Sheikh Hamdan wins Endurance Cup
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ByEurosport
Published 14/01/2015 at 09:17 GMT
Shaikh Hamdan Bin Mohammad Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai and chairman of Dubai Sports Council, added another prestigious endurance title to his list by winning the $2.6 million (DH9.5m) HH Shaikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum Endurance Cup.
Shaikh Hamdan Bin Mohammad Bin Rashid Al Maktoum (FEI)
Image credit: FEI
Organised by the Dubai Equestrian Club and presented by Longines, Shaikh Hamdan’s victory at the Dubai International Endurance City comes only four months after winning the 2014 FEI World Endurance Championship in Normandy, France.
Riding Napoli Del Ma, his success this time out allowed the MRM Stables to sweep the top-two finishes as last year’s winner Shaikh Rashid Dalmook Al Maktoum guided Mureib to the runner-up position.
Third place was awarded to Al Khalfan Al Jahouri of Al Wathba Stables on Moota Haddeea.
A winner of the HH Endurance Cup in 2009 and 2010, Al Jahouri gained the third position after Abdulla Ghanim Al Marri, also a former two-time winner, failed to see his mount pass the final veterinarian gate.
The 160 kilometre race was contested by a field of 178 riders represented across an impressive 28 countries, with the prize money on offer boosted to $2.6 million by Dubai's government-owned developer Meydan Group.
"We feel that endurance has been left out so the prize money was enhanced to benchmark with other sports," said Saeed Humaid al-Tayer, chairman of the group that runs Dubai's opulent racecourse.
Among the notable guests of honour attending the race were Vice President and Prime Minister and Ruler of Dubai, HH Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, and HH Sheikh Hamdan bin Rashid Al Maktoum, the Deputy Ruler of Dubai and UAE Minister of Finance.
The early morning start featured many prominent competitors including Shaikh Hamad Dalmook Al Maktoum, who finished sixth for MRM Stables, and Shaikh Hasher Bin Mohammad Thani Juma Al Maktoum was seventh for Fazaa Endurance.
Using a steady tactical strategy, Shaikh Hamdan, completed the first loop in 12th and moved up four positions to eighth in the second round. He continued to advance his position and moved five places to finish the third loop in third, before taking the lead in the fourth loop.
In the final fifth loop, Shaikh Hamdan began 11 seconds in front of Shaikh Rashid, who had completed the first four loops with placements of fourth, third, first and second.
Long distance riding, where horses complete the course in loops with periodic veterinary checks, has been thriving in the Middle East and especially in the United Arab Emirates.
To help develop the sport further, it was also that announced a new series of endurance races will be held in Britain, France, Italy and Spain in 2015, and culminating in Dubai next year.
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