Thaydah Athbah ridden by ten times UAE champion jockey Tadhg O’Shea maintained her unbeaten record when winning the £20,000 Group 3PA HH Sheikha Fatima bint Mubarak Cup at Haydock Park this afternoon over a mile. The Athbah Racing homebred came home four and a quarter lengths ahead of Upstart Crow and Miss Teagan Padgett, with Mayfair and Marco Ghiani a further four lengths back in third.

Thaydah Athbah, was the pick of three entries from current leading ARO owner, Athbah Racing and is trained by two-time ARO leading trainer and former five-time ARO leading jockey, Phil Collington. Collington has won all four of the previous running’s of this race, three of which were for Athbah Racing, and three were ridden by Tadhg O’Shea.

O’Shea commented, “She’ a very nice filly, Phil has always held her in high regard. This was her first time in Group company, but it was lovely, just a hands and heels ride. She’s going to have stiffer assignments to come, I think the plan is to go to Longchamp, and I think she’s well up to that. She’s a huge filly and I think she’ll only get better with age.

“At Windsor I was left in front way too far out as there was nothing there to really lead her, she was still a big baby, and more so today, I was there probably two, two and a half furlongs to early, I wanted to get her to stretch out today, but she shut down her engines at the furlong pole and pricked her ears, so she’s probably value for more than what she won by. I looked at the screen and she was that far in front. It was like a gallop for her so she’s going to be going to Longchamp bursting with confidence.”

Collington commented, “I’m very pleased with that performance. Watching her there I’d say she could probably do with a bit easier ground, though she won on quick at Windsor. The further she goes the better I think, she’ll have an entry in the Fillies’ Group 1 on Arc weekend and beyond that, she could be an Al Mneefah type of filly.”

Lara Sawaya, Executive Director of the HH Sheikh Mansoor Bin Zayed Al Nahyan Racing Festival commented, “We have really enjoyed the welcome that everyone at Haydock Park has given us for the HH Sheikha Fatima bint Mubarak Cup and we congratulate Tadhg O’Shea, Athbah Racing and Phil Collington for winning today with Thaydah Athbah.”

“The Festival sponsors 153 races globally this year, as well as the World Arabian Horse Racing Forum and the Sheikh Zayed Bin Sultan Al Nahyan Jewel Crown which is held in Abu Dhabi in December.”

Genny Haynes, ARO Chief Executive Officer said, “For over ten years the HH Sheikh Mansoor bin Zayed Al Nahyan Racing Festival has generously supported our racing for which ARO is extremely grateful. We are delighted for Athbah, Tadhg, Phil and his team for producing Thaydah Athbah in such good form to maintain their great record in this race, and we hope that she will continue to progress in Group company and uphold the form of UK Arabian racing globally.

“We are also grateful for the support from Haydock Park racecourse and Brendan Waterworth from Racing Welfare who presented the Best Turned Out Award to Oliver Harcourt for Mayfair.”

The Arabian Racing Organisation (ARO) welcomed a competitive field for the HH Sheikha Fatima bint Mubarak Cup Group 3PA to be run over a mile at Haydock Park on Saturday 9 September. Thaydah Athbah and Upstart Crow, who are both unbeaten this season, will put their spotless records on the line in the £20,000 race, both are trained in Newmarket by trainers with several ARO titles under their belts.

Thaydah Athbah, was the pick of three entries from current leading ARO owner, Athbah Racing and is trained by two-time ARO leading trainer and former five-time ARO leading jockey, Phil Collington. Collington has won all four of the previous running’s of this race, three of which were for Athbah Racing, and three were ridden by Tadhg O’Shea, who takes the ride on Saturday. He also runs Lujain for John Elliott and Teresa Kinsey, who will be ridden by David Allan.

Collington commented, “I’m looking forward to seeing both fillies out again. Thaydah is unbeaten, winning twice in Belgium and here at Windsor. It will be good to see her against a horse like Abiyah Athbah who is a seasoned black type performer, and let’s hope Thaydah has progressed as much as she seems to have done.

“We really hope Lujain can put her last run behind her, nothing came to light and the quicker ground will be more to her liking on Saturday. She seems in good form at home, and she’s proven over a mile, so we’re hoping for a big run from her as well.”

