In this April 3, 2014, picture, Marvin Suerland rides Kalino (left) to a thrilling win in the Al Huwaila Cup at QREC.
Agencies/Abu Dhabi
Kalino, owned by HH Sheikh Abdullah bin Khalifa al-Thani, won the Shaikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan Crown Jewel at the Abu Dhabi Race Course yesterday.
With French jockey Olivier Peslier at the helm, Kalino picked up the win in what is the world’s richest race for Purebred Arabians with a total purse of 1.2 million euros.
Jean-Marc De Watrigant-owned Sahabba and Thakif, owned by Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed al-Nahyan, rounded the top three in the race.
“It is a great win especially because it comes amidst all the best jockeys and horses as well as apprentice jockeys here. I’m so happy to come and win here tonight,” an elated Peslier said after winning the Group 1 PA race.
There was disappointment for American jockey Kelsi Purcell and her ride Paddy’s Day, who finished 15th in yesterday’s race. Purcell, who was the only female jockey at yesterday’s race, was looking to draw inspiration from the Melbourne Cup-winning jockey Michelle Payne but was always at the rear of the field. This was the first time that Paddy’s Day had travelled outside the United States and on turf.
Alban de Mieulle-trained Kalino tracked Manark, the Kahayla Classic winner of Sheikh Hamdan bin Rashid al-Maktoum, who led the eight furlong race off the gates.
Erwan Charpy’s charge was overhauled by Kaolino’s progeny 500m out before being threatened by Sahabba, ridden by Jean-Baptiste Hamel, 50m from the post. The six-year-old, however, held on for a short head win.
Kalino and Sahabba had left competition far behind with Thakif, piloted by Wayne Smith, finishing third five and a half lengths behind.
This was Kalino’s first victory since his win in the Al Huwaila Cup, a conditions race for Purebred Arabians at Doha’s Qatar Racing and Equestrian Club in April last year.
Since then, Peslier had ridden it to a second-place finish behind Al Mourtajez in Doha Cup, another Group 1 race for Purebred Arabians, Deauville, France, in August 2014.
It was massive leap for Kalino 35 days after finishing 19th in the Qatar Arabian World Cup, which was won by Al Mourtajez at Longchamp over the Qatar Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe weekend last month.
