DUBAI // A successful jockey's life is a busy one, as last year's top English apprentice, William Buick, knows very well.
The in-demand Buick, stable jockey for Sheikh Ahmed bin Rashid's trainer, Dhruba Selvaratnam, claimed his first Group One in Canada in October on Mick Channon's Lahaleeb, and, though back in the UAE for the duration of the season, he continues to rack up the air miles.
His most recent trip was to the International Jockeys' Championship in Hong Kong on Wednesday, but Buick will be throwing off any jet lag to partner Mannjal in the seven-furlong Dh100,000 feature race at Jebel Ali today.
He celebrated his first Listed victory in the UAE last Sunday when he rode Jasoos to a convincing win in the National Day Cup. Now Buick, 21, and Selvaratnam's Mannjal will be looking to better the form which saw the gelding win over six furlongs at the same track three weeks ago.
Then the stewards handed Buick first place after the winner, Montpellier, trained by Ali Rashid al Raihe under Ahmed Ajtebi was disqualified for obstructing Mannjal's progress in the final furlong.
Buick, who also rode Meeris to victory in a one-mile handicap that day, obviously thrives on his busy schedule - no sooner were those winners in the bag than the youngster jumped on a plane to ride for his UK boss, Andrew Balding, in the French Group One Criterium de Saint-Cloud the next day.
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He was sixth in that two-year-old contest, which saw Godolphin's Passion for Gold under Frankie Dettori storm into Derby contention with an easy victory.
"It's a pretty busy time," said Buick before he travelled to Hong Kong. "Flying out on Monday, riding on Wednesday, back on Thursday and riding at Jebel Ali on Friday is pretty hectic."
Buick, son of the successful jockey Walter Buick, who rode 1,500 winners in Scandinavia, including 22 classics, before returning to the UK, has the drive to match his undoubted talent.
"I was invited out to Hong Kong by the Jockey Club and it's a great opportunity," he said. "All the top jockeys will be riding and it's an honour to be among them. It's tiring but I love it, I don't mind it at all."
Buick is well-regarded in racing circles, with Balding's father, Ian, backing him to be champion jockey by 2020 - and that was before the young man had even had his first ride in a race.
But competition will come from all corners of the 11-strong field today, especially with Sheikh Hamdan bin Rashid sending out a four-pronged attack.
Heading the list is Estihdaaf, the choice of Sheikh Hamdan's jockey, Tadhg O'Shea, who rode him to victory in the season's opening meet over course and distance. Estihdaaf is from al Raihe's in-form yard, which claimed a winning treble last week.
Doug Watson's 2009 Carnival horse, the four-year-old Tasdeer, opens his seasonal account in this race and another Sheikh Hamdan runner, Aqmaar, trained by Erwan Charpy and ridden by Pat Smullen, is listed among the starters after his sixth in Sunday's National Day Cup.
Aamaaq, last seen coming fourth in a conditions race over the same trip on November 20, is al Raihe's second Sheikh Hamdan runner in the contest.
Taking them all on is Watson's top-weighted Fares, owned by Mohammed Rashid bin Ghadayer, who is having a shorter trip than his mile-long previous outing in which he finished seventh.
@Email:stregoning@thenational.ae
Which honey takes your fancy?
