Today's Edition
DUBAI (ALETIHAD)
The Dubai Crown Prince Endurance Festival resumed at Dubai International Endurance City in Seeh Al Salam on Monday with M7 Endurance Stables recording a narrow victory in Al Yamamah Cup for Mares, courtesy of a textbook perfect ride by Hamdan Ahmad Al Mansoori aboard SW Jashfiya AA 50.
The Dubai Crown Prince Endurance Festival is 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 Mansoori and his 10-year-old mount went through the motions with absolute calm to claim one of the biggest prizes of their career after completing the ride in 4 hours 18 minutes and 18 seconds (4:18:18), with an average speed of 27.87km/h.
The pair were fifth going into the fourth and final loop of the 120km ride – the furthest they had dropped from the lead – but having calculated precisely when to strike, Al Mansoori and his mount launched a perfectly timed fight to overhaul their rivals and win by three seconds.
Finishing second were the F3 Stables pair of Rashed Mohamed Al Mehairi and Beduina Christiana, who clocked in at 4:18:21.
Rounding off the podium was another pair from M7 Endurance Stables – Fares Ahmad Al Mansoori and his partner SW Jorka, who were only a second behind at 4:18:22.
Hamdan and his mount SW Jashfiya AA 50 began the day posting the second best time during the first loop over 40km and were three seconds behind the Alazem Stables pair of Hamad Mohammed Al Shamsi and Beduina Caroline. And while Al Shamsi and his partner managed to hold onto the lead over the second loop spanning 35km, Hamdan and SW Jashfiya AA 50 dropped two spots as they forged ahead with tactics that would serve them well during the second half of the race.
The third loop over 25km witnessed a change of guard at the summit with Hamdan’s teammates Saif Juma Beljafla and Explosive De Venelles unseating Al Shamsi and Beduina Caroline.
Hamdan had dropped a further spot during the third loop and was placed fifth going into the final loop spanning 20ks. He was staring at a 40-second deficit, but he knew SW Jashfiya AA 50 had plenty of fuel left and was not going to be the one running on fumes during the sprint phase of the event.
And so it was that after Hamdan asked for an effort, his mount obliged with a kick that eventually took the pair three seconds clear of the rest and to a nervous but well-deserved victory.
Al Mehairi did well to finish second. Having started the day in 12th, he moved up to 10th and then eighth before working harder to settle for silver. It was a rather up and down affair for third placed-Al Mansoori, who began the day in fourth, climbed up to third and then dropped six places to ninth before returning to take third on the podium.
Ahmed Rashid Al Kaabi, General Manager of Dubai Equestrian Club, presented the winners with their trophies. The Festival continues with the 120km Private Stables Ride on Tuesday followed the next day by the main event, the Dubai Crown Prince Endurance Cup.
