The 2024/25 Dubai Endurance Season kicked off at Dubai International Endurance City with a thrilling start as MRM Stables emerged victorious in the season-opening Seeh Al Salam Endurance Challenge. The race was won by a mere second, with star rider Saif Ahmed Al Mazrouei piloting Magic Glenn Torque to victory. Organized by the Dubai Equestrian Club, the 119-km four-loop ride saw fierce competition from major stables in the UAE, with 119 rider-horse pairs participating in the Al Marmoom Conservation Reserve.
Al Mazrouei and his 13-year-old horse maintained a consistent performance, finishing in 4:12:16, just one second ahead of F3-1 Stables' Hamad Humaid Al Tamimi and 765 Sargon, who clocked 4:12:17. F3 Stables' Rashed Mohammed Al Mehairi and A’Bandom’s Rockabilly secured third place, 26 seconds behind in 4:12:43.
Al Mazrouei began the race in seventh place, 20 seconds behind Al Tamimi, who led after the first 40-km loop. However, MRM teammate Mansour Al Faresi, riding Tatarinu, overtook Al Tamimi during the 32-km second loop, climbing from 25th to first place. Al Faresi maintained the lead until the final 20-km loop, but Al Mazrouei's strategic acceleration from 26.99kph to 34.4kph in the fourth loop secured his victory.
In another race, Zabeel 2 Stables won the Al Wasl Endurance Cup for Private Stables with Ebrahim Fayed Al Shamsi's victory aboard Bobang Al Andalus. The pair completed the 101-km four-loop ride in 3:30:46, edging out Al Ain Endurance Stables' Federico Ferber and HC Nael by fractions of a second. Zabeel 3's Saeed Ghanim Al Marri finished third aboard Woodbourne Wednesday.
Major General Dr. Mohammed Essa Al Adhab, Board Member and General Manager of Dubai Equestrian Club, presented the winners with their trophies, praising the efforts of all participants. He noted that the exciting finish to the first ride of the season promises an exhilarating year ahead.
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