Damian Browne ride Buffering to victory in the Al Quoz Sprint at Meydan on Dubai World Cup night, Saturday, March 26, 2016. Satish Kumar / The National
Damian Browne ride Buffering to victory in the Al Quoz Sprint at Meydan on Dubai World Cup night, Saturday, March 26, 2016. Satish Kumar / The National

Trainer rules out Royal Ascot trip for Al Quoz Sprint winner Buffering



Al Quoz Sprint winner Buffering will not travel to Royal Ascot in June after his run in the Group 1 Chariman’s Sprint Prize in Hong Kong next month.

Trainer Robert Heathcote suggested after the eight-year-old bay gelding had picked up a seventh victory at the highest level at Meydan last month that the King’s Stand Stakes was on the agenda.

More from the Dubai World Cup:

Geoffrey Riddle: After the world came together for 2016 Dubai World Cup, what is next for the winners?

Amith Passela: Al Quoz Sprint results: Buffering 'broke really well' to edge out Ertijaal and land win for Australia

Kevin Jeffers: Dubai World Cup winners 2016 – race-by-race results and analysis

Having spoken to several trainers with experience of the trip, however, he has decided to concentrate on an Australian campaign.

“The reason Buffering is the marvel that he is, is because he’s been very looked after,” the trainer said.

“We’ve never gone to the well too many times.

“I spoke personally to Peter Moody [trainer of Black Caviar] and Joe Janiak [trainer of Takeover Target] and they said while it’s a wonderful trip, it’s not easy.”

Buffering has won the Group 1 Moir Stakes at Moonee Valley in October three times and a fourth bid will be the target later in the season following his return from Hong Kong.

“We don’t feel it’s in the horse’s best interests to subject him to further travels beyond Hong Kong,” Heathcote added, in an interview with www.racing.com.

“What else does he have to prove?

“While winning at Royal Ascot would’ve been an unbelievable feeling, it’s not the primary goal with this horse.

“We want to get him home from Hong Kong safe and sound, give him a spell, and an opportunity to enjoy the sun on his back.

“We can come back to Melbourne and go for an unprecedented fourth Moir Stakes.

“I know the Moir Stakes is a long way from the King’s Stand at Royal Ascot, but to us, it’s just as important.”

Australia’s sprint challenge at Royal Ascot could be greatly reduced after Buffering’s rival in Hong Kong, Chautauqua, could also sidestep a trip to Britain.

Chautauqua twice beat Buffering in Australia last season, in the Group 1 Manikato Stakes and the Group 1 Darley Classic. Trainer Rupert Legh has also canvassed the opinions of the Black Caviar team, who successfully sent the unbeaten mare to win the Diamond Jubilee Stakes in 2012, and has yet to make up his mind.

“If he can tell us that he can handle the travel, go to Hong Kong, perform at his best, then that’s the sort of question we need to have answered first before we give any consideration of taking that next step and going to the other side of the world and racing in Ascot,” Legh said.

“It would be absolutely fantastic to do it, and to represent Australia with what we consider as a world-class horse, but at the end of the day the horse comes first and if there’s any doubt in our mind that he doesn’t handle the travel, or there’s a concern about his future, then it’s definitely a no go.”

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Saturday's schedule at the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix

GP3 race, 12:30pm

Formula 1 final practice, 2pm

Formula 1 qualifying, 5pm

Formula 2 race, 6:40pm

Performance: Sam Smith

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Director: Sanjay Leela Bhansali

Starring: Ranveer Singh, Deepika Padukone, Shahid Kapoor, Jim Sarbh

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Cryopreservation: A timeline
  1. Keyhole surgery under general anaesthetic
  2. Ovarian tissue surgically removed
  3. Tissue processed in a high-tech facility
  4. Tissue re-implanted at a time of the patient’s choosing
  5. Full hormone production regained within 4-6 months

Mercer, the investment consulting arm of US services company Marsh & McLennan, expects its wealth division to at least double its assets under management (AUM) in the Middle East as wealth in the region continues to grow despite economic headwinds, a company official said.

Mercer Wealth, which globally has $160 billion in AUM, plans to boost its AUM in the region to $2-$3bn in the next 2-3 years from the present $1bn, said Yasir AbuShaban, a Dubai-based principal with Mercer Wealth.

Within the next two to three years, we are looking at reaching $2 to $3 billion as a conservative estimate and we do see an opportunity to do so,” said Mr AbuShaban.