Just down the Hamilton Road is James Owen’s Green Ridge Stables from which he will send out Upstart Crow and Mayfair. Upstart Crow had a year off to strengthen up and, having been sold by his breeder the aforementioned Elliott, he now runs for Linda Reeves for whom he has won four races. He’s been partnered each time by one of Owen’s stable amateurs, Teagan Padgett, who is in her first year of Arabian racing and who takes her first ride at Group level on Saturday.

Owen, who is currently leading the ARO trainer tables, and is a previous five-time title winner commented, “Upstart Crow has done really well for us, as has Teagan who has improved with every ride. Obviously the horse has gone up in the handicap, but he’s handled it well. This is a massive step up in grade, but we’re not afraid to have a go. Lissie [Reeves] has done all the hard work with him at home, and she and her parents have really enjoyed the ride with this horse and are looking forward to the race on Saturday.

“It was nice to get a win for Mayfair, our first homebred, on Sunday, but she’ll most likely be outclassed here. She accompanies Upstart Crow, but if she could get a bit of prize money that would be great, and a fairy tale if she could get a bit of black type.”

Runner-up last year, and third in 2021 was Abiyah Athbah, trained by Peter Hammersley for Dilmun Racing. She will be ridden by Mohammed Tabti who gained his first win on an Arabian at Bath recently on another Hammersley trained horse, Al-Hatab. Abiyah Athbah has always been seen to best effect on quick ground and Hammersley was delighted with the UK’s recent dry spell which will undoubtedly help her chances to go one better at the third attempt.

“Abiyah Athbah’s so consistent. She’s been placed a few times in this and other Group races and she so deserves to get her first black type win. Mohammed has been riding for me this season. He’s a great young jockey who has really impressed me and he gave Abiyah a lovely ride to be second at Lingfield last time.”

Completing the field is the Delyth Thomas owned and trained Paramer Angel. A dual winner at this trip on good ground, beating Abiyah Athbah on both occasions in 2018, he has been lightly raced in recent seasons and will be ridden by Cam Hardie.

Lara Sawaya, Executive Director of the HH Sheikh Mansoor Bin Zayed Al Nahyan Racing Festival commented, “The Festival sponsors 153 races globally this year, as well as the World Arabian Horse Racing Forum and the Sheikh Zayed Bin Sultan Al Nahyan Jewel Crown which is held in Abu Dhabi in December. The Festival is delighted to support ARO through race sponsorship and we are looking forward to a competitive race for the HH Sheikha Fatima bint Mubarak Cup, which is our most prestigious event in the UK.”

Genny Haynes, ARO Chief Executive Officer said, “We thank the HH Sheikh Mansoor Festival for their continued and generous support of our racing, of which this is the highlight, along with the ever-popular Wathba Stallions Series that supports the grassroots of the sport around the world. This will be the third running of the contest under their sponsorship and we also thank them for increasing the prize fund to £20,000.

“We are also grateful to Racing Welfare for their continued support of our hardworking stable staff and will welcome Brendan Waterworth to present the Best Turned Out award on their behalf.”

The Arabian Racing Organisation (ARO) was delighted with the 12 entries for the HH Sheikha Fatima bint Mubarak Cup Group 3PA to be run over a mile at Haydock Park on Saturday 9 September. With a prize money increase of £5,000 to £20,000, it will be the third running of the contest under the sponsorship of the HH Sheikh Mansoor Bin Zayed Al Nahyan Racing Festival, with the race run as part of Haydock’s Sprint Cup Celebration fixture.

Top rated on 111 is Ekleel Athbah, one of four entries from Newmarket based Phil Collington. Collington has won all four of the previous running’s of this race, three of which were for his principal patron, Athbah Racing. Also from the Athbah stable this year are the four-year-old fillies Thaydah Athbah, and recent UAE President Cup, UK Derby third, Thakeera Al Shahania, along with John Elliott’s Lujain.

