The 2023 Arabian Racing Organisation (ARO) season concluded at Royal Windsor this evening with the £4,000 Arabian Horse Organization (AHO) Challenge Cup over a mile. A three quarters of a length win by Mutwahhej Athbah, ridden by George Wood gave trainer Phil Collington his second consecutive ARO Trainers title. This was Collington’s third overall and added to the seasonal tally of wins by his principal patron, Athbah Racing, whose retention of the ARO leading owners title had already been confirmed. Collington also trained the second, Garmoosha, ridden by Kieran O’Neill who finished well clear of Coljani and Darragh Keenan.
After the race Newmarket based Collington commented: “I’m pleased overall, it was obviously going to be a bit of an indifferent race on this ground. I thought Coljani, who’s comparatively experienced would take it up, my two were a little bit lost on the ground initially, but once they warmed to it and got into the race, they finished off really well. It will be nice to see them both on better ground, they will definitely come on for this.
“It’s a nice way to end the season with another trainers title, obviously I’m pleased for the staff and my all owners, particularly Athbah Racing, who’ve got two nice three-year-olds here.”
Genny Haynes, ARO Chief Executive Officer said, “ARO congratulates Phil and Athbah Racing for their win with Muttwahej Athbah and for another successful season racing with ARO in the UK. This has included two domestic PA Group wins, as well as a very close fourth in the Group 1PA Qatar Arabian Trophy des Juments on Arc weekend, France’s equivalent of the Arabian Oaks, which upholds our form overseas.”
“We also thank the Arabian Horse Organization for their generous sponsorship of this, our final race of the season. We are also very grateful to Racing Welfare for the support of our stable staff and to their representative Katy Ferguson who presented Peter Hammersley with the leading yard award for the most Best Turned Out winners, and his groom Sue Wileman, for the highest number of individual winners.”
A full report of all of the 2023 ARO season titleholders will follow in due course.
