RB Burn, ridden by Gerald Avranche, won one of the best Purebred Arabian races in the world at Abu Dhabi on Sunday night. Erika Rasmussen for The National
RB Burn, ridden by Gerald Avranche, won one of the best Purebred Arabian races in the world at Abu Dhabi on Sunday night. Erika Rasmussen for The National

RB Burn beats fancied Al Mourtajez to win Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan Jewel Crown race



ABU DHABI // RB Burn made a stunning introduction to racing in the UAE on Sunday night.

He stunned a world-class field – including Al Mourtajez, widely regarded as the world’s best Purebred Arabian in the world – to scoop the €1.2 million (Dh4.8m) Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan Jewel Crown, the world’s richest race for the Purebred Arabians.

Ridden by Gerald Avranche for the Abu Dhabi-based trainer Eric Lemartinel, the colt burst through the 16-runner field to win by three-quarters of a length from the French-trained pair Mabrooka and Sylvine Al Maury.

Al Mourtajez could only finish sixth after racing prominently behind the pace-making Thakif over the 1,600-metre distance.

Sahabba, the runner-up last year, and AF Mathmoon, the Dubai Kahayla Classic winner, finished fourth and fifth respectively.

Kalino, last year’s winner, trailed in 11th.

Lemartinel has been following the American-bred colt’s progress in France since he was purchased by Sheikh Sultan bin Khalifa last year.

“He had a lot of speed,” the trainer said. “He was pulling hard over long distance races and didn’t have much luck in some of the races in France.

“I thought his optimum was 1,600 to 1,800m. He travelled so well over here tonight.

“We also had the blinkers on for the first time because when I saw him in France, I observed him looking left and right. He concentrated on his job tonight.”

It was RB Burn’s third and biggest career victory from nine starts. And for a four year old, he is sure to have a bright future in the UAE with the Dubai Kahayla Classic as an obvious target.

The two main supporting prizes on the six-race card were won by the most experienced riders in the two races.

Catherine Walton steered RB Dixie Burning to an emphatic win in the Sheikha Fatima bint Mubarak Ladies World Championship on RB Dixie Burning for Lemartinel’s first of the two winners on the night.

The Briton, 29, arrived with 119 career winners and showed her vast experience by taking the shortest way home.

“She was moving nicely,” Walton said. “I only had to use my hands and heels, and once she got into the front on the final bend she just pulled away. Obviously, I’m delighted with this title.”

The Sheikha Fatima bint Mubarak Apprentice Championship went to an Australian for the second time in a row.

Brent Thompson claimed the prize last year and Dylan Dunn repeated the trick on the Jean de Roualle-trained Qader, making all the running for a resounding win by more than seven lengths over the 1,600-metre distance.

Dunn, 21, with 121 career winners, was the most experienced of the dozen riders and he showed his class by steering Qader to his first win in eight starts.

“Dylan rode a beautiful race,” Qader’s handler De Roualle said. “He knows how the pace is going, the speed is going and that’s the base for a good jockey.”

The winning jockey added: “It’s a massive thrill for me. I was able to get the horse to relax there in the front early on and getting it to switch back on and once I was able to do that it was pretty much simple from there.”

Ernst Oertel, the Dubai-based South African trainer, and Khalid Khalifa Al Nabooda, the Emirati owner-breeder, enjoyed an early double under two different jockeys, Richard Mullen and Lyle Hewitson.

Hewitson, 18, achieved a double milestone on the night. The South African jockey made a dream debut in the UAE, winning his first ever ride on the capital’s track and recording his 100th career victory.

“It simply amazing to win in a race where there were top jockeys,” Hewitson said. “It was really a close race and it was fantastic to come out on tops. It was my first ride in the UAE and to end up completing the 100th career win was very, very special.”

apassela@thenational.ae

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The specs

Engine: Direct injection 4-cylinder 1.4-litre
Power: 150hp
Torque: 250Nm
Price: From Dh139,000
On sale: Now

COMPANY PROFILE

Company: Bidzi

● Started: 2024

● Founders: Akshay Dosaj and Asif Rashid

● Based: Dubai, UAE

● Industry: M&A

● Funding size: Bootstrapped

● No of employees: Nine

COMPANY%20PROFILE%20
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'C'mon C'mon'

Director:Mike Mills

Stars:Joaquin Phoenix, Gaby Hoffmann, Woody Norman

Rating: 4/5

Low turnout
Two months before the first round on April 10, the appetite of voters for the election is low.

Mathieu Gallard, account manager with Ipsos, which conducted the most recent poll, said current forecasts suggested only two-thirds were "very likely" to vote in the first round, compared with a 78 per cent turnout in the 2017 presidential elections.

"It depends on how interesting the campaign is on their main concerns," he told The National. "Just now, it's hard to say who, between Macron and the candidates of the right, would be most affected by a low turnout."

MATCH INFO

Brescia 1 (Skrinia og, 76)

Inter Milan 2 (Martinez 33, Lukaku 63)

 

COMPANY PROFILE
Name: Almnssa
Started: August 2020
Founder: Areej Selmi
Based: Gaza
Sectors: Internet, e-commerce
Investments: Grants/private funding
Living in...

This article is part of a guide on where to live in the UAE. Our reporters will profile some of the country’s most desirable districts, provide an estimate of rental prices and introduce you to some of the residents who call each area home.

Our family matters legal consultant

Name: Hassan Mohsen Elhais

Position: legal consultant with Al Rowaad Advocates and Legal Consultants.

The specs

Engine: Dual 180kW and 300kW front and rear motors

Power: 480kW

Torque: 850Nm

Transmission: Single-speed automatic

Price: From Dh359,900 ($98,000)

On sale: Now

Director: Laxman Utekar

Cast: Vicky Kaushal, Akshaye Khanna, Diana Penty, Vineet Kumar Singh, Rashmika Mandanna

Rating: 1/5

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MWTC info

Tickets to the MWTC range from Dh100 and can be purchased from www.ticketmaster.ae or by calling 800 86 823 from within the UAE or 971 4 366 2289 from outside the country and all Virgin Megastores. Fans looking to attend all three days of the MWTC can avail of a special 20 percent discount on ticket prices.

THE SPECS

Jaguar F-Pace SVR

Engine: 5-litre supercharged V8​​​​​​​

Transmission: 8-speed automatic

Power: 542bhp​​​​​​​

Torque: 680Nm​​​​​​​

Price: Dh465,071

THE LIGHT

Director: Tom Tykwer

Starring: Tala Al Deen, Nicolette Krebitz, Lars Eidinger

Rating: 3/5

The schedule

December 5 - 23: Shooting competition, Al Dhafra Shooting Club

December 9 - 24: Handicrafts competition, from 4pm until 10pm, Heritage Souq

December 11 - 20: Dates competition, from 4pm

December 12 - 20: Sour milk competition

December 13: Falcon beauty competition

December 14 and 20: Saluki races

December 15: Arabian horse races, from 4pm

December 16 - 19: Falconry competition

December 18: Camel milk competition, from 7.30 - 9.30 am

December 20 and 21: Sheep beauty competition, from 10am

December 22: The best herd of 30 camels

The%20Kitchen
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Sheer grandeur

The Owo building is 14 storeys high, seven of which are below ground, with the 30,000 square feet of amenities located subterranean, including a 16-seat private cinema, seven lounges, a gym, games room, treatment suites and bicycle storage.

A clear distinction between the residences and the Raffles hotel with the amenities operated separately.