Runner-up last year, and third in 2021 was Abiyah Athbah, trained by Peter Hammersley for Dilmun Racing. Sixth in 2022 was Gavin Kelly’s Mulan who also holds an entry along with John Morris’s Alameen. Also entered is Group 3PA winner Storm Troupour, who made his seasonal reappearance for new trainer Mitchell Hunt on Sunday. Whilst current ARO leading trainer James Owen could have two representatives, in recent Brighton winner Mayfair and the progressive Upstart Crow, who would be seeking a fifth consecutive win on Saturday if he was declared.

The sole overseas entry, Dolon, scored in the Wathba Stallions Cup- Prix Arca last month in La Teste, France. Carrying the colours of Haif Mohammed Al Ghatani he is trained by Elizabeth Bernard, like his half-brother Jarif, who has won six PA Group races in Italy, Holland and Belgium to date.

Lara Sawaya, Executive Director of the HH Sheikh Mansoor Bin Zayed Al Nahyan Racing Festival commented, “The Festival sponsors 153 races globally this year, as well as the World Arabian Horse Racing Forum and the Sheikh Zayed Bin Sultan Al Nahyan Jewel Crown which is held in Abu Dhabi in December. The Festival is delighted to support the Arabian Racing Organisation through race sponsorship and the HH Sheikha Fatima bint Mubarak Cup is our most prestigious event in the UK.”

Genny Haynes, ARO Chief Executive Officer said, “We thank the HH Sheikh Mansoor Festival for their continued and generous support of our racing, with the HH Sheikha Fatima bint Mubarak Cup being their sponsorship highlight, along with the popular Wathba Stallions series which supports our grassroots racing.

“ARO is thrilled with the number of entries and we look forward to declarations on Wednesday at 10am.”

Newmarket based trainer James Owen scored a one-two with his homebred half-sisters, Mayfair and Victoria in the Emirates Breeders (0-70) Handicap at Brighton this evening. Mayfair, partnered by Miss Rhea Betts, won by one and a half lengths from Victoria, ridden by Miss Teagan Padgett, both jockeys are amateurs who are attached to Owen’s stable.

Betts, whose first winner came at the track last year was delighted, saying, “It’s lovely to have my family here, I think they’re my good luck charms! Mayfair can normally travel quite well at the start and then we often seem to get outpaced but three out she was still traveling well and I thought I’d be able to stay with the others. Two out I decided to kick on and hope that she stays and she did, bless her! We’ve kept her a little bit fresh, and I think that’s been the key to her. Quite a few people ride her at home, including me, but I love her.”

Commenting by phone, Owen said, “That was lovely our first ever homebred winner and lovely for Rhea to get her first win of the season.  She’s been improving massively every ride this year, was very strong in the finish and looked good on a small horse, who isn’t the easiest. Mayfair will probably go for the 0-75 at Lingfield next.

Of the second he said, “I thought Victoria ran really well, but will be better next year when she strengthens up. We’ll put her away for the season now.”

Owen trained the dam, Dolfina D’Ibos to win three races during the 2017 season, where she was crowned leading Arabian and leading mare. Mayfair is her first foal, by Al Tair, whilst Victoria is from the first crop of RB Burn and is his first runner in Europe

Genny Haynes, Arabian Racing Organisation Chief Executive Officer said, “ARO warmly congratulates James Owen and all the team at Green Ridge Stables, along with Rhea and Teagan. It’s also particularly pleasing to see yet another of our owners securing their first homebred winner, and to have a one-two from the same mare is also an achievement of note.

“We thank the Emirates Breeders for their support of our grassroots competitors, who we are also assisting through our ARO breeders’ scheme. The scheme gives a financial awards to UK registered ARO breeders whose horses finish in the first three places of all our races, so that will be an additional bonus for James.”

The Arabian Racing Organisation (ARO) looks forward to the £4,000 Emirates Breeders (0-70) Handicap on Sunday September 3^rd, to be run over an extended five furlongs at Brighton.

Looking to recapture past glories is the top weight Storm Troupour, who has now joined the stable of Mitchell Hunt in Somerset. The well-travelled son of Nivour de Cardonne started his career in the USA, and has since had success in the UK, Sweden, and the UAE. A winner of a Group 3PA over six furlongs on the All Weather, he has also been Group 1PA placed at that trip on good to soft at Newbury. Highly tried in the UK subsequently, he has lost his form of late and was last seen finishing fourth here last August. Connections will be hoping that a change of scene can revitalise him and he will be partnered for the first time by Aiden Keely.

