Consistency in sport is pivotal and Fatma Jassem Al Marri turned up a shining example of it when ensuring a facile victory for SM Private Stables in the Dubai Crown Prince Endurance Festival’s Private Stables competition.
The 120 km event witnessed Al Marri make consistent leaps up the leaderboard on the back of Celebryta to bring herself to within striking distance, and then crank up the heat aboard her 12-year-old to win rather comfortably ahead of the rest of her rivals.
Al Marri and Celebryta completed the four-loop ride in four hours 14 minutes and 50 seconds (4:14:50), recording an average speed of 28.25 kph over the 120 km distance.
Finishing second, 32 seconds in arrears, were Ebraheim Ali Sabeel and Farzibus Cabirat, representing MAB Stables, who were timed at 4:15:22, while a distant third were SS Private Stables pair of Suhail Ali Al Ghailani and SW Kulmaalif, who were clocked at 4:19:12.
The Dubai Crown Prince Endurance Festival is held in honour of His Highness Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Defence of the United Arab Emirates, Crown Prince of Dubai, and Chairman of The Executive Council of Dubai.
The ride began with Abdulla Abdulaziz Al Tawash and Full Options Niellans (SS Endurance Stables) seizing the initiative at the end of the first loop spanning 40 kms, with Al Marri and her mount placed 16th. The latter began her ascent during the second loop spanning 35 kms, and climbed up five spots to reach 11th even as Al Tawash ceded the advantage to his SS Endurance Stables teammate Saif Juma Al Beljafla, who rode JM Jadjmili.
Al Marri made further progress during the third loop running over 25 kms and yanked herself up five spots to reach sixth going into the final loop. At the same time, Beljafla held on to his spot at the top of the summit.
Going into the final loop over 20 kms, Al Marri was 5 min 37 sec behind leader Beljafla and knew she had to go full throttle to have a chance of winning.
And Al Marri pushed hard during the course of the final phase, revving her mount and sending Celebryta flying at a pace that was nearly 8 kph quicker than the previous loop.
The end result was simply stunning as Al Marri and Celebryta ran home victorious with 32 seconds separating them from their second placed Emirati compatriots Ebraheim.
Ahmed Rashid Al Kaabi, General Manager of Dubai Equestrian Club, presented the winners with their trophies.
The Dubai Crown Prince Endurance Festival comprises four rides and began on 23 March with the 120 km Ladies Ride won by ABH Stables’ Sara Hasan Ahmed on Wayward. The festival resumed after a bout of inclement weather with the Al Yamamah Cup for Mares on 30 March, an event won narrowly by M7 Endurance Stables after Hamdan Ahmad Al Mansoori’s success in the saddle aboard SW Jashfiya AA 50.
The Festival continues with the 120 km Private Stables Ride tomorrow followed by the main event, the Dubai Crown Prince Endurance Cup on Wednesday, 1 April.
