Bahrain Royal team to race in UK

BAHRAIN'S Royal Endurance Team, led by Shaikh Nasser bin Hamad Al Khalifa, will take part in the Thetford Endurance Race, which is scheduled to begin tomorrow in Thetford, England.

Shaikh Nasser, who is the Bahrain Royal Equestrian and Endurance Federation (Breef) president and Thetford defending champion, announced this yesterday. The event continues the team's participation in prestigious European endurance races.

The race consists of two events - one over 120 kilometres and the other spanning 160km. Shaikh Nasser will lead the royal team for the second successive year after he won the last year's 160km race.

The event will be the Bahrain's third participation for the season. The first was the Bahrain Cup in England, while the second race was in Austria.

Shaikh Nasser will be riding his horse 'Sprite'. Expected to compete alongside him is Breef first vice-president Shaikh Khalid bin Hamad Al Khalifa, who will be riding 'Sebastian'.

The kingdom's other participants include Shaikh Daej bin Salman Al Khalifa who will be riding 'Wishky', Yousef Taher riding 'Canada Coy', Mohammed Abdulaziz riding 'Kafir', Mohammed Al Thawadi on 'Ciscada', and Lorent Mosti from the technical team riding 'Bisk'.

Riders representing the UAE will also be participating in the race. They will be led by UAE vice-resident and Dubai Ruler Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum along with Dubai Crown Prince Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum.

Qatari riders are other entrants from the Gulf.

Meanwhile, Shaikh Nasser assured that the event will be a good chance for the national team, along with brothers from the UAE and Qatar, to compete on the international stage, as he hoped that Bahrain riders will continue to bring the finest results, just as they had done last year.

Shaikh Nasser bin Hamad led the team's training sessions at the race venue yesterday and did the required procedures to ensure the Bahrain team horses' health.

The official medical check conducted by organisers will take place this afternoon under the supervision of the International Federation of Equestrian Sports (FEI).