ES Almas wins with a late run in Wathba Stallions Cup

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It looked unlikely at halfway but ES Almas ultimately recorded a fairly comfortable victory, surging home under Richard Mullen, the pair having had only three of their 14 rivals behind them entering the straight.

However, they made relentless progress over the final 400m, hitting the front inside the concluding 100m to deny Ubu Al Mels, trained on the Al Ain track by Mohamed Ramadan.

Saddled by Khalifa Al Neyadi for Al Awda Stables, the 7-year-old mare was recording a second career victory having, on her final outing for Ibrahim Aseel, won a 1200m handicap at Sharjah on seasonal debut in November.

“She was a long way back early on, but always travelling nicely enough,” Mullen said. “Halfway up the straight I was pretty confident but the runner-up, Ubu Al Mels, proved hard to pass but my mare picked up nicely to be it front where it mattered. In fairness, the trainer was pretty confident and has certainly been proved right.”

The HH Sheikh Mansoor Bin Zayed Al Nahyan Global Arabian Horse Flat Racing Festival is sustained by the Abu Dhabi Tourism and Culture Authority and coordinated by Abu Dhabi Sports Council, with National Feed and Flour Production and Marketing Co. LLC as associate sponsors, The National Archives as the official partner and Emirates airline as the official carriers, in cooperation with Emirates Racing Authority, IFAHR, Emirates Arabian Horse Society, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, General Authority of Youth and Sports Welfare and sponsored by Ayadi LLC, Global United Veterinary Services LLC, Wathba Stallions, Abu Dhabi Falconers Club, Emirates Falconers Club, Mohamed Bin Zayed Falconry and Desert Physiognomy School, Abu Dhabi National Exhibition Centre (ADNEC), Al Awani General Enterprises, Kabale, Omeir Travels, Laboratories Fadia Karam Cosmetics, YAS Channel, Racing Post, Paris Turf, Al Wathba Centre, the UAE’s General Women’s Union, The Supreme Council for Motherhood and Childhood, the HH Sheikha Fatima Bint Mubarak Ladies Sports Academy, Abu Dhabi International Hunting and Equestrian Exhibition 2017, Abu Dhabi Equestrian Club, Eastern Mangroves Suites-Abu Dhabi by Jannah, Anantara Eastern Mangroves Spa and Resort.