Patrick Dobbs rides Messi to victory in the Dh5 million Group 1 Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan Jewel Crown. Khushnum Bhandari for The National
Patrick Dobbs rides Messi to victory in the Dh5 million Group 1 Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan Jewel Crown. Khushnum Bhandari for The National
Patrick Dobbs rides Messi to victory in the Dh5 million Group 1 Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan Jewel Crown. Khushnum Bhandari for The National
Patrick Dobbs rides Messi to victory in the Dh5 million Group 1 Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan Jewel Crown. Khushnum Bhandari for The National

Messi lives up to famous name with 'amazing' win in Sheikh Sultan bin Zayed Al Nahyan Jewel Crown


Amith Passela
  • English
  • Arabic

RESULTS

5pm: Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed Al Nahyan Racing Festival Purebred Arabian Cup Conditions (PA) Dh 200,000 (Turf) 1,600m
Winner: Hameem, Adrie de Vries (jockey), Abdallah Al Hammadi (trainer)
5.30pm: Sheikha Fatima bint Mubarak Cup Conditions (PA) Dh 200,000 (T) 1,600m
Winner: Winked, Connor Beasley, Abdallah Al Hammadi
6pm: Sheikh Sultan bin Zayed Al Nahyan National Day Cup Listed (TB) Dh 380,000 (T) 1,600m
Winner: Boerhan, Ryan Curatolo, Nicholas Bachalard
6.30pm: Sheikh Sultan bin Zayed Al Nahyan National Day Group 3 (PA) Dh 500,000 (T) 1,600m
Winner: AF Alwajel, Tadhg O’Shea, Ernst Oertel
7pm: Sheikh Sultan bin Zayed Al Nahyan National Day Jewel Crown Group 1 (PA) Dh 5,000,000 (T) 2,200m
Winner: Messi, Pat Dobbs, Timo Keersmaekers
7.30pm: Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed Al Nahyan Racing Festival Handicap (PA) Dh 150,000 (T) 1,400m
Winner: Harrab, Ryan Curatolo, Jean de Roualle
8pm: Wathba Stallions Cup Handicap (PA) Dh 100,000 (T) 1,400m
Winner: AF Alareeq, Connor Beasley, Ahmed Al Mehairbi

Messi – the Purebred Arabian named after the Argentine football star – earned his own accolades by scooping the Dh5 million Group 1 Sheikh Sultan bin Zayed Al Nahyan Jewel Crown at the Abu Dhabi racecourse on Friday.

Making the long journey from Belgium, Messi repaid the faith placed in him by handler Timo Keersmaeker with his biggest career prize after a comfortable win over the 2,200-metre distance.

Pat Dobbs, on board the eight-year-old son of Dahess, broke well from gate eight to race in third. He dropped to fourth behind the pacesetting BF Mughader and the Saudi pair of Mutwakel Al Khalediah and Mubasher Al Khalediah on the back stretch.

Having raced prominently in the front group, Dobbs then made his challenge approaching the final bend and went clear on the final 200-metre mark to win by three and-a-half lengths from Ali Rashid Al Raihe’s Al Zahir.

“I was always travelling strongly, though he was a bit on and off until he saw real daylight,” Dobbs said.

“When he quickened, I knew it would take a really good one to get past us and nobody was able to challenge us.

“He is clearly a very good Purebred Arabian and it is amazing to win such a prize in one of the world’s biggest Arabian races.”

Messi was recording his seventh career win, fifth on the turf, but his first at Group 1 level.

“That was brilliant! The horse has been in such good form all year and had been working well, so we were hopeful,” Keersmaeker said.

“Pat Dobbs has given him the perfect ride. I must thank Adrie de Vries (Dutch champion jockey) for recommending Pat when it was clear he could not take the ride. My wife (Vido) is here with our young daughter which makes it extra special.”

The Group 3 Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan National Day Cup for the Arabians was won by AF Alwajel, ridden confidently by Tadhg O’Shea in the colours of his main employer, Khalid Khalifa Al Nabooda for the owner’s principal trainer Ernst Oertel.

“As an Emirati owner and breeder this is one race I have always wanted to win. Now I have and I am so proud,” Al Nabooda said.

Ryan Curatolo delivered Boerhan with a perfectly timed challenge to take the thoroughbred equivalent in a three-way photo finish.

“We had the worst draw, widest of all in 16, so I had to be patient and ride for a bit of luck,” Curatolo said.

“When I asked him in the straight he really quickened nicely and that was a very good effort.

“I am delighted for the owner, the trainer and all the team at home who work so hard every day. Remember, this horse had been off the track for more than 460 days before winning the prep, so it is a great training performance.”

