DUBAI (ALETIHAD)
MRM Stables lifted the Dubai Crown Prince Endurance Cup at Dubai International Endurance City in Seeh Al Salam on Wednesday after Abdulla Al Bastaki stole the show at the showpiece event of the Dubai Crown Prince Endurance Festival just past the halfway stage of the competition.
Riding Bullio Charles, Al Bastaki turned up the heat during the third and penultimate phase of the 120-kilometre ride, doing enough to ensure a simple but commanding 29-second victory.
The Dubai Crown Prince Endurance Cup brought the curtain down on the annual festival of endurance riding, held in honour of His Highness Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Defence of the UAE, and Chairman of The Executive Council of Dubai.
Al Bastaki began the day placed 23rd, but knew there was no reason to fret even though Fatma Al Marri, winner of the Private Stables Competition the day before, seized the initiative at the end of the first phase, spanning 40km when riding the Al Bawadi Stables-owned Dja De Beders.
Al Marri failed to hold onto the lead during the course of the second loop over 35km and dropped one spot, leaving Mohammed Mugheer on M7 Endurance Stables’ Zeus FF in command.
Al Bastaki had moved up to 15th during the second loop and decided to push hard during the third phase over 25km, a manoeuvre that yielded fruit immediately with the MRM Stables rider finding himself in command of the field.
Maintaining the lead was going to be tricky, but both Al Bastaki and Bullio Charles were up to it and ensured nothing came between them and a well-deserved success as they finished with 29 seconds to spare in a time of 4:23:28.
Finishing second with a time of 4:23:57 was F3 Stables’ French woman rider Lea Vandekerckhove on A’Bandom’s Moonshadow, while the UAE’s Mohamed Al Hosani took third for Al Reef Ajban II Stables aboard SC Bonito with 4:24:16 on the clock.
Sheikh Rashed bin Dalmook Al Maktoum, Chairman of Dubai Equestrian Club, Ahmed Al Kaabi, General Manager of Dubai Equestrian Club, and Ahmad Al Falasi, Director of Joint Ventures and Strategic Relations, were present at the trophy presentation ceremony.