UAE- AF Maqayes strikes again in Wathba Cup

ABU DHABI 18th January 2016 (WAM) -- Bred and owned by Khalid Khalifa Al Naboodah AF Maqayes scored another dominating victory in the H.H. Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed Al Nahyan Global Arabian Horse Flat Racing Festival's Wathba Stud Farm Cup For Private Owners held on Sunday at the Abu Dhabi Equestrian Club.

The UAE-bred 4-year-old son of AF Al Buraq under Jockey Championship leader Tadhg O'Shea scored a 4-length victory over Al Shabab under Royston Ffrench with Love To Dance under Fernando Jara third in the AED80000 race run over 1200 metres.

It is the fourth win for the Rashid Al Raihe-trained AF Maqayes in five starts with his only loss coming when finishing second in the Abu Dhabi Colts Classic. With this win the Emirati handler Al Raihe takes his tally for the season to 26 just four wins behind leader Doug Watson.

Madjanthis another Wathba Stud Farm Cup winner this season unseated rider Richard Mullen who fortunately was not hurt. But AF Maqayes was well away and soon was cruising along for his second win at the Abu Dhabi Equestrian Club racecourse his other two wins coming in Sharjah and Al Ain.

Adnan Sultan Al Nuaimi Director-General of ADEC Lara Sawaya Executive Director of the H.H. Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed Al Nahyan Global Arabian Horse Flat Racing Festival Chairperson of the International Federation of Horse Racing Academies and Chairperson of Ladies and Apprentice Racing Committees in the International Federation of Arabian Horse Racing Authorities and Muneera Al Marzouqi Commercial Manager of the National Feed and Flour Production Company attended the prize-giving ceremony.

The H.H. 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 in cooperation with Emirates Racing Authority Emirates Arabian Horse Society the Ministry of Foreign Affairs the General Authority of Youth and Sports Welfare with The National Archives as the official partner and Emirates airline as the official carriers and sponsored by Bloom Petromal Rise General Trading Co. LLC Hayatna Abu Dhabi National Exhibition Centre Al Awani General Enterprises Kabale Al Wathba Centre the UAE General Women's Union The Supreme Council for Motherhood and Childhood the H.H. Sheikha Fatima bint Mubarak Ladies Sports Academy Abu Dhabi International Hunting and Equestrian Exhibition 2016 Dr. Nader Saab Switzerland Al Wathba Center Abu Dhabi Equestrian Club Eastern Mangroves Suites-Abu Dhabi by Jannah Yas Channel Omeir Travel The Racing Post Paris Turf and Laboratories Fadia Karam Cosmetics.