Hunt is a former assistant to ARO leading trainer James Owen. Both are now training thoroughbreds alongside their Arabians, with Owen currently experiencing a good run of form, lying tenth in the National Hunt trainer’s table. From his Newmarket base he sends two lightly raced homebred half-sisters, who will be ridden by two of his stable’s amateur jockeys.

He commented, “Mayfair has been running consistently all season. She showed quite a bit of speed at Chepstow and I think the drop in trip at Brighton will suit. The headgear goes back on and Rhea [Betts] rides her. It would be lovely for Rhea to get a winner this season as she’s been knocking on the door and improving with all her rides.

“We also run Victoria, Mayfair’s year younger half-sister who’s shown speed in her runs but has failed to finish off her races to good effect. This is probably her best chance and at the weights she should be there or thereabouts. Teagan [Padgett] who’s done so well on Upstart Crow takes the ride. I think they’ve both got great chances.”

Making the journey from Epsom, from the stable of Jen Harris is another homebred, Kayack. HIs dam was successful over six furlongs and will be trying this distance for the first time under his regular partner, leading amateur, Serena Brotherton.

Genny Haynes, ARO Chief Executive Officer said, “ARO thanks the Emirates Breeders for their support of our grassroots competitors, who we are also assisting through our ARO breeders’ scheme. The scheme gives a financial bonus to UK registered ARO breeders whose horses finish in the first three places of all our races, and all bar one of the runners in this race are eligible for the bonus.”

Al-Hatab got off the mark on the seventh attempt in the Emirates Breeders (0-55) Handicap which had to be rescheduled from Brighton on August 11 after adverse weather required the meeting to be abandoned. The £4,000 race run over a mile and a quarter featured the same nine runners as had been declared previously.  Partnered by Mohammed Tabti, the five-year-old won by three and a quarter lengths from Heritage Valentino and Billy Loughnane, with Aloof and amateur Lewis Saunders seven lengths away in third.

Trainer Peter Hammersley who owns Al-Hatab in partnership with his breeder Julie Kelway, was delighted with the gelding saying, “He’s taken some time, I think it’s more the penny dropping rather than fitness or ability. Billy Loughnane who finished second had been riding him and then he was off with an injury, so Mohammed was down to ride him at Brighton, which got cancelled so it was only fair to put him up again.

“It’s onwards and upwards with Al-Hatab now he’s got the hang of what he’s supposed to do, there should be some improvement in him.”

Hammerlsey who had trained the dam Altesse Kossack and the brother, Al-Tabari said of the family, “They’re all a bit quirky, I didn’t get Altesse Kossack until after she’d had a few runs, on good day she was brilliant, but she did have her off days. Al-Tabari had an amazing turn of foot, but this one has been slow to come to hand, hopefully this is the start of something good for him. He’ll go to the 1m5f at Lingfield in September.”

Tabti who was recording his first win on an Arabian, was also delighted. The 21-year-old is a graduate of AFASEC, France’s jockey school and has been riding for four years; he is currently attached to the Lambourn yard of Paul and Oliver Cole. He commented, “I graduated from AFASEC Chantilly, it’s quite different from the UK as we start at 14. I’ve been working for Paul and Oliver Cole for three years, I’m really happy there, it’s my first yard in the UK.”

Genny Haynes, ARO Chief Executive Officer said, “ARO warmly congratulate Pete, Julie and Sue on their win this evening and it is always good to see new jockeys gaining a positive winning experience on Arabians.

“We were so pleased we could reschedule this race at short notice and we thank Neil Abrahams of the Emirates Breeders for presenting the trophy today and for their support of our grassroots competitors, who we are also assisting through our ARO breeders’ scheme. The scheme gives a financial bonus to UK registered ARO breeders whose horses finish in the first three places of all our races, and all bar one of the runners in this race are eligible for the bonus.

