Dubai Ruler dances with joy after Thunder Snow wins Dubai World Cup

Khaleej Times
April 1, 2018

Dubai may have been hot and humid over the past week but thunder and snow rained on the city on Saturday night.

And the royal blue silks, the colours of Godolphin, hung over the spectacular Meydan Racecourse as Thunder Snow won the 23rd renewal of the $10 million Dubai World Cup.

The four-year-old bay colt from Helmet, the mount of Christophe Soumillon, ended Emirati handler Saeed bin Suroor's two-year drought, in sensational style, winning the 10-furlong affair by a comprehensive five-and-three-quarter of a length over strong favourite, the USA's West Coast.

Thunder Snow aced the five-horse American challenge to win in record time, putting Arrogate's 2:02:53 seconds to shade with a time of 2:01:38 seconds.

It was Thunder Snow's seventh win in 18 starts but the biggest Group 1 victory of his fledging career. The win also increased Saeed bin Suroor's tally to an astonishing record eight at the Dubai World Cup, the most by any trainer.

Thunder Snow's victory also brought up Suroor's 38th win after Benbatl had triumphed in the Dubai Turf earlier on the night.

And while Thunder Snow, Godolphin and Saeed bin Suroor all racked up the numbers, it was a life-long dream becoming a reality for Christophe Soumillon.

The Belgian jockey notched his first Dubai World Cup in nine attempts. The 36-year-old's best result was the runner-up finish to California Chrome, on board Mubtaahij.

Thunder Snow was drawn on an unfavourable Gate 10, right on the outside, but that didn't deter him as it was to be his night.

Thunder Snow was out of the gates in a blink of an eye and with North America, his UAE rival, with whom he tussled in the Al Maktoum Challenge, missing the start, it made it all the more easier. But it was just one contender down and many more to go as the Americans lurked. Thunder Snow still had a job to do and he did it in some style.

He kept West Coast, with whom he had exchanged the lead briefly at the start, at bay over the course of the 2000-metre contest. And Thunder Snow then went on to deny American legendary trainer Bob Baffert a second win on the trot and a fourth at the World Cup.

"We won two years in a row and now we have come back and won it again. It is a great and a brilliant result," an elated Saeed bin Suroor said, moments after the race.

"The jockey did a great job despite being drawn from Gate 10. What he has done, nobody has done. To take Thunder Snow from the Gate 10 and to take him to a position from where he can win is superb," added the Emirati, whose last win came with Prince Bishop, ridden by William Buick.

Meanwhile, Soumillon revealed that a pre-race pep talk helped him win. "I don't know if it was Sheikh Mohammed's daughter, a little girl, she told me: 'It is small track and if you go in front then, you are going to win it.' I never thought I can do that running with that draw. He jumped quite well and I saw nobody trying to challenge me and then West Coast let me go. And when I arrived at the first corner, my horse was in front and, on the back straight, I was just cantering. He is a very funny horse and very talented but when he doesn't want to do, he doesn't and when he wants, it is just amazing. He was in great shape and pretty fit. He has shown that in Europe and last year in Kentucky.

"It is difficult to say how I'm feeling because it has not sunk in. I had finished second one time but winning this was like a dream come true," said Soumillon.

SOUMILLON'S FIRST
2010: 11 on Red Desire (Mikio Matsunaga), won by Gloria De Campeo

2011: 7 on Musir (Mike de Kock), won by Victoire Pisa

2012: 8 on Master Of Hounds (Mike de Kock), won by Monterosso

2013: 8 on Treasure Beach (Mike de Kock), won by Animal Kingdom

2014: 7 on Sanshaawes (Mike de Kock), won by African Story

2015: 9 on Epiphaneia (Katsuhiko Sumii), won by Prince Bishop

2016: 2 on Mubtaahij (Mike de Kock), won by California Chrome

2017: 4 on Mubtaahij (Mike de Kock), won by Arrogate

2018: Winner on Thunder Snow (Saeed bin Suroor)

Comments

angel of death
 - 
Monday, 2 Apr 2018

Allah given Power to these ARAB scumbags for the upliftment of muslim world but they dance as per western tune. 

 

 

 

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News Network
February 19,2020

New Delhi, Feb 19: The UIDAI on Tuesday said its Hyderabad office has sent notices to 127 people for allegedly obtaining Aadhaar numbers on "false pretences" but asserted these have nothing to do with citizenship.

