Arabian racing has new opportunities thanks to Sheikh Mansour Festival
Having won Sweden’s debut Shaikh Mansour Bin Zayed Al Nahyan Global Arabian Flat Racing Festival event at Malmo’s Jagercro racetrack on Friday night, Bachi Bouzouk’s trainer-cum-owner is now eyeing a dream chance to race in the UAE.
The Dutch surprise outsider won the 1,730 metre Wathba Stud Farm Cup for Purebred Arabians by a nose while favourite and Scandinavian Champion SR Dorwan of Denmark came in second. French-bred Sartejano and Senanhk BA followed closely behind in this €16,500 (Dh85,404) Group 3 race for four-year-olds and above.
It was the fourth event in a 21 stage world-wide series designed by Shaikh Mansour Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Presidential Affairs, to reinvigorate and encourage the Arabian horse racing industry globally at every level in order to preserve Arab culture and traditions.
Eight-year-old Bachi Bazouk, handicap rated before the race at 80, has won four races in a nineteen race career which started in 2006. The last three victories came in 2010, 2009 and 2007. This latest victory ups his purse to about €25,000.
Small-time owner-cum-trainer Frank Nibbering of Holland, who now eyes a spot at this winter’s Dubai Racing Carnival, said: “You always strive to the highest level and that must be the UAE for Arabian racing — where it all began. If you have horses race with the best in the world that’s the pinnacle of your sport. We won today, I think that puts us one step closer to the UAE.”
Exposure
“Winning a race on the Shaikh Mansour Festival gives great exposure worldwide and hopefully it also offers the opportunity to further compete abroad. I think that’s what this festival is all about.”
Mats Genburg, chairman of the Scandinavian Arabian Racing Association (Sara) said: “It’s a dream of small-scale owners to go to Dubai. My personal dream would be to see an opening for Arabians at the Dubai Racing Carnival. Arabian owners don’t have the resources to travel like thoroughbred owners. The racing industry has been in financial difficulty and when that happens it’s always the smallest player that gets hurt.”
“The other dream is to see buyers visit Sweden before they go off to the usual France or England to purchase horses. French breeding dominates mainly because the big buyers just buy there. These are the only bloodlines that get a shot in the arm. But come and see what else there is on offer — this festival promotes just that.”