“We also thank Rhys Flint of Racing Welfare who presented Sue Wileman with the Best Turned Out award for Al-Hatab,”

The Arabian Racing Organisation (ARO) looks forward to the Emirates Breeders (0-55) Handicap on Wednesday August 23^rd which had to be rescheduled from Brighton on August 11 after adverse weather required the meeting to be abandoned. The £4,000 race to be run over a mile and a quarter will feature the same nine runners as had been declared previously.

Distance winner Heritage Valentino is one of four runners for the seasons leading trainer James Owen who will be partnered by Billy Loughnane. Fifth behind both Al-Hatab and Belle Angelique over an extended seven furlongs last time, he should be better suited by the greater stamina test. His brother, Heritage Vadel, joins him, but he’s seemed happier over even further, winning at Southwell last year over a mile and a half for Rhiain Ingram who is on board here. Owen has a policy of supporting his stable amateurs when they can do the weights and with Rhea Betts and Teagan Padgett both being able to claim their full seven pound allowance, they are a valuable addition to his team.  They partner Victoria and Delicatesse, three-year-olds bred or part-bred by Owen, who are making their handicap debuts.

Bridgend based Steve Blackwell will be hoping his two-time winner last season, Aloof, can bounce back to form on Wednesday. He also likes to support young riders and has his two regular amateurs booked, Lewis Saunders who has upgraded to Aloof this season, whilst Matthew Lloyd Slater gets on the veteran schoolmaster, Aljawaaher.

At the bottom of the handicap will be the Peter Hammersley trained pair of Al-Hatab and Belle Angelique, both are maidens but ran with credit at Brighton last time. Al-Hatab is a full brother to a dual winner for the yard, including at this trip and will be partnered for the first time by Mohammed Tabti. Belle Angelique will be reunited with Georgie Dobie.

Completing the field is Kayack for another owner-breeder-trainer Jen Harris. The nine-year-old will be ridden by regular partner and leading amateur Serena Brotherton, for whom the gelding has been placed four times on the All Weather.

Genny Haynes, ARO Chief Executive Officer said, “ARO is delighted we were able to reschedule this race at short notice. We thank the Emirates Breeders for their support as this series is extremely important for our grassroots competitors, who we are also assisting through our ARO breeders’ scheme. The scheme gives a financial bonus to UK registered ARO breeders whose horses finish in the first three places of all our races, and all bar one of the runners in this race are eligible for the bonus.

“We also thank Rhys Flint of Racing Welfare who will be present to select the winner of the Best Turned Out award on Wednesday.”

France may have a new flying filly as the four-year-old Al Doha gained her first Group 1PA win in the UAE President Cup – UK Arabian Derby at Doncaster this afternoon. Winning by just a neck from her stable mate, Al Shaqab’s Ghadah, it gave her owner HH Sheikh Abdullah bin Khalifa Al Thani, her trainer Thomas Fourcy and jockey Olivier Peslier as second consecutive win in the £80,000 mile and a quarter race, which they won with Abbes in 2021. A further length and a quarter behind in third was Athbah Racing’s Thakeera Al Shahania, ridden by Joanna Mason who had been three-times leading Arabian lady jockey when she was an amateur rider.

Speaking after the race, Fourcy was delighted with his filly, “Al Doha has been in very good form, she’s very easy to ride and has shown great ability on the racetrack before when finishing second to Al Ghadeer [in the French Arabian Derby], she deserved to win her own Group 1PA today. She will go to the Qatar Arabian Trophy des Juments on Arc weekend.”

Peslier commented, “When Al Doha finished second at Chantilly it was a great run, the winner was very strong, but my filly is very good. First time out she did well when not fully fit and then won very well next time. The Derby in France is very hard against the colts, she fought very well, so I came here to ride her today knowing she had a good chance. She has progressed well and is still improving.

“Thomas is a great trainer of Arabians, of thoroughbreds, both on the flat and over jumps and he was a great jockey before that. I hope he has many more good successes and I’m very happy for the team.”

HE Faisal Al Rahmani, Event Manager for the UAE President Cup who was on course to welcome the winners and present the trophies commented, “We are delighted for the winners of the race today. I’m very pleased with the way the series is going in its thirtieth year, we started with just six races and now there are 15 around the world, we hope maybe next year we will increase that number too.

