Wakame powers to victory in Sakhir

Manama : Outsider Wakame owned by Abdulla Fawzi Nass, trained by Fawzi Nass and ridden by Hassan Al Saffar won one of the two richest races by half a length for the HM King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa Cup for imported three years and upwards over 2,400 metres and worth BD20,000 yesterday at the 19th race meeting of the season at the Rashid Equestrian and Horse Racing Club in Sakhir.
Third favourite Vale De Sol owned by Abdulla Fawzi Nass, trained by Fawzi Nass and ridden by Hussain Makki came in second by a length and a quarter from second favourite and third placed Shogun owned by Shaikh Abdulla bin Isa bin Salman Al Khalifa, trained by James Naylor and ridden by Pat Smullen, with fourth place a neck behind was Felix De Vega owned by Z.M.S Syndicate, trained by Emad Hassan and ridden by Andrew Elliott.
In the second of the richest races for the HM King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa Cup for locally bred three years and upwards over 2,400 metres and worth BD20,000, the winner was second favourite Milyar owned by Shaikh Mohammed bin Abdulla bin Isa Al Khalifa, trained by James Naylor and ridden by Andrew Elliott.
Coming in second by a head was the favourite Methary owned by Shaikh Mohammed bin Abdulla bin Isa Al Khalifa, trained by James Naylor and ridden by Alberto Sanna, followed five lengths behind in third was third favourite Barracuda owned by Al Mallah Syndicate, trained by Abdul Jaleel Al Mallah and ridden by Abdulla Faisal, while a further length and a half behind in fourth was Call A Friend owned by Al Mallah Syndicate, trained by Ramzi Al Baqlawa and ridden by Brett Doyle.
In the other main race for fourth class and maiden Arabian Horses over 1,400 metres and worth BD15,000 for the HH Shaikha Fatima bint Mubarak Ladies World Championship (IFAHR) Cup for Arabian Horses with nine international female jockeys from France, Netherlands, Norway, Germany, Belgium, Italy, Spain, United Kingdom and Ireland in the fray, the winner was second favourite Kuheilan Aafas 1675 owned by Al Wasmiya, trained by Abdulla Kuwaiti and ridden by Ilaria Saggiomo from Italy.
Coming half a length behind in second place was Al Hamdanieh 1637 owned by Al Wasmiya, trained by Abdulla Kuwaiti and ridden by Eva Herrestal from Germany, followed in third by Al Hamdanieh 1644 owned by Al Sakhir, trained Jaffar Marzooq and ridden by Anna Van Den Troost from Belgium, while a further two lengths behind in fourth was third favourite Al Ma’anagieh 1625 owned by Al Wasmiya, trained by Abdulla Kuwaiti and ridden by Ellie Mackenzie from the UK.
His Majesty King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa delegated Lieutenant General Shaikh Mohammed bin Isa Al Khalifa the National Guard Commander to deputize and head the dignitaries at the race meeting, with President of Bahrain Royal Equestrian and Endurance Federation president Shaikh Faisal bin Rashid Al Khalifa, chairman of the Rashid Equestrian and Horse Racing Club, Shaikh Abdulla bin Isa Al Khalifa and deputy chairman Shaikh Isa bin Salman Al Khalifa in attendance and later presented trophies to the winners.