Antonio Fresu takes the first of his two prizes on Khalifa Al Neyadi’s Al Zafy at Sharjah on Saturday, December 24, 2022. – Adiyat Racing Plus
Antonio Fresu takes the first of his two prizes on Khalifa Al Neyadi’s Al Zafy at Sharjah on Saturday, December 24, 2022. – Adiyat Racing Plus
Antonio Fresu takes the first of his two prizes on Khalifa Al Neyadi’s Al Zafy at Sharjah on Saturday, December 24, 2022. – Adiyat Racing Plus
Antonio Fresu takes the first of his two prizes on Khalifa Al Neyadi’s Al Zafy at Sharjah on Saturday, December 24, 2022. – Adiyat Racing Plus

Antonio Fresu celebrates Christmas with a double at Sharjah


Amith Passela
  • English
  • Arabic

Antonio Fresu rounded off the year-ending meeting at Sharjah with a double, including the feature prize – the GCC Cup for Purebred Arabians - in the six-race card on Saturday.

The Italian, on board rookie trainer Hamad Al Marar’s ES Abu Mousa, came from the middle of the field with an electrifying run to win the 1,700-metre GCC Cup by a neck from Jean de Roualle’s Hakaam.

It was the six-year-old's fourth win in 21 starts, all those successes at Sharjah. The two winners also took Fresu’s tally to 18, eight behind the leader Tadhg O’Shea.

Fresu rode his first winner two races earlier for Khalifa Al Neyadi’s Al Zafy, making all the running and staving off the late challenge of Ernst Oertel’s AF Dars under apprentice Marcelino Rodrigues by half-a-length.

Bernardo Pinheiro won the first two races on Maahir and Asmaa Al Wathba, both for trainer Majed Al Jahouri.

Maahir always looked in control after hitting the front entering the final 300m, running on strongly under Pinheiro, riding the homebred colt in the silks of Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed’s Yas Racing.

It was a massive step up from his only previous start when very keen, leading for 1,000m before fading in a 1,400m Al Ain maiden 57 days ago.

Over the same course and distance, the fillies’ equivalent followed and trainer and jockey wasted no time completing a quick double, homebred debutante Asmaa Al Wathba always in control from the moment she hit the front at about the halfway point to score stylishly for Al Wathba Racing.

Results

2.15pm: Sharjah Airport – Maiden (PA) Dh40,000 (Dirt) 1,200m

Winner: Maahir, Bernardo Pinheiro (jockey), Majed Al Jahouri (trainer)

2.45pm: Saif Zone – Maiden (PA) Dh40,000 (D) 1,200m

Winner: Asmaa Al Wathba, Bernado Pinheiro, Majed Al Jahouri

3.15pm: Sharjah Electricity Water and Gas Authority – Handicap (PA) Dh40,000 (D) 1,200m

Winner: Al Zafy, Antonio Fresu, Khalifa Al Neyadi

3.45pm: Sharjah Sports Council – Handicap (PA) Dh40,000 (D) 1,700m

Winner: MInwer, Ray Dawson, Ibrahim Al Hadhrami

4.15pm: GCC Cup by Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed Al Nahyan Racing Festival – Prestige (PA) Dh150,000 (D) 1,700m

Winner: ES Abu Mousa, Antonio Fresu, Hamad Al Marar

4.45pm: Sharjah Municipality – Handicap (PA) Dh40,000 (D) 1,200m

Winner: Miqyaas, Oscar Chavez, Rashed Bouresly

Other key dates
  • Finals draw: December 2
  • Finals (including semi-finals and third-placed game): June 5–9, 2019
  • Euro 2020 play-off draw: November 22, 2019
  • Euro 2020 play-offs: March 26–31, 2020

'The Coddling of the American Mind: How Good Intentions and Bad Ideas are Setting up a Generation for Failure' ​​​​
Greg Lukianoff and Jonathan Haidt, Penguin Randomhouse

Tamkeen's offering
  • Option 1: 70% in year 1, 50% in year 2, 30% in year 3
  • Option 2: 50% across three years
  • Option 3: 30% across five years 
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Classification of skills

A worker is categorised as skilled by the MOHRE based on nine levels given in the International Standard Classification of Occupations (ISCO) issued by the International Labour Organisation. 

A skilled worker would be someone at a professional level (levels 1 – 5) which includes managers, professionals, technicians and associate professionals, clerical support workers, and service and sales workers.

The worker must also have an attested educational certificate higher than secondary or an equivalent certification, and earn a monthly salary of at least Dh4,000. 

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Arnold Palmer Invitational Tied for 4th (74)

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The Players Championship Tied for 35th (73)

US Open Missed the cut (78)

Travellers Championship Tied for 17th (67)

Irish Open Missed the cut (72)

Financial considerations before buying a property

Buyers should try to pay as much in cash as possible for a property, limiting the mortgage value to as little as they can afford. This means they not only pay less in interest but their monthly costs are also reduced. Ideally, the monthly mortgage payment should not exceed 20 per cent of the purchaser’s total household income, says Carol Glynn, founder of Conscious Finance Coaching.

“If it’s a rental property, plan for the property to have periods when it does not have a tenant. Ensure you have enough cash set aside to pay the mortgage and other costs during these periods, ideally at least six months,” she says. 

Also, shop around for the best mortgage interest rate. Understand the terms and conditions, especially what happens after any introductory periods, Ms Glynn adds.

Using a good mortgage broker is worth the investment to obtain the best rate available for a buyer’s needs and circumstances. A good mortgage broker will help the buyer understand the terms and conditions of the mortgage and make the purchasing process efficient and easier. 

