ABU DHABI // Omair al Baloushi felt he had won the World Endurance Championship after beating the newly-crowned world champion Maria Alvarez Ponton of Spain and Mohammed Ahmad al Subose, a member of the UAE's gold medal-winning team. Baloushi came with a renewed effort on 10-year-old gelding Silversprings Kabir Arwa to win yesterday's 120-kilometre Sorouh Challenge at the Emirates International Endurance Village in Al Wathba to underline the Al Reef Stable's dominance for the past three seasons.
Baloushi was ecstatic after taking his career victories to nine. "It was a close race and to have beaten two riders who have just returned after winning the world championship and the team gold was a great win. "This result only goes to show how well the Al Reef horses have been prepared. We have fared well in the past three seasons and it is a continuation. This horse was running over the distance for the first time and had a lot left in his tank in the last loop."
The Dubai Crown Prince Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed and his younger brother Sheikh Majid were both out of the race when Dell Hama was vetted out for lameness and Royal Rebellion retired, both at the end of the second loop. apassela@thenational.ae
