News From GREAT BRITAIN

Arabian Racing Organisation Ltd.

Curtains came down on October 14 as the day saw the last fixture of the 2001 race calendar for the Arabian racing Organisation, ARO.

Curtains came down on October 14 as the day saw the last fixture of the 2001 race calendar for the Arabian racing Organisation, ARO. Because of the generosity of a large number of sponsors, ARO raised #250,000 this year. Unlike Thoroughbred racing, Arabian racing is wholly self funded. Sheikh Hamdan bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Deputy Ruler of Dubai and UAE Minster for Finance, sponsored the Dubai Day at Newbury in July. Horses came from all over Europe to compete for over #50,000 of prize money. The people were lucky top watch the best in Arabian racing ever. The ARO immensely thanked Sheikh Ahmed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Deputy Head of Dubai Police and Police Security, a keen supporter of the sport, for sponsoring a complete meeting at Wolvethampton. According to a report in Racing Review magazine, the second tier of sponsorship enabled the sport to raise its profile in 2001. The magazine highlights the role played by His Highness General Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Dubai Crown Prince and UAE Minister of Defence and Mr. Faisal Seddiq Al Mutawa, Secretary General, UAE Equestrian and Racing Federation. Because of their involvement, Arabian racing has been present at 14 individual Thoroughbred meetings, making the sport open to a wider audience. Of particular interest was the meeting held at Newmarket where ARO held two races on the TB card. Both the races were televised by Channel 4. Mr. Faisal was interviewed by Mr. Derek Thomson for the channel. The next level of sponsor is for the Series that run throughout the season, according to the magazine. There were three such Series in 2001. Three individuals are worth mentioning here. The first is Sheikh Ahmed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, who sponsored the Jebel Ali Series, which enabled some of the lower rated horses to win sizeable amounts of prize money. The second person is Mr. Michael Brunton, owner of Clandon Stud in Wiltshire who ran a series of races that gave points for each runner as well as prize money. At the end of the season, the horse with the maximum points further won a further supplementary prize for the owner and the trainer. The third person to be thanked is Mr. Pat Colem of C.M. Cole Hay and Straw Merchants who ran races for mares and fillies only. All the races really thrilled the spectators throughout the season. There was also a list of individual sponsors who supported the races by giving away good amount of prize money. In the meanwhile, the ARO has a new Board of Directors and a full Racing Committee. Mr. Jack Berry, commenting on his inclusion in the Board said: "I am greatly honoured to be on the board. This was my first season of involvement with Arabian racing in the United Kingdom. I had a great amount of fun while learning about this wonderful breed of horses. He continued by saying: "The quality of racing has been second to none and the display of horsemanship has been of the highest standard. The year was also a landmark for the sport- for the first time, apprentice jockeys were allowed to ride Arabian horses on Thoroughbred fixture."

- , Posted on 10 November 2001