Endurance season livens up

Dubai: Endurance action resumed at the Dubai International Endurance City, the state-of-the-art venue of the World Endurance Championship, which was won by French woman Barbara Lissarague earlier this year.

Lissarague had finished first in the world meeting followed by General Shaikh Mohammad Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai and Minister of Defence in second place. The event had attracted a record number of entries.

Following that performance, Shaikh Mohammad led the UAE team to a double triumph in the European Open Championship held in France in August.

Shaikh Mohammad attended yesterday's opening ride of the season here in which European Open individual champion Shaikh Hamdan Bin Mohammad Al Maktoum and Shaikh Ahmad Bin Mohammad Al Maktoum, who leads the UAE juniors at the World Junior Endurance Championship in Bahrain on December 17, participated.

With a turf top having been laid for the entire central area of the Dubai International Endurance City, the venue was a large green carpet in the middle of the desert. The changes, which make it very convenient for the horses, riders and the crew members once they arrive on the green turf, was undertaken by the Dubai Equestrian Club headed by Princess Haya Bint Al Hussain, who also took part in yesterday's ride.

Earlier in the morning, a total of 100 riders started off in the Dubai Waterfront-sponsored 120-km ride, which was won by Yousuf Ahmad Al Bloushi of Al Reef Stables.

It was his second successive triumph in two rides this season and his win also made it a sweeping start for the Al Reef Stables. With Yousuf winning both the Open rides so far this season and his own younger brother Sultan and cousin brother Abdullah winning the two junior rides held so far, it had been a clean sweep for the Al Reef Stables.

Yousuf, who was way back in 28th place at the end of the first loop, gradually moved up in a ride that was dominated by Mubarak Khalifa Bin Shafya. But once Bin Shafya was eliminated in the penultimate stage, the battle narrowed down between leader Ali Yousuf Hussain Al Hammadi of Al Wathba Stables and Yousuf Ahmad in second place, about less than a minute separating the two.

However on the final leg of 11 kms, Yousuf, who was riding 13-year-old Anglo-Arab Zanthus, overtook the Al Wathba rider midway through and then cruised home to a comfortable win. Ali Yousuf finished second but his horse failed the final vet check leaving Saif Sultan Abdullah Dahi Al Buamin on Arkab Jamil in second place.

The rest of the pack finished way behind.

It was his (Bloushi) second successive triumph and his win also made it a sweeping start for the Al Reef Stables

Results

1. Yousuf Ahmad Al Bloushi (Zanthus) 5 hrs 13 mins 09 secs
2. Saif Sultan Abdullah Dahi Al Buamin (Arkab Jamil) 5:23.43
3. Majid Al Marzooqi (Kiamo Kaboo) 6:05.05
4. Juma Al Falaisi (Jahaz) 6:16.27
5. Sultan Bin Sulayem (Sling Shot) 6:18.05
6. Rashid Mohammad (Haribo) 6:28.35
7. Dalpat Singh-India- (Harmere Hariz) 6:40.16
8. Mool Singh Sekhawat-India-(Hazeldean Emilio) 6:40.47
9. Abdullah Eissa (Manana Travis) 6:44.02
10. Julien Goachet-France-(Gavroche du Ransou) 6:44.15