It was an afternoon to remember for Delyth Thomas who dominated the Wathba Stallions (0-55) Handicap at Lingfield Park today as she owned and trained the first two horses across the line in Callymay and Kork MHF. The race was run as part of the Wathba Stallions Cup series run across Europe and the UAE supporting Arabian racing at the grass-roots level.
The race attracted 13 runners and was held over 1m2f on Lingfield’s Polytrack surface. Charlie Price sent Callymay into the lead from the outset and though headed, the nine-year-old mare was always prominent and rallied well to win by a length, from Racheal Kneller on Kork MHF. Conquer and Alex Chadwick was a further half-length behind in third.
This was the Welsh-based trainers fourth win of the season, which now takes her into second place in the trainers championship, behind James Owen, who trains Conquer for his parents. Thomas was delighted with her two runners, saying: “Absolutely brilliant. I’m over the moon with the two of them, especially Kork MHF. I’ve had him for three years and we’ve had so many problems with him, but he’s run really well his last two runs. Charlie wanted to ride Kork after his good run at Newbury, but we said ‘No, Callymay suits you better’ so he was determined he would beat him!”
Price who had won on Callymay previously said: “She does try for me and the cheekpieces help her, though I thought we should try visors today as she’s not been working that well at home, but I know now it’s just her being lazy. So she’s found a new trick!”
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This race is run as part of the HH Sheikh Mansoor Global Arabian Horse Flat Racing Festival events in the UK, which began in June with another the Wathba Stallions Cup, run at Chelmsford City. There are three further races at Royal Windsor, headed by the HH Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan Cup (Gr1PA) as well as the UK stage of HH Sheikha Lateefa bint Mansoor bin Zayed Al Nahyan International Pony Championship race, to be run on August 11th. The following day the UK stage of the HH Sheikha Fatima bint Mubarak Ladies World Championship (IFAHR), will take place as part of the racecourse’s popular regular Monday evening fixture.
Genny Haynes, ARO Commercial and Finance Director said: “ARO is extremely grateful for the continued support of the HH Sheikh Mansoor Festival and Lara Sawaya. We congratulate Delyth Thomas on her achievement today and look forward to the forthcoming races at Royal Windsor in two weeks time.”
