Emirati women jockeys down the stretch to history

Shathra al Hajjaj and Fatma al Marri are poised to become the first Emirati women to race on the flat today at the Duindigt Racecourse in Holland.

(Foreground) Fatma al Marri and Shathra al Hajjaj are set to become the first Emirati women jockeys to race on the flat. (Handout photos)

Shathra al Hajjaj and Fatma al Marri, two ambitious young jockeys, are poised to become the first Emirati women to race on the flat today at the Duindigt Racecourse in Holland.

The two women, both experienced endurance and show-jumping riders, recently completed a month of intensive training in preparation for today's race.

They are among 10 women who will ride in the Sheikha Fatima bint Mubarak Ladies Fegentri Cup, a 1,900-metre race for amateur jockeys.

"This is the biggest sporting moment in our lives," al Hajjaj said.

"We just can't wait to experience and soak in the excitement of being the first Emirati ladies to race on the flat and also abroad."

Al Hajjaj, 26, and al Marri, 17, travelled to France more than a week ahead of today's race to familiarise with the horses they will ride, and for a few workouts on the racetrack, as well.

They are both hoping their recent work at the Seeh Al Salam Stables in Dubai will pay off today.

"We started training more than a month ago," al Hajjaj said.

"It became not only a daily routine for both of us, but we also thoroughly enjoyed the track work, riding three different horses under race conditions, every day.

"They were all endurance horses and it was very hard work because we needed to push them really, really hard as they didn't have the speed of the flat-race horses.

"It was also completely different as we had to work muscles we never used in endurance riding."

The difference was very noticeable.

"The first time I got off the horse after a track work I didn't feel I had my lower limbs, but I got over it very quickly," al Hajjaj said. "We both feel we have done a great deal of work to be ready for our big day in Holland."

Al Hajjaj's opportunity to race on the flats was almost accidental.

She happened to be at the Seeh Al Salam Stables when Ali al Muhairi, the racing manager of Sheikh Hamdan bin Rashid, had asked al Marri if she would want to ride in a women's flat race for amateur riders. "It happened so suddenly," al Hajjaj said.

"I casually asked if they would consider two entries and then Ali called up Lara Sawaya [the director of the Sheikh Mansour race series] at the same time and got her confirmation for two.

"I was very excited and ever since have been thinking only for the race. I and Fatma want to be role models for the Emirati girls to venture into another exciting new world, to ride in flat races."

Al Hajjaj said there are 13 girls and women training at the Seeh Al Salam Stables, and they all hope to ride on the flat soon.

"Most of them have being riding in endurance, and the switch to flat racing is just a matter of time for them," she said.

Al Hajjaj said she had wanted to ride horses at a young age but she was not granted permission until she was in high school.

"My parents didn't take me very seriously when I told them I wanted to attend a horse riding school," she said.

"Finally, I had to tell my grandmother, and she took the first initiative to get me permission.

"Finally, my father took me to a riding school in Sharjah and later I joined the Al Ahli Riding School, where I rode in a couple of jumping competitions before the switch to endurance. I bought my first endurance horse [Bey Abu] two years ago and a second, Illaru Kuku.

"I didn't plan to buy any horses, but it happened.

"I had to sell them when I got married, thinking that I wouldn't ride again, but my husband has been very supportive and he has given me permission to continue in the sport.

Al Marri took a similar path, but started much earlier and has also had a lot of success in endurance.

She rode Mutajjeb to victory in the 90km race for the Seeh Al Salam Stables at the Dubai International Endurance City in February and finished second and third in two other races.

The best yet was her creditable sixth aboard Ohio, an 11-year-old bay gelding, in the Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Cup, a CEI Three-star race over 160km, also at the Dubai International Endurance City.

"I always wanted to ride on horseback but my parents were reluctant to send me to a riding school," she said. "I had to go through the telephone directory and contacted the Al Ahli Riding School and then insisted my parents to enrol me.

"They eventually did and then after a few competitions in jumping I moved to endurance riding.

"Since then, my mother, Aneesa, has been very supportive, and has given me all the backing and encouragement. She will also travel with me to France and then Holland."

Al Hajjaj and al Marri met at the Ahli club and they have since become friends and now colleagues at Sheikh Hamdan's Seeh Al Salam Stables.

"We are very grateful to Sheikh Hamdan for providing us the opportunity to come and ride at his stables, and also for providing us the opportunity to ride in endurance races, and now on flat racing," said al Hajjaj, who quit her job at a telecom company to focus on riding horses: "I had a straight-shift job but they made it two shifts and that's when I decided to quit."

Al Marri is a student at Al Raya High School in Dubai and her ambition is to become a pilot.

Both women also participate in skydiving, swimming and target shooting.

Today at Duindigt, al Hajjaj will ride Tarfa, a five-year-old mare owned by Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed and trained by Jean Francois Bernard. Tarfa won her second start and has since went unplaced in her next two starts in France.

Al Marri will ride Vantage Lady, a four-year-old filly owned by Sheikh Tahnoun bin Zayed and trained by Jean-Pierre Totain. Vantage Lady finished third in her last start behind Tourmaline du Croate over the one-mile trip on April 1.