THE 2021/22 ENDURANCE riding season in the UAE drew to a close at Dubai International Endurance City (DIEC) in Seeh Al Salam last Thursday with Al Maghaweer Stables’ conditioner Matar Ali Al Hammadi winning the Endurance Trainers’ Cup. Al Hammadi won after his 9yo trainee JM Maori finished as the top performer in the 119km event that had been broken down into four phases.

Competing under Ali Mohammed Al Hosani, JM Maori competed at an average speed of 27.62kph to complete the ride in the sands of Seeh Al Salam in four hours 18 minutes and 29 seconds (4:18:29), winning by 13s after a breezy final phase. The event started with Abdulla Mohammed Al Hammadi seizing the initiative for Al Reef Ajban Stables aboard the Khaled Abdel Rahim-schooled Vendetto after the 40km first loop.

However, a change of tactics provoked a negative effect with the pair dropping ten spots during the 32km second loop as Nesreen Khasro Khalid climbed up to take the summit from ninth. Khalid, representing the UAE and riding Cabalistik Larzac for Seeh Al Salam Endurance Stables, failed to deal with the pace and with pressure mounting from those behind her she succumbed and ceded the lead to Al Aasfa 7 Endurance Stables’ Rashed Ahmad Al Ketbi on Noche De Copas.

Khalid, meanwhile, dropped two spots, starting the final loop over 20km from third. Al Hosani had started his day in 12th on JM Maori and he and Al Hammadi’s charge were consistent throughout making their way up the rung with efficient use of the resources at their disposal. During the second loop they managed to climb up five spots to seventh and made further progress when reaching fifth at the end of the third loop over 27km.

Al Hosani had :1:4 to make up during the course of the final loop while Al Ketbi looked strong too. But Al Hammadi having ‘fine tuned’ JM Maori to perfection, had left plenty of scope for Al Hosani to make his demands and for them to be fulfilled by his partner. In the end the pair rounded up the four in front of them to win by :13 as Khalid managed to climb up a spot and finish second with a time of 4:18:42 aboard the Salem Mohammed Al Sabousi-schooled Cabalistik Larzac.

Finishing a further four seconds behind in third was Abdalla Rashid Al Naqbi-trained LM Tremendo who was guided by Issa Radhwan Al Gheilani and completed the ride in 4:18:46.