Al Ghaf Honey
The Al Ghaf tree is a local desert tree which bears the harsh summers with drought and high temperatures. From the rich flowers, bees that pollinate this tree can produce delicious red colour honey in June and July each year
Sidr Honey
The Sidr tree is an evergreen tree with long and strong forked branches. The blossom from this tree is called Yabyab, which provides rich food for bees to produce honey in October and November. This honey is the most expensive, but tastiest
Samar Honey
The Samar tree trunk, leaves and blossom contains Barm which is the secret of healing. You can enjoy the best types of honey from this tree every year in May and June. It is an historical witness to the life of the Emirati nation which represents the harsh desert and mountain environments
In numbers: PKK’s money network in Europe
Germany: PKK collectors typically bring in $18 million in cash a year – amount has trebled since 2010
Revolutionary tax: Investigators say about $2 million a year raised from ‘tax collection’ around Marseille
Extortion: Gunman convicted in 2023 of demanding $10,000 from Kurdish businessman in Stockholm
Drug trade: PKK income claimed by Turkish anti-drugs force in 2024 to be as high as $500 million a year
Denmark: PKK one of two terrorist groups along with Iranian separatists ASMLA to raise “two-digit million amounts”
Contributions: Hundreds of euros expected from typical Kurdish families and thousands from business owners
TV channel: Kurdish Roj TV accounts frozen and went bankrupt after Denmark fined it more than $1 million over PKK links in 2013
The National's picks
4.35pm: Tilal Al Khalediah
5.10pm: Continous
5.45pm: Raging Torrent
6.20pm: West Acre
7pm: Flood Zone
7.40pm: Straight No Chaser
8.15pm: Romantic Warrior
8.50pm: Calandogan
9.30pm: Forever Young
NO OTHER LAND
Director: Basel Adra, Yuval Abraham, Rachel Szor, Hamdan Ballal
Stars: Basel Adra, Yuval Abraham
Rating: 3.5/5
Results
STAGE
1 . Filippo Ganna (Ineos) - 0:13:56
2. Stefan Bissegger (Education-Nippo) - 0:00:14
3. Mikkel Bjerg (UAE Team Emirates) - 0:00:21
4. Tadej Pogacar (UAE Team Emirates) - 0:00:24
5. Luis Leon Sanchez (Astana) - 0:00:30
GENERAL CLASSIFICATION
1. Tadej Pogacar (UAE Team Emirates) - 4:00:05
2. Joao Almeida (QuickStep) - 0:00:05
3. Mattia Cattaneo (QuickStep) - 0:00:18
4. Chris Harper (Jumbo-Visma) - 0:00:33
5. Adam Yates (Ineos) - 0:00:39
RESULTS
Lightweight (female)
Sara El Bakkali bt Anisha Kadka
Bantamweight
Mohammed Adil Al Debi bt Moaz Abdelgawad
Welterweight
Amir Boureslan bt Mahmoud Zanouny
Featherweight
Mohammed Al Katheeri bt Abrorbek Madaminbekov
Super featherweight
Ibrahem Bilal bt Emad Arafa
Middleweight
Ahmed Abdolaziz bt Imad Essassi
Bantamweight (female)
Ilham Bourakkadi bt Milena Martinou
Welterweight
Mohamed Mardi bt Noureddine El Agouti
Middleweight
Nabil Ouach bt Ymad Atrous
Welterweight
Nouredine Samir bt Marlon Ribeiro
Super welterweight
Brad Stanton bt Mohamed El Boukhari
Copa del Rey
Semi-final, first leg
Barcelona 1 (Malcom 57')
Real Madrid (Vazquez 6')
Second leg, February 27
Who are the Soroptimists?
The first Soroptimists club was founded in Oakland, California in 1921. The name comes from the Latin word soror which means sister, combined with optima, meaning the best.
The organisation said its name is best interpreted as ‘the best for women’.
Since then the group has grown exponentially around the world and is officially affiliated with the United Nations. The organisation also counts Queen Mathilde of Belgium among its ranks.
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The Birkin bag is made by Hermès.
It is named after actress and singer Jane Birkin
Noone from Hermès will go on record to say how much a new Birkin costs, how long one would have to wait to get one, and how many bags are actually made each year.
Essentials
The flights
Return flights from Dubai to Windhoek, with a combination of Emirates and Air Namibia, cost from US$790 (Dh2,902) via Johannesburg.
The trip
A 10-day self-drive in Namibia staying at a combination of the safari camps mentioned – Okonjima AfriCat, Little Kulala, Desert Rhino/Damaraland, Ongava – costs from $7,000 (Dh25,711) per person, including car hire (Toyota 4x4 or similar), but excluding international flights, with The Luxury Safari Company.
When to go
The cooler winter months, from June to September, are best, especially for game viewing.
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A MINECRAFT MOVIE
Director: Jared Hess
Starring: Jack Black, Jennifer Coolidge, Jason Momoa
Rating: 3/5
2025 Fifa Club World Cup groups
Group A: Palmeiras, Porto, Al Ahly, Inter Miami.
Group B: Paris Saint-Germain, Atletico Madrid, Botafogo, Seattle.
Group C: Bayern Munich, Auckland City, Boca Juniors, Benfica.
Group D: Flamengo, ES Tunis, Chelsea, (Leon banned).
Group E: River Plate, Urawa, Monterrey, Inter Milan.
Group F: Fluminense, Borussia Dortmund, Ulsan, Mamelodi Sundowns.
Group G: Manchester City, Wydad, Al Ain, Juventus.
Group H: Real Madrid, Al Hilal, Pachuca, Salzburg.
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