Victory of Muqatil Al Khalidiah in the 26th Europa Cup

The 5-year-old bay stallion Muqatil Al Khalidiah (Tiwaiq – Ty/Dormane), bred and owned by the Saudi prince, owner of Al Khalediah Stud, won the 26th Europa Cup at Służewiec Racetrack in great style and record time of 2’56,3. This year the race was part of a worldwide festival under the auspices of Sheikh Mansoor Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, in which 4 year old and older horses compete for the Cup of Sheikh Zayed Bin Sultan Al Nahyan, the founder of the United Arab Emirates. Thanks to this the prestige of the race immensely increased. Out of the eight previously entered foreign horses we were able to see three trained in France and the best 4-year-old Arabian from Russia. In the end the race’s line-up consisted of 12 contestants.

„It’s a matter of great importance to the sheikhs that it is mainly their horses which win during their festival. Such was the case two weeks ago at Frankfurt where 3 year olds competed. The sheikhs’ horses took the top three spots. So I think that in Warsaw the winner will be Muqatil Al Khalidiah, who has the biggest chance of winning the additional premium of 20 thousand euro in competing for the Cup of Sheikh Zayed Bin Sultan Al Nahyan, as he won one of the festival races in Diundigt in Holland”, such a pre-race prognosis was given by the secretary of the German Racing Federation DRAV, Mrs. Kathi Schidthusen. “The only unknown here is the distance. Until now he has raced over 2200 m the furthest”, she added.

However, as it turned out, the favorite – unbeaten in this season’s two starts – dictated very strict rules for this race. They were too much for the Russian Valentino G, who kept up a second position during the run. Muqatil Al Khalidiah won in a sure manner in a record track time of 2’56,3 over 2600 m (by 2,4 seconds faster than the previous record set in 2000 by Nedjam Lotois).

The battle for the second spot went on between the French filly Djelana (Al Sakbe – Djema/Manganate) and the Dutch-bred Vasyli Kossack (Marwan I – Vydumka/Madiar), trained at Strzegom Stud by Michał Romanowski and also owned by him. At the wire it was the stallion who proved the better by a nose, ridden by the this season’s extremely successful jockey Anton Turgaev, who stands a large chance of gaining the champion title this year. Placing fourth was the German-bred and Służewiec-trained by Mieczysław Mełnicki Marwin El Samawi (Marwan I – Iosra/Djelfor), winner of the Europa Cup in the last two years.

The victorious horse of the 26th Europa Cup was decorated by the ambassador of the United Arab Emirates in Poland, His Excellency Asim Mirza Al-Rah Mah.
„This is my first time at Służewiec, but I will visit this charming place next year with pleasure. Our government attaches great importance to the promotion of Arabian horses, which are a significant part of our tradition, culture and identity”, emphasized the ambassador.

„Vasyli Kossack is a wonderful horse. I feared that he would only lack experience, because he has a heart of a lion when it comes to fighting”, said a happy Michał Romanowski after the race. “I don’t want to brag, but I predicted a track record to fall in this race. Vasyli, who this year set a Służewiec record over 2000 m (2’16), lost to a marvelous Arabian who competes abroad only by two lengths. It is truly a great achievement. I would like to cordially congratulate jockey Anton Turgaev. It must also be mentioned that this is likewise a great success of the

breeder from The Kossack Stud B.V., Robi Hartog, who came to Warsaw to see how the three horses by Marwan I would do. He has reasons to be satisfied, because Vasyli came in second, Marwin El Samawi was fourth and Periander – fifth”, stressed M. Romanowski.

Out of the three Polish-bred horses the best performance was unexpectedly delivered by the 6 year old Farah-Basel (Espadero – Farah-Aneta/Borysław), bred by Arkadiusz Nicpoń, owned by Pejon company and trained in Wrocław by Elwira Porębna. He placed 9th, besting by 10 lengths the Derby winners Celtis and Ermis.

Europa Cup (2600 m)

Time: 2’56,3″(9,0-33,2-33,8-32,8-33,2-34,3). Track record. The previous 2’58,7 was set in 2000 by Nedjam Lotois (France)
Style: strongly driven
Lengths: 2-nose-1 3/4-short head-14-5-3 1/2-10-head-2

Russian Dostatok outclassed his rivals in the Białka Stakes

Right after the start the lead was taken over by Dostatok (Status – Dupona/Pas). He set a very strong pace together with Tercio (Millenium – Tercja/Galeon), who kept up at his side. After several hundred meters Tercio (his task in this race was to tire the favorite) weakened and the Russian guest racer, trained by M. Bayramov, was pursued by Boogie Woogie (Jaman – Barracuda/Barour de Cardonne) and Herma (Millenium – Hikma/Touwayssan). However the escaping Dostatok greatly outdistanced them on the final stretch and won freely under Adel

Aituganov by as much as 12 lengths in great time of 2’17,6. The second place was easily secured by Adding (The Wiking – Value Added/Djamel) and third was Herma before Marwan (Major – Mercedes/Sarmata). The owner of the triumphant horse is M. Karayev. It should be mentioned that Dostatok turned heads already before the race, escaping his jockey, who had to run to catch his horse.

Białka Stakes (2000 m)

Time: 2’17,6″(33,9-33,4-33,5-36,8).
Style: freely
Lengths: 12-8-0,5-3-1,25-4-0,5.

Winners of other stakes held during the Arabian Racing Day

Sabellina Stakes: (2000 m): Eulera (Pesal – Eupatoria/Sinus). Breeder and owner: Janów Podlaski. Trainer: Dorota Kałuba. Jockey: Piotr Piątkowski.
Bandola Stakes: (1600 m): Fulmar (Aslan – Furina/Druid). Breeder and owner: Janów Podlaski. Trainer: Dorota Kałuba. Jockey: Victor Popov.
Bogdan Ziemiański Memorial: (1800 m): Esteem (Vert Olive – Value Added/Djamel). Breeder: Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum. Owner: Fortum Michał Romanowski. Jockey: Cornelia Fraisl