“What I am most proud of is the stability it has provided. We are delighted to come back to Doncaster again and even though we had to hold the race earlier this year, we will look at the programme again and see where it will fit best next season.

Genny Haynes, ARO Chief Executive Officer said, “We warmly congratulate Al Doha and her connections on winning today. It is also notable that the first three home were all fillies, which is a first for this race. We also congratulate Joanna Mason placing third in her first ever ride in the race, as she did so well riding with us when she was an amateur.

“This race always produced a top quality horse who invariably goes on to win again and again at the highest level and we look forward to following Al Doha’s career in the future. We thank the UAE President Cup series for the support of our most valuable race for four-year-olds and we thank the team at Doncaster for their assistance with our overseas runners.”

The Arabian Racing Organisation (ARO) was thrilled with the exciting international field declared for this years’ £80,000 UAE President Cup – UK Arabian Derby (Group 1PA). The mile and a quarter contest which has been run at Doncaster since 2016 as part of the St Leger card, now moves to the earlier slot of August 19. The UAE President Cup is the world’s oldest Arabian race sponsorship series, which this year encompasses 15 races around the world, with the UK’s race being run as the eighth stage.

This year’s race features horses bred in France, Italy and Qatar, trained in the UK, France and Poland, with owners from Morocco, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the UAE, ridden by French, Irish, Polish and British jockeys. One of whom, the UK’s Joanna Mason, was a three-time lady champion on Arabians before she turned professional.

Top rated on 115 is the Group 2PA winning filly Al Doha who was runner-up to the sport’s newest superstar Al Ghadeer in the French equivalent at Chantilly on the Prix de Diane card in June. Al Ghadeer has paid that form a huge compliment by beating his elders at the highest level when posting an impressive win at Goodwood in the £400,000 Qatar International Stakes earlier this month. Al Doha, along with stablemate, another Group 2PA winning filly in Ghadah, was supplemented for the race ten days ago. They will join trainer Thomas Fourcy’s other runner, the colt, Zamer who has won and been placed at Group 3PA level on his last two starts. Speaking from his base in Royan, Fourcy said,

“Al Doha is in very good form, she’s very easy to ride and has shown great ability on the racetrack before, finishing second to Al Ghadeer, she deserves to win her own Group 1PA.

“Ghadah is making a small comeback, but she’s also an esteemed mare in my stable. She’s a mare who’s generous in the morning in training, she’s in very good form and I find her very good in the morning to tackle the Derby.

“Zamer made a great comeback at La Teste recently behind some very good older horses. He needed to get back into competition and made progress in his last race.

“My three horses are arriving in excellent condition for the Derby and preparation has gone very well for all of them. Now they’ll have to travel well, as the journey is long.”

Al Doha runs in the colours of HH Sheikh Abdullah bin Khalifa Al Thani who won the 2021 edition of the race with Abbes, also trained by Fourcy. His brother HH Sheikh Mohammed, owns Zamer and Mejlad, though they run in the respective colours of his young daughters, HE Sheikha Iman and HE Sheikha Yasmeen. Mejlad is the winner of two conditions races and will be stepping up to Group company for the first time. He is trained by Francois Rohaut who commented:

“Mejlad is a good-looking horse who’s improving every day. He is now mature enough to go against some of the best four-year-olds. The track, distance and ground should suit him.”

Both colts have beaten ZAK Bloodstock’s Nahim, sixth in France’s Arabian Derby, who broke his maiden two weeks ago. He is one of the most experienced entries, having already contested five PA Group races, finishing runner-up in both a Group 2PA and a Group 3PA. His trainer, Xavier Thomas-Demeaulte, who was successful in 2020 with Hattal commented,

“We try the adventure with Nahim because at the end of his last race he showed a great turn of foot and acceleration to beat the leader. I trust his jockey to give him the best race possible. Doncaster’s Derby is the last opportunity for the four-year-olds to run together, so it’s worth trying.”

