(MENAFN- Khaleej Times)Another endurance race day another clean sweep by the UAE riders. It was as simple as that.
UAE riders lived up to their billing as favourites by recording victories in all the three races held on Saturday at the Toscana Endurance Lifestyle 2015 event in Pisa Italy. His Highness Shaikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Vice-President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai; and Shaikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Crown Prince of Dubai attended the first day of the two-day event. Shaikh Hamdan peps up UAE riders Shaikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Dubai Crown Prince who was expected to lead the UAE challenge in the 120km race of the Toscana Endurance Lifestyle event did not participate in the race. He however was seen giving a pep talk to the UAE riders ahead of the start. "Don't worry about the outcome just enjoy your race. Everything will fall in place" the UAE female rider Hind Khalid Habib Al Redha quoted Shaikh Hamdan as saying to his teammates. Having won the individual gold medal in the endurance event at the 2014 FEI World Equestrian Games in Normandy France Shaikh Hamdan is the current world champion. Last week he added another victory to his long list of achievements by winning the120km Slovakian Endurance race. Shaikh Hamdan's expertise will come in handy with Dubai likely to host the third edition of the World Endurance Championship in 2016. Shaikh Rashid Dalmook Al Maktoum riding Tinka La Majorie maintained his good start till the end to win the 160-kilometre race. Hamad Obaid Rashed Al Kaabi partnered Tessy De Candesir for a second-place finish and Emirati rider Mansour Saeed Al Faresi on Frisia Shaheen ended on third place to flaunt UAE's supremacy in the challenging race. Salim Al Owaisi powered UAE to glory on Salam De Jalima by winning the 120-kilometre race for junior and young riders. Ali Ghanem Obaid on Tequila De Mescam and Hamdan Ahmed Al Marri on Aigoul Esma finished second and third respectively to bring more cheers to the UAE contingent. Earlier Ghanim Said Salim Al Owaisi astride Sandine Assassin landed the 120-kilometre race in style after finishing the first loop in fifth position. He was followed by compatriot Abdulla Al Marri on Saher D'Escamps while Ireland's McCauley Amy Louis on Nabi Du Cassou just managed to edge out UAE's Munther Ahmed Al Baloushi for a third-place finish. Mohammed Essa Al Adhab racing manager of Dubai Equestrian Club praised the efforts of UAE riders. "Our riders were consistant and they made the most of the weather conditions. So also the track was good which made for an excellent day of endurance racing" Al Adhab told the Khaleej Times. UAE are preparing for the Junior Championship in Chile in October and the showing in Pisa will be a big boost for the team according to Al Adhab. "UAE are much stronger team in this sort of completion. Our riders and horses have always delivered their best and we are looking ahead to the challenge in Chile" he added. UAE have fielded 43 riders in the two-day meet which will see the remaining races of the grinding seven-race card being held on Sunday.
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