TM Fred Texas cruised to a convincing victory under Santos Chavez in the Shaikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan Cup (Group 2) race at the Delaware Park racecourse in US on Saturday evening.

The race is held as part of the Shaikh Mansour bin Zayed Al Nahyan Global Arabian Flat Racing Festival.

The four-year-old by Burning Sand made a fast move to hit the front with about two furlongs remaining leaving no much room for arch-rival Grilla, under Ricardo Chiappe, who had to settle for second place honours. Dixie Valentine finished third while Ovour The Top was fourth in the eight-runner contest over 1700m for the $40,000 prize-money.

Sam Vasquez, the proud owner of TM Fred Texas, said, “It is a great win by Fred Texas and this was one of the best fields in the US. I am happy that he has won for the second time in two weeks and with a Group 1 win followed by a Group 2 win is simply great.”

Omar Al Shamsi, Deputy Chief of Mission at the UAE Embassy, and Lara Sawaya, Director of Shaikh Mansour bin Zayed Al Nahyan Global Arabian Flat Racing Festival, along with other officials from the UAE Embassy, Salem Al Shamsi and Abdulrahman Ahmad Al Jaber gave away the trophies to the winning owner, trainer and jockey.

It was a double for jockey Santos Chavez as he had earlier won on Golden Odessy in the Dr. Sam Harrison Juvenile Arabian Filly Stakes.

“TM Fred Texas is a champion horse and can run any distance which he proved today,” said Chavez.

Omar Al Shamsi, Deputy Chief of Mission at the UAE Embassy, praised the aim and achievement of the Shaikh Mansour bin Zayed Al Nahyan Global Arabian Flat Racing Festival’s Shaikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan Cup in the US.

“This is the second race in the US after the Houston event and the Shaikh Zayed Cup reflects the UAE’s determination to spread Arabian racing all over the world. I thank Shaikh Mansour bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Presidential Affairs, for his support to Arabian racing in the US.”

Sawaya said, “Officials here have conveyed that the interest in Arabian racing is high among the fans and with a large holiday crowd here the Shaikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan Cup was a huge success. Some of the top Arabian horses ran in the race and it was a very good finish with many keenly following the action.”

Later a draw was held after the Shaikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan Cup (Group 2) race Daisy. Pabon was the lucky winner of an all-paid trip for two to visit the 2011 Abu Dhabi International Hunting & Equestrian Exhibition in Abu Dhabi in September.

Stephen Bowey, executive director of Invest AD, and Ali Al Mulla, chairman of Areej Al Ameerat, hailed the success of yet another race in the Shaikh Mansoor bin Zayed Al Nahyan Global Arabian Flat Racing Festival and pledged their support to the series.

The Shaikh Mansour bin Zayed Al Nahyan Global Arabian Flat Racing Festival is organised by the Abu Dhabi Authority for Culture and Heritage (ADACH) with support from Invest AD, Areej Al Ameerat, La Sirene, the UAE’s General Women’s Union, Abu Dhabi International Hunting and Equestrian Exhibition 2011, Wathba Stud Farm and Abu Dhabi Equestrian Club