Entered from Poland is Mansour Ali Suliman Salem Alshamsi’s Central European Derby winner, Bahwan. That race is also run under the UAE President Cup banner and he won the race in a record time by over two lengths in early July. He is trained by Conny Fraisal, who last saw a British racetrack when competing as an amateur jockey in the HH Sheikh Fatima bint Mubarak international lady riders’ series, finishing fourth at Sandown in 2016. Fraisal who arrived on Tuesday to allow her horse to recover from the journey said,

“A mile and a quarter seems to be a good distance for him and in Polish champion jockey Szczepan Mazur, he has a strong partner in the saddle who is doing very well on Arabian horses. Of course, this race will be very tough, and for sure Bahwan has to gain some more experience until he reaches his full potential, but he is worth a try at it. He is the best horse I have ever trained.”

Phil Collington, who has the best record of the current crop of domestic trainers in the race with two third placings in 2021 and 2020, runs Thakeera Al Shahania for Athbah Racing. She was a course winner over a mile on her UK debut in June when ridden by Joanna Mason, who had picked up that ride at the last minute. Collington commented,

“Based on that performance stepping up to a mile and a quarter will suit her even more. We were disappointed with her last run in Belgium, we couldn’t find anything much wrong, maybe it was just an off day, soft ground and going righthanded. She didn’t particularly seem to enjoy the track or the ground in Ostend, but she ran a good time at Doncaster when she won.”

HE Faisal Al Rahmani, Event Manager for the UAE President Cup commented,

 “We hope that the success of these races will encourage people to spread the word and bring more new people into the sport. I’m very pleased with how the UAE President Cup series is going, as we have many followers all around the world. Every race produces a star, just like the last winner Abbes. We need to keep this momentum going and to encourage more breeding of Arabian racehorses globally which is one of the series aims.”

Genny Haynes, ARO Chief Executive Officer said,

“Year on year this race crowns a progressive top-level horse, with the last winner, Abbes, going on to win the world’s most valuable race for Arabians, the $2.5 million HH The Amir Sword this February. Though this race is always well supported with top quality French trained runners, we are delighted to welcome our first runner from Poland and we hope that the success of this race series will encourage more owners from the UK to get involved at this level.

“We are also delighted to see top jockeys such as Olivier Peslier, Jean-Bernard Eyquem and Poland’s Szczepan Mazur riding in the race, along with our own Joanna Mason who had such a long and successful association riding under ARO rules as an amateur.”

She concluded, “ARO continues to be extremely grateful to the UAE President Cup Series and to everyone at Doncaster racecourse for their support of our feature race for four-year-olds.”

Two-time Group 2PA winner, Ekleel Athbah put her recent disappointment at Goodwood behind her when getting back in front this evening at Lingfield Park in the www.aroracing.co.uk International Conditions Stakes. Partnered by Tom Marquand, the Athbah Racing homebred won the £4,000 seven-furlong contest by a length and a half from Abiyah Athbah and Mohammed Tabti.

Speaking after the race Marquand said: “It was as straightforward as you would have liked it to have been, but we still had to get the job done, which she has. It was a perfect race for her today to get her head in front and I’m sure if you put harder targets in front of her, she’d run them down, which she’s shown in the past.”

Trainer Phil Collington commented: “That was very easy for her, she’s highly talented but she’s also not the most straightforward. It was quite a quick turnaround since Goodwood but she did seem very well after the race, she ate up and was fresh and well. The signs were good for today and we’ll look at the Group races in September for her now.”

Trainer of the second, Peter Hammersley was pleased with his mares’ performance though he reported that Tabti felt she had been a bit awkward coming into the straight, but then when the winner went past, she picked up nicely. “We’ll just get her checked over by the physio, but all being well, she’ll head to Haydock for the HH Sheikha Fatima bint Mubarak Cup on September 9^, in which she was second last year.”

Genny Haynes, ARO Chief Executive Officer said, “It was great to see our two highest rated mares go head-to-head again in preparation for bigger targets this season. We congratulate Phil, Tom and Athbah Racing on Ekleel Athbah’s win and we’re delighted to see the two younger UK bred fillies who finished third and fourth gaining valuable experience whilst supporting our amateur riders.”