Mercer does not directly make investments, but allocates clients’ money they have discretion to, to professional asset managers. They also provide advice to clients.

“We have buying power. We can negotiate on their (client’s) behalf with asset managers to provide them lower fees than they otherwise would have to get on their own,” he added.

Mercer Wealth’s clients include sovereign wealth funds, family offices, and insurance companies among others.

From its office in Dubai, Mercer also looks after Africa, India and Turkey, where they also see opportunity for growth.

Wealth creation in Middle East and Africa (MEA) grew 8.5 per cent to $8.1 trillion last year from $7.5tn in 2015, higher than last year’s global average of 6 per cent and the second-highest growth in a region after Asia-Pacific which grew 9.9 per cent, according to consultancy Boston Consulting Group (BCG). In the region, where wealth grew just 1.9 per cent in 2015 compared with 2014, a pickup in oil prices has helped in wealth generation.

BCG is forecasting MEA wealth will rise to $12tn by 2021, growing at an annual average of 8 per cent.

Drivers of wealth generation in the region will be split evenly between new wealth creation and growth of performance of existing assets, according to BCG.

Another general trend in the region is clients’ looking for a comprehensive approach to investing, according to Mr AbuShaban.

“Institutional investors or some of the families are seeing a slowdown in the available capital they have to invest and in that sense they are looking at optimizing the way they manage their portfolios and making sure they are not investing haphazardly and different parts of their investment are working together,” said Mr AbuShaban.

Some clients also have a higher appetite for risk, given the low interest-rate environment that does not provide enough yield for some institutional investors. These clients are keen to invest in illiquid assets, such as private equity and infrastructure.

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The Abu Dhabi Investment Authority, one of the largest sovereign wealth funds, said in its 2016 report that has gradually increased its exposure in direct private equity and private credit transactions, mainly in Asian markets and especially in China and India. The authority’s private equity department focused on structured equities owing to “their defensive characteristics.”

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Install an air filter in your home.

Close your windows and turn on the AC.

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Stay indoors when conditions are particularly poor.

If driving, turn your engine off when stationary.

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Sui Dhaaga: Made in India

Director: Sharat Katariya

Starring: Varun Dhawan, Anushka Sharma, Raghubir Yadav

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Canadians living in the UAE can register to vote online and be added to the International Register of Electors.

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Registered voters mark the ballot with their choice and must send it back by 6pm Eastern time on October 21 (2am next Friday) 

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Call the hotline on 0502955999 or send "thenational" to the following numbers:

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Number of staff: 210 
 
Investment raised: $75 million from investors including Galaxy Interactive, Riyadh Season, Sega Ventures and Apis Venture Partners
Karwaan

Producer: Ronnie Screwvala

Director: Akarsh Khurana

Starring: Irrfan Khan, Dulquer Salmaan, Mithila Palkar

Rating: 4/5

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  • 2013: "Financial and logistical support from Germany for Hezbollah in Lebanon supports the armed struggle against Israel ... Hezbollah supporters in Germany hold back from actions that would gain publicity." Supporters in Germany: 950
  • 2023: "It must be reckoned with that Hezbollah will continue to plan terrorist actions outside the Middle East against Israel or Israeli interests." Supporters in Germany: 1,250 

Source: Federal Office for the Protection of the Constitution

The Sand Castle

Director: Matty Brown

Stars: Nadine Labaki, Ziad Bakri, Zain Al Rafeea, Riman Al Rafeea

Rating: 2.5/5

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DMZ facts
  • The DMZ was created as a buffer after the 1950-53 Korean War.
  • It runs 248 kilometers across the Korean Peninsula and is 4km wide.
  • The zone is jointly overseen by the US-led United Nations Command and North Korea.
  • It is littered with an estimated 2 million mines, tank traps, razor wire fences and guard posts.
  • Donald Trump and Kim Jong-Un met at a building in Panmunjom, where an armistice was signed to stop the Korean War.
  • Panmunjom is 52km north of the Korean capital Seoul and 147km south of Pyongyang, North Korea’s capital.
  • Former US president Bill Clinton visited Panmunjom in 1993, while Ronald Reagan visited the DMZ in 1983, George W. Bush in 2002 and Barack Obama visited a nearby military camp in 2012. 
  • Mr Trump planned to visit in November 2017, but heavy fog that prevented his helicopter from landing.
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