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Track to be replaced at Abu Dhabi Racecourse

Abu Dhabi - Prevailing conditions caused plenty of injuries to the horses

The turf track at the Abu Dhabi Equestrian Club Racecourse is likely to be replaced, Matar Suhail Al Yabhouni, Board Member and Chairman of Equestrian sport at the Abu Dhabi Sports Council (ADSC), said.
Al Yabhouni promised that he will take up the matter with Adnan Sultan Al Nuaimi, Director General of the Racecourse. Many owners and trainers felt the prevailing track conditions caused plenty of injuries to their horses, it was said.
Al Yabhouni was speaking at the first meeting of the new committee - The Shaikh Mansour bin Zayed Al Nahyan Global Arabian Horse Flat Racing Festival's Friends Committee (representing Purebred Arabian Horse Breeders, Owners, Trainers and Jockeys), which was formed on Saturday.
During the Shaikh Mansour bin Zayed Al Nahyan Global Arabian Horse Flat Racing Festival's World Arabian Horse Racing Conference held in Warsaw in May, a large number of the UAE connections of Purebred Arabian racing had raised many issues and the Festival had decided to provide a platform for them in the UAE.
The Racecourse at the Abu Dhabi Equestrian Club is a 2000 metres (10 furlongs) right-handed grass track with a run in of 400 metres (2.5 furlongs). A fibresand training track is located inside the main track. A new fibreturf grass racetrack was constructed in 1994.
Meanwhile, the Al Ain Racecourse will host a round of the Wathba Stud Farm Cup in the new racing season. The Festival staged 15 Wathba Stud Farm Cup races in Abu Dhabi last season.
Also, an equine hospital will be established in the Western Region. At present the breeders and owners have had to take ailing horses to the Sharjah Equine Hospital which is 400km away.
These were some of the decisions taken at the meeting held at the Anantara Hotel.
Al Yabhouni confirmed that all arrangements were on to build a fully-equipped equine hospital. "All feasibility studies, plans and funds are in hand to start the construction work as soon as possible," he said.
Meanwhile, leading horse breeder and owner Khalid Al Naboodah urged the meeting to adopt his proposal of making amendments to the breeding calendar to start from October instead of March in the light of the hot weather conditions.
"This could be implemented over three to four years because the hot and humid weather conditions from April onwards deprive breeders from taking advantage of the short winter period to bring up foals capable of competing against foreign-bred horses," Khalid Al Naboodah said.
"The Wathba Stud Farm Cup will be staged at Al Ain Racecourse under the umbrella of the Festival with effect from the upcoming racing season, in the same pattern of the equivalent races at the Abu Dhabi Equestrian Club and all terms and conditions, including the breeders' bonus, apply," Lara Sawaya, Executive Director of Shaikh Mansour bin Zayed Al Nahyan Global Arabian Horse Flat Racing Festival, Chairperson of the International Federation of Horse Racing Academies (IFHRA), Chairperson of Ladies & Apprentice Racing Committees in the International Federation of Arabian Horse Racing Authorities (IFAHR), said.
Finally, it was agreed to activate the respective roles of the UAE Arabian Horse Society and the UAE Breeders Society in the light of the strong criticism that has been directed by the breeders and owners regarding the two bodies. 
james@khaleejtimes.com