By Duane Fonseca
Ahmed Al Falasi took home the Endurance Trainers Cup honours, the last major event of the season at Dubai International Endurance City at Seih Al Salam last week, Buthaina Al Redha on Nemo providing the Jumeirah Stables conditioner success in the 119km event.
The competition brings the curtains down on the endurance season in Dubai and the ride was broken down into four loops with Al Redha guiding her 14yo bay mount to a first ever success on UAE soil on his seventh start here. Emirati rider Al Redha herself was winning for the first time in five years.
She was last seen winning the 2018 edition of the CEN 101.01km Ladies Cup ride at the HH Sheikh Sultan bin Zayed Al Nahyan Festival and her best effort thereafter had been as runnerup at last year’s DIEC 101km Dubai Crown Prince Endurance Cup for Ladies.
Al Redha had finished third in this year’s DIEC 101km HH Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Cup for Ladies at this same venue in late February and would have welcomed finally holding on to the summit when it mattered most. And she would have to work tactfully, a calculated approach ensuring she did not lose her way at any stage of the ride that had been divided into four loops.
Al Redha and Nemo clocked a time of four hours 10 minutes and 14 seconds (4:10:14) after posting an average speed of 28.09kph. Finishing a close second, eight seconds behind in 4:10:18 were Ahmad Al Shehhi and Waterlea Celtie, trained by Salman Al Sabri for Al Bawadi Stables.
An all-Emirati podium was possible after Khalifa Al Ameemi claimed the final spot aboard Vroumm Hipolyte trained by David Antony for Al Aasfa Stables, the pair completing the ride in 4:15:26. Al Redha started the day with the 21st best time at the end of the first loop spanning 40km, but moved up ten spots to finish 11th at the halfway stage after the second loop over 32 km. They made up further ground during the third loop over 27km, fighting their way to the top during the 20km final loop from seventh.
