MELBOURNE- Warrawee Naaziq partnered by Kim Noble got up in the last stride to land the first leg of the Shaikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan Cup at the Moonee Valley Racecourse here on Friday evening.
The eight-year-old gelded son of Trystan is owned and trained by Noble at her private stables in Lancefield and this was the second time to get onboard.
“I have fallen from the saddle on the first occasion and luckily I was able to do it now,” said the young Australian owner, trainer and jockey later.
The race was held on the 2040m distance of the Cox Plate and the winner covered the 2040m in 2:27:15 seconds.
Compatriot Loretta Beckman, riding public favourite Franshar Park K Shar, finished a length and a quarter back in second place and behind them came the Swiss contester Catherine Buri astride Blakes Heaven Bombora in third.
Defending champion Aine O’Connor aboard Quinta Essentia finished disappointingly fourth.“He missed the start and needed 100 metres to get into the race,” she said. “It didn’t the ideal start for which I have been looking for my title defence campaign but there’s still a long way to go before we can say the chase for the title has been decided. Let’s hope for the better in the future rides,” she added.
In the Shaikha Fatima bint Mubarak ladies IFAHR Cup, a handicap event contested over a mile, top weight Ridgecrest made all under Jady Pietrasiewicz to win by more than five lengths to the run of the judge.
“He picked up nicely and was always surprising me,” said a delighted Dutch amateur rider. It’s one for my country and the better is still to come,” she said. Chardonnay Park Rasheeka, ridden by Phillipa Tutty took second and the French rider Barbara Guenet, riding Wantley Kaliph, walked away with the third place honours.
The two races were held as part of a very special programme which has attracted an extraordinary big crowd of the Australian enthusiastic racing fans. The race card was headed by the Group-2 Essendon Mazda Australia Stakes which witnessed the return of the undefeated mare Black Caviar.
The five-year-old mare became the first three-year-old filly to salute in this event in 2010 and has won 16 consecutive starts including seven Group-1 races and $4.380.050 in prizemoney. She’s also holding the 1000m track record of 55.48 seconds which remained the quickest time across 18 race series.
The racecourse management has also paid tribute to Black Caviar ahead of her summer trip to Royal Ascot to race against Britain by organising a lucky draw for a couple to win a free trip to Ascot to watch the spoiled mare . Meanwhile, Bob Scarborough, chairman of the Monnee Valley Racing Club said: I would like to welcome the initiative of the Shaikh Mansour bin Zayed Al Nahyan Global Arabian Racing Festival to avail our spectators the opportunity to experience the excitement of Arabian racing under lights at Moonee Valley.”
Ali Nasser Al Naimi, UAE ambassador to Australia and New Zealand said: “The brilliant intiative by Shaikha Fatima and Shaikh Manour bin Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan, UAE Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Presidential Affairs, made our job easier. This hard work coupled with the investments of Darley and Shadwell put the name of the UAE in the mouth of everybody.”
The same opinion was echoed by Noura Khalifa Al Suwaidi, Director of the Emirates General Women’s Association and chairperson of the UAE Women Sport and praised the dedication of the UAE and Arab riders to make their presence felt at this international arena.
Lara Sawya, director of the Shaikh Mansour bin Zayed Global Arabian racing Festival thanked the festival’s partners, sponsors and supporters for all what they have been doing to ensure the success of this national campaign.
The Shaikh Mansoor Bin Zayed Al Nahyan Global Arabian Flat Racing Festival is organised by the Abu Dhabi Authority for Culture and Heritage (ADACH) and co-ordinated by Abu Dhabi Sports Council in association with Emirates Arabian Horse Society and IFAHR, supported by Fegentri with Emirates airlines as the official carrier and sponsored by Invest AD, Al Rashid Investment, Areej Al Ameerat, Mauzan, Alasabeh Al Sihriya, Al Awani General Enterprises, Kabale, the UAE’s General Women’s Union, the Shaikha Fatima Bint Mubarak Ladies Sports Academy, Abu Dhabi International Hunting and Equestrian Exhibition 2012, Wathba Stud Farm and Abu Dhabi Equestrian Club and General Authority for Youth and Sports Welfare.
