Dubai: With prestigious trophies, gold plated rifles and a booty of Dh1.8 million on offer, the action on day ten of the annual Al Marmoum Heritage Festival at the Dubai Camel & Racing Club (DCRC) was fiercely competitive.
A total of 30 races ranging from six to eight kilometres were held over two sessions, for racing camels owned by tribesmen and Shaikhs.
The evening session of 16 races was dedicated to the higher-classed camels who raced in the colours of Shaikhs from the UAE and around the GCC.
Shaikh Hamdan Bin Mohammad Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai, who is the chief patron of the Al Marmoum Heritage Festival, was present at the DCRC to watch the races that were run in honour of the late Shaikh Maktoum Bin Rashid Al Maktoum.
Camels raced by the stables of The President His Highness Shaikh Khalifa Bin Zayed Al Nahyan swept the two most prestigious prizes of the evening session.
The first feature event, an open race for five-year-olds in the Abkar category, was captured by the magnificent female camel Metfiyah, who covered the 8km trip in a smart time of 12:04:4 minutes.
Presidential trainer Ali Bin Jameel Al Wehaibi picked up a precious trophy and Dh500,000 in cash.
The second richest feature race allocated for Local Purebred Abkar camels also went to the Presidential Stables, but on this occasion won by Mahabba (Passion), trained by the outstanding handler Mohammad Atiq Bin Zaitoon Al Muhairi.
The winner ran a superb race to bag the Trophy and Dh500,000 in cash. She clocked 12:12:9 minutes over the 8k distance.
Qatar’s mighty Al Shahaniya Stables claimed the third and fourth most prestigious races in the open Jeadan (male) Category and the Local Purebred Jeadan Category.
“Fejaj (Tough), prepared by veteran trainer Salim Bin Faran Al Mari, won the first of these races to claimed the gold plated the rifle and Dh400,000 in cash. The winner was timed at 12:16:8 minutes.
Zahi, who like his name which means ‘arrogant’ stormed to victory in his race to also earn and rife and cash prize of Dh400,000 for Al Mari. The winner clocked 12:18:8 minutes.
Earlier in the morning 14 races were contested with Al Asifa, Al Shahiya winning four each while Festival parton Shaikh Hamdan’s stable claimed two wins.
The Presidential Stables, Shaikh Sultan Bin Zayed Al Nayan, Shaikh Rashid Bin Hamdan Bin Rashid Al Maktoum and Zabeel Camels bagged a win each.
Lujja (The fuss), a classy animal from Qatar won the Purebred Abkar race over 6k to gift her owners a luxury Toyota Station Wagon.
Al Asif Stables stormed into action to seize the second and third features races with the speedy Minwah, who comfortably outstayed her rivals to post the fastest time of 08:56:9 minutes. for the morning session.
The fourth race for Hybrid male camels was won by Sarab (Mirage) in the colours of Shaikh Hamdan. The winner clocked a time of 09:06:2 minutes.