MATCH INFO

South Africa 66 (Tries: De Allende, Nkosi, Reinach (3), Gelant, Steyn, Brits, Willemse; Cons: Jantjies 8) 

Canada 7 (Tries: Heaton; Cons: Nelson)

Company profile

Name: Infinite8

Based: Dubai

Launch year: 2017

Number of employees: 90

Sector: Online gaming industry

Funding: $1.2m from a UAE angel investor

Groom and Two Brides

Director: Elie Semaan

Starring: Abdullah Boushehri, Laila Abdallah, Lulwa Almulla

Rating: 3/5

Profile

Company: Justmop.com

Date started: December 2015

Founders: Kerem Kuyucu and Cagatay Ozcan

Sector: Technology and home services

Based: Jumeirah Lake Towers, Dubai

Size: 55 employees and 100,000 cleaning requests a month

Funding:  The company’s investors include Collective Spark, Faith Capital Holding, Oak Capital, VentureFriends, and 500 Startups. 

The burning issue

The internal combustion engine is facing a watershed moment – major manufacturer Volvo is to stop producing petroleum-powered vehicles by 2021 and countries in Europe, including the UK, have vowed to ban their sale before 2040. The National takes a look at the story of one of the most successful technologies of the last 100 years and how it has impacted life in the UAE. 

Read part four: an affection for classic cars lives on

Read part three: the age of the electric vehicle begins

Read part one: how cars came to the UAE

 

Company%20Profile
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3ECompany%20name%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20myZoi%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EStarted%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%202021%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EFounders%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Syed%20Ali%2C%20Christian%20Buchholz%2C%20Shanawaz%20Rouf%2C%20Arsalan%20Siddiqui%2C%20Nabid%20Hassan%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EBased%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20UAE%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ENumber%20of%20staff%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%2037%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EInvestment%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Initial%20undisclosed%20funding%20from%20SC%20Ventures%3B%20second%20round%20of%20funding%20totalling%20%2414%20million%20from%20a%20consortium%20of%20SBI%2C%20a%20Japanese%20VC%20firm%2C%20and%20SC%20Venture%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
Business Insights
  • As per the document, there are six filing options, including choosing to report on a realisation basis and transitional rules for pre-tax period gains or losses. 
  • SMEs with revenue below Dh3 million per annum can opt for transitional relief until 2026, treating them as having no taxable income. 
  • Larger entities have specific provisions for asset and liability movements, business restructuring, and handling foreign permanent establishments.
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Volvo ES90 Specs

Engine: Electric single motor (96kW), twin motor (106kW) and twin motor performance (106kW)

Power: 333hp, 449hp, 680hp

Torque: 480Nm, 670Nm, 870Nm

On sale: Later in 2025 or early 2026, depending on region

Price: Exact regional pricing TBA

Tips to keep your car cool
  • Place a sun reflector in your windshield when not driving
  • Park in shaded or covered areas
  • Add tint to windows
  • Wrap your car to change the exterior colour
  • Pick light interiors - choose colours such as beige and cream for seats and dashboard furniture
  • Avoid leather interiors as these absorb more heat

Dr Amal Khalid Alias revealed a recent case of a woman with daughters, who specifically wanted a boy.

A semen analysis of the father showed abnormal sperm so the couple required IVF.

Out of 21 eggs collected, six were unused leaving 15 suitable for IVF.

A specific procedure was used, called intracytoplasmic sperm injection where a single sperm cell is inserted into the egg.

On day three of the process, 14 embryos were biopsied for gender selection.

The next day, a pre-implantation genetic report revealed four normal male embryos, three female and seven abnormal samples.

Day five of the treatment saw two male embryos transferred to the patient.

The woman recorded a positive pregnancy test two weeks later. 

The specs: 2018 Range Rover Velar R-Dynamic HSE

Price, base / as tested: Dh263,235 / Dh420,000

Engine: 3.0-litre supercharged V6

Power 375hp @ 6,500rpm

Torque: 450Nm @ 3,500rpm

Transmission: Eight-speed automatic

Fuel consumption, combined: 9.4L / 100kms

RESULTS

5pm: Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed Al Nahyan Racing Festival Purebred Arabian Cup Conditions (PA) Dh 200,000 (Turf) 1,600m
Winner: Hameem, Adrie de Vries (jockey), Abdallah Al Hammadi (trainer)
5.30pm: Sheikha Fatima bint Mubarak Cup Conditions (PA) Dh 200,000 (T) 1,600m
Winner: Winked, Connor Beasley, Abdallah Al Hammadi
6pm: Sheikh Sultan bin Zayed Al Nahyan National Day Cup Listed (TB) Dh 380,000 (T) 1,600m
Winner: Boerhan, Ryan Curatolo, Nicholas Bachalard
6.30pm: Sheikh Sultan bin Zayed Al Nahyan National Day Group 3 (PA) Dh 500,000 (T) 1,600m
Winner: AF Alwajel, Tadhg O’Shea, Ernst Oertel
7pm: Sheikh Sultan bin Zayed Al Nahyan National Day Jewel Crown Group 1 (PA) Dh 5,000,000 (T) 2,200m
Winner: Messi, Pat Dobbs, Timo Keersmaekers
7.30pm: Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed Al Nahyan Racing Festival Handicap (PA) Dh 150,000 (T) 1,400m
Winner: Harrab, Ryan Curatolo, Jean de Roualle
8pm: Wathba Stallions Cup Handicap (PA) Dh 100,000 (T) 1,400m
Winner: AF Alareeq, Connor Beasley, Ahmed Al Mehairbi