hamdan, who ironically owns the Kiaran McLaughlin-trained Martello Tower. Sheikh Hamdan was second in the six-horse field astride top weight Descendent, trained by Erwan Charpy.

Revealing all his undoubted class and authority Sheikh Rashid rode an intelligent/sitting off the pace, and accelerating inside the final furlongs to win in classic fashion. Sheikh Rashid was clearly thrilled with his latest triumph and punched the air as he was led into the paddock by an entourage comprising his other brothers and closests, associates.

Needless to say he immediately received a congratulatory telephone call from his father General Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai and Minister of Defence, who did not attend yesterday's first Ramadan race meet. Sheikh Rashid is no greenhorn to flat racing, having recently finished third in a 16-runner handicap at Newmarket's July course.

He earlier finished a competitive second in another limited conditions race in the UK. Yesterday's race was his sixth official amateur race since his maiden attempt less than two season ago.

Clearly buoyed by this landmark first win, and more significantly having achieved it in front of a huge home crowed, Sheikh Rashid will be looking to add to his success in the forthcoming amateur races scheduled for this month.

Earlier in the evening UAE's best known sprinter Ramp And Rave suffered a shock defeat in the meet's featured race, a defeat rendered even more heartbreaking as it came at the hand's of the horse's former regular rider Willie Supple.

Widely tipped to win the nine-runner conditions race over six furlongs, Ramp And Rave was shaping like a winner at the five furlong pole when he appeared to run out of steam and was caught and beaten on the wire by Supple astride Mutamayyaz.

Interestingly Supple rode Ramp And Rave to most of his eight memorable wins, when retained by the Jebel Ali Stables as their number one jockey. He now rides out primarily for Kiaran McLaughlin having secured the esteemed job as second jockey to Sheikh Hamdan bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Deputy Ruler of Dubai and Minister of Finance and Industry.

Supple completed a double when he rode Rasin to win a mile and a half handicap from Ted Durcan on Malik. Durcan, however, did not go unrewarded having earlier won the opener with Just Call Me.