The notices were issued after reports from the police, the Unique Identification Authority of India (UIDAI) said.

"Aadhaar is not a document of citizenship and UIDAI has been mandated under the Aadhaar Act to ascertain residency of a person in India for 182 days prior to applying for Aadhaar," the nodal body, which issues the 12-digit biometric ID, said in a statement.

The Supreme Court, in its landmark decision, has directed the UIDAI not to issue Aadhaar to illegal immigrants, it said.

"It may be noted that the regional office Hyderabad received reports from the state police that 127 people have obtained Aadhaar on false pretences, as in their preliminary enquiry they were found illegal immigrants who were not qualified to obtain an Aadhaar number," the UIDAI said.

As per the Aadhaar Act, such Aadhaar numbers are liable to be cancelled.

"Therefore, the regional office Hyderabad has sent notices to them to appear in person and to substantiate their claims for getting an Aadhaar number," it said.

The UIDAI emphasised that these notices have "nothing to do with citizenship and cancellation of Aadhaar number is in no way related to the nationality of any resident".

In case it is found and proved that any of them obtained Aadhaar by submitting false documents or through false pretences, their Aadhaar is liable to be cancelled or suspended depending on the severity of the transgression, UIDAI said.

"Severe errors like forged documents, etc., will lead to appropriate actions, including suspending /cancelling the Aadhaar," it cautioned.

"Sometimes it becomes necessary to cancel the Aadhaar number when it is found that a resident has obtained it by submitting false biometrics or documents. It is a routine quality improvement process that the UIDAI takes up regularly," the authority said.

The 127 people have been asked to appear before the UIDAI deputy director in Hyderabad for a personal hearing on February 20.

Additional time has been given to allow them to collect the requisite documents, "Since it may take them some more time to collect the original documents that they had submitted for obtaining Aadhaar, as informed by the state police, the UIDAI has postponed the personal hearing to May 2020," it added.

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Khaleej Times
June 7,2020

Dubai, Jun 7: Emirates airline on Sunday confirmed that it extended the period of reduced pay for its staff for another three months as airlines around the world struggle to preserve cash due to the grounding of fleets.

An e-mail has been sent across to Emirates employees about extending the wage cuts till September 30. In some cases, the salary will be reduced by 50 per cent.

Emirates had previously reduced basic wages by 25 to 50 per cent for three months from April, with junior employees exempted.

The Dubai-based world's largest international carrier employs around 60,000 people across its spectrum. While the parent Emirates Group employs over 100,000 workers.

On Thursday, Abu Dhabi-based Etihad Airways confirmed to Khaleej Times that it also extended salary cut of its employees till September 2020.

"Regretfully, Etihad has extended its salary reduction until September 2020, with 25 per cent reduction for junior staff and cabin crew, and 50 per cent for employees at manager level and above. Housing allowance and a number of benefits continue to be paid," the airline's spokesperson said in a statement last week.

In March, Etihad had announced temporary reduction of basic salaries for the month of April to all staff, including executives, between 25 to 50 per cent.

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News Network
February 2,2020

Lucknow, Feb 2: In an early morning firing at Lucknow's Hazratganj, the city centre, Vishva Hindu Mahasabha state president Ranjit Bachchan was killed while he was out on a morning walk on Sunday.

Ranjit Bachchan was taking a stroll in Hazratganj in the morning when bike-borne assailants opened fire on him and killed him on the spot. The Mahasabha leader was shot in the head multiple times.

The incident took place near the CDRI building in Lucknow's Hazratganj.

In the firing, Ranjit Bachchan's brother also suffered bullet injuries. He has been rushed to the trauma centre. Ranjit Bachchan was a resident of Gorakhpur.

The early morning shootout in the Uttar Pradesh capital's central area has caused tension in the area.

Dinesh Singh, DCP Central Lucknow, said, "The body has been identified as of Ranjit Bachchan, who had gone out on morning walk when some unknown assailant shot him. A police team has been formed and further investigation is being carried out."

Before being associated with the Mahasabha, Ranjit Bachchan was a Samajwadi Party member and was often spotted with former UP chief minister Akhilesh Yadav.

The Samajwadi Party has hit out at the Yogi Adityanath government over the law and order situation in the state and demanded immediate resignation of the government.

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