By Mohammed Omar
The Director General of the Abu Dhabi Equestrian Club, Engineer Ali Hassan Al Shaiba has praised the support extended by HH Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Vice President and Deputy Prime Minister of the UAE and Chairman of the Presidential Court, and President of the Abu Dhabi Equestrian Club, ahead of the capital outfit’s plans to get the 2023-24 Emirates Racing Season underway on Thursday.
A total of 23 events have been scheduled for hosting by Abu Dhabi Equestrian Club, 15 of which are race meetings on the Emirates Racing Season calendar, including the blockbuster Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan Jewel Crown and the President’s Cup cards. Additionally, ADEC will also host eight showjumping events.
Al Shaiba expressed his sincere thanks and gratitude to Sheikh Mansour for his unwavering support from which ADEC has benefited tremendously.
“His Highness’ support inspires us at the club to focus relentlessly on developing this sport in an honourable manner that befits the UAE’s status and reputation,” said Al Shaiba.
“All our development plans come under the patronage of Sheikh Mansour who supports us endlessly and we will continue to achieve all of his visions.”
Speaking to Adiyat Racing Plus, Al Shaiba declared that work had been undertaken on a massive scale to enhance the facilities at the club to bring it up to the highest standards.
He said the entire racecourse was undergoing refurbishments with 10 royal suites, a VIP lounge, a restaurant and a further 310 general and 130 VIP parking spaces added to the facility. We have a distinguished cooperation with the UAE Equestrian and Racing Federation and the Emirates Racing Authority and have been making changes at the club to enhance the quality of racing and the overall racing experience,” said Al Shaiba, further revealing plans to develop racing and modernise the registration system and the saddling areas of the racecourse. He reiterated the club’s commitment to achieving great success during the 2023-24 campaign, adding: “We have a lot of changes coming up and there is a lot of planning that went into making them a reality.
Aim to be better organised
“We have been working on being more precise and organised by coordinating with all of the relevant authorities.”
Al Shaiba said the management was also doing more to make the club more family-friendly and would do its best to cater to all levels of racegoers. “The public is a priority for the club, and we are focused on ensuring that racing is held here according to the highest standards and runs smoothly in all aspects, not just on the track,” he added.
“We have plans to attract all levels of the racing public and also families who love to spend their time going racing. We will be partnering some really prominent brands and service providers to ensure the very best experience for all those involved, owners, jockeys, trainers and the race going public.”
One of the most important changes is likely to be seen in the way ADEC manages its Pick Six competition. He revealed ADEC decided to bring in the same team that manages the competitions on race days at Jebel Ali, Al Ain and Sharjah.
Al Shaiba has also proposed setting up an owners’ council at the racecourse where horse owners can meet and discuss racing and steps to enhance the profile of the sport and address any grievances they might have.
“Things have changed a lot and with racing continuing to evolve we want to raise our game and do all we can to offer the best we can provide,” he concluded.
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