COMPANY PROFILE
Name: Kumulus Water
 
Started: 2021
 
Founders: Iheb Triki and Mohamed Ali Abid
 
Based: Tunisia 
 
Sector: Water technology 
 
Number of staff: 22 
 
Investment raised: $4 million 

Profile of MoneyFellows

Founder: Ahmed Wadi

Launched: 2016

Employees: 76

Financing stage: Series A ($4 million)

Investors: Partech, Sawari Ventures, 500 Startups, Dubai Angel Investors, Phoenician Fund

Trump v Khan

2016: Feud begins after Khan criticised Trump’s proposed Muslim travel ban to US

2017: Trump criticises Khan’s ‘no reason to be alarmed’ response to London Bridge terror attacks

2019: Trump calls Khan a “stone cold loser” before first state visit

2019: Trump tweets about “Khan’s Londonistan”, calling him “a national disgrace”

2022:  Khan’s office attributes rise in Islamophobic abuse against the major to hostility stoked during Trump’s presidency

July 2025 During a golfing trip to Scotland, Trump calls Khan “a nasty person”

Sept 2025 Trump blames Khan for London’s “stabbings and the dirt and the filth”.

Dec 2025 Trump suggests migrants got Khan elected, calls him a “horrible, vicious, disgusting mayor”

What can victims do?

Always use only regulated platforms

Stop all transactions and communication on suspicion

Save all evidence (screenshots, chat logs, transaction IDs)

Report to local authorities

Warn others to prevent further harm

Courtesy: Crystal Intelligence

Tips to avoid getting scammed

1) Beware of cheques presented late on Thursday

2) Visit an RTA centre to change registration only after receiving payment

3) Be aware of people asking to test drive the car alone

4) Try not to close the sale at night

5) Don't be rushed into a sale 

6) Call 901 if you see any suspicious behaviour

Specs

Engine: 51.5kW electric motor

Range: 400km

Power: 134bhp

Torque: 175Nm

Price: From Dh98,800

Available: Now

SPECS

Nissan 370z Nismo

Engine: 3.7-litre V6

Transmission: seven-speed automatic

Power: 363hp

Torque: 560Nm

Price: Dh184,500

Match info

Karnataka Tuskers 110-3

J Charles 35, M Pretorius 1-19, Z Khan 0-16

Deccan Gladiators 111-5 in 8.3 overs

K Pollard 45*, S Zadran 2-18

Match info

Newcastle United 1
Joselu (11')

Tottenham Hotspur 2
Vertonghen (8'), Alli (18')

UK’s AI plan
  • AI ambassadors such as MIT economist Simon Johnson, Monzo cofounder Tom Blomfield and Google DeepMind’s Raia Hadsell
  • £10bn AI growth zone in South Wales to create 5,000 jobs
  • £100m of government support for startups building AI hardware products
  • £250m to train new AI models
COMPANY%20PROFILE
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UAE's final round of matches
  • Sep 1, 2016 Beat Japan 2-1 (away)
  • Sep 6, 2016 Lost to Australia 1-0 (home)
  • Oct 6, 2016 Beat Thailand 3-1 (home)
  • Oct 11, 2016 Lost to Saudi Arabia 3-0 (away)
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  • Mar 23, 2017 Lost to Japan 2-0 (home)
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  • Aug 29, 2017 v Saudi Arabia (home)
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Company Profile:

Name: The Protein Bakeshop

Date of start: 2013

Founders: Rashi Chowdhary and Saad Umerani

Based: Dubai

Size, number of employees: 12

Funding/investors:  $400,000 (2018) 

Stage 3 results

1 Adam Yates (GBR) Mitchelton-Scott 4:42:33

2 Tadej Pocagar (SLO) UAE Team Emirates 0:01:03

3 Alexey Lutsenko (KAZ) Astana 0:01:30

4 David Gaudu (FRA) Groupama-FDJ

5 Rafal Majka (POL) Bora-Hansgrohe         

6 Diego Ulissi (ITA) UAE Team Emirates  0:01:56

General Classification after Stage 3:

1 Adam Yates (GBR) Mitchelton-Scott 12:30:02

2 Tadej Pocagar (SLO) UAE Team Emirates 0:01:07

3  Alexey Lutsenko (KAZ) Astana 0:01:35

4 David Gaudu (FRA) Groupama-FDJ 0:01:40

5  Rafal Majka (POL) Bora-Hansgrohe

6 Wilco Kelderman (NED) Team Sunweb)  0:02:06

Film: In Syria
Dir: Philippe Van Leeuw
Starring: Hiam Abbass, Diamand Bo Abboud, Mohsen Abbas and Juliette Navis
Verdict: Four stars

PROFILE OF SWVL

Started: April 2017

Founders: Mostafa Kandil, Ahmed Sabbah and Mahmoud Nouh

Based: Cairo, Egypt

Sector: transport

Size: 450 employees

Investment: approximately $80 million

Investors include: Dubai’s Beco Capital, US’s Endeavor Catalyst, China’s MSA, Egypt’s Sawari Ventures, Sweden’s Vostok New Ventures, Property Finder CEO Michael Lahyani

The%20specs
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The nine articles of the 50-Year Charter

1. Dubai silk road

2.  A geo-economic map for Dubai

3. First virtual commercial city

4. A central education file for every citizen

5. A doctor to every citizen

6. Free economic and creative zones in universities

7. Self-sufficiency in Dubai homes

8. Co-operative companies in various sectors

­9: Annual growth in philanthropy

Company Profile

Name: Thndr
Started: 2019
Co-founders: Ahmad Hammouda and Seif Amr
Sector: FinTech
Headquarters: Egypt
UAE base: Hub71, Abu Dhabi
Current number of staff: More than 150
Funds raised: $22 million

Updated: June 09, 2023, 10:57 AM