It was worth the effort for U.A.E. Apprentice jockey, Ahmed Al Subose, who finished third in a race in York on Saturday and then travelled to the south of France for the H.H. Sheikh Mansoor bin Zayed Al Nahyan Global Arabian Horse Flat Racing Festival's H.H. Sheikha Fatima bint Mubarak Apprentice World Championship, IFAHR, race at the Tarbes course on Sunday.
The 24-year-old scored a fantastic win in this third leg of IFAHR series on the Jean-Francois Bernard-trained AJS Rudainah.
Al Subose took up the running on the home stretch of this 1500-metre turf contest to overtake leader and pre-race favourite Jenny Powell from Great Britain on Syrianah and win by a quarter of a length in a time of 1:39.30. Claire Marie Murray from Great Britain on Burkan Al Khalediah ran in third while the winner's stablemate AJS Mohanad under Barbara Szentes from Hungary was fourth.
Al Subose is in the middle of a good season having won twice already but said his first attempt in France and to end on a winning note was a great moment.
"This is my first ever race in France and to win is a great feeling. AJS Rudainah ran a good race and once I asked her for an effort she cruised home in great style," Al Subose said.
"This H.H. Sheikha Fatima bint Mubarak Apprentice World Championship race series is really a great experience – the trainers are different, the courses are different, the horses are different and the jockeys are different – from regular racing. It is a great opportunity for upcoming jockeys to learn and carry home the experience. I am now waiting for the finale in Abu Dhabi on November 9th," he said.
Abdulla Ahmed Al Marzooqi, Revenue Operations Section Manager, Abu Dhabi Tourism and Culture Authority attended the race and gave away the trophies to the winners, congratulating Ahmed Al Subose who, he said, "Has done the U.A.E. proud with this excellent win. This is a great race series that reflects the U.A.E.'s focus on the heritage sport like Purebred Arabian racing in the U.A.E. and the world over." Lara Sawaya, Executive Director of the H.H. Sheikh Mansoor bin Zayed Al Nahyan Global Arabian Horse Flat Racing Festival and Chairman of Ladies Racing Committee in the International Federation of Arabian Horse Racing Authorities and Chairman of Apprentice Jockeys and Racing in IFAHR, said: "This is a superb win for the U.A.E.'s Ahmed Al Subose in this third race of the series, who has now made it to the final on November 9th by merit. We now have the penultimate race of this IFAHR series in The Netherlands after which all the four winners will reappear in the final on November 9th in Abu Dhabi." Veronique Briat, Manager of the French Arabian racing body AFAC, hailed the support of the H.H. Sheikh Mansoor bin Zayed Al Nahyan Global Arabian Horse Flat Racing Festival to Arabian racing in France. "We have over 80 races every season but this series which is only for Apprentice jockeys is a unique event and encourages upcoming jockeys including lady jockeys. The fans enjoyed the racing today and we hope we will stage more races of this popular Festival here in Tarbes and in other racecourses in France," she said.
The H.H. Sheikh Mansoor bin Zayed Al Nahyan Global Arabian Horse Flat Racing Festival is organised by the Abu Dhabi Tourism and Culture Authority and coordinated by Abu Dhabi Sports Council in association with Emirates Racing Authority, IFAHR and Emirates Arabian Horse Society. It is supported by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the General Authority of Youth and Sports Welfare with Arabtec Holding PJSC as the Official Partner and Emirates airline as the official carriers. It is also sponsored by Invest AD, Tourism Development and Investment Company (TDIC), Abu Dhabi National Exhibition Centre (ADNEC), Al Rashid Investment, Al Awani General Enterprises, Kabale, Al Wathba Centre, the U.A.E.'s General Women's Union, the H.H. Sheikha Fatima bint Mubarak Ladies Sports Academy, Abu Dhabi International Hunting and Equestrian Exhibition 2014, Dr. Nader Saab Switzerland, Al Wathba Centre, Abu Dhabi Equestrian Club, Eastern Mangroves Suites-Abu Dhabi by Jannah, Abu Dhabi Sports Channel and Racing Post.
Source: WAM