British jockey Royston Ffrench wins Chengdu Dubai Intl Cup

Royston Ffrench, a jockey from the United Kingdom, won the 2,200-meter Chengdu Dubai International Cup, the richest race with a total purse of 1.5 million yuan ($241,500), at the Chengdu Dubai International Cup Wenjiang-Meydan Classic, which was held on April 6 at the Jinma racecourse in Wenjiang district, Chengdu, Sichuan province.

Royston Ffrench, winner of the 2,200-meter Chengdu Dubai International Cup and the 1,200-meter Wenjiang Sprint, waves his hand toward audience. [Photo by Peng Chao/China Daily]

Royston also won another race, the 1,200-meter Wenjiang Sprint, which carried a purse of 500,000 yuan ($80,500). He was the only jockey to win two races.

Jockeys from several countries, including the United Kingdom, Ireland, the United Arab Emirates, France and Argentina, competed in five races that carried a total purse of 3.75 million yuan ($603,000) during the one-day race.

The first three races, the 1,200-meter Wenjiang Sprint, 1,400-meter Guangsha Handicap and 1,600-meter Meydan Mile, each carried a purse of 500,000 yuan ($80,500).

The 1,600-meter Wenjiang Meydan Classic was worth 750,000 yuan ($120750) and the final race, the 2,218-meter Chengdu Dubai international, was the day's richest, worth 1.5 million ($241,500） yuan.

This is the first time that Meydan group, organizers of the Dubai World Cup, held a world-class horse event in China, according to Frank Gabriel, chief executive officer of the Dubai Racing Club.

Frank said all the horses that competed in the races were prepared by Dubai Racing Club trainers and ridden by jockeys who take part in the United Arab Emirates racing season, including the $10 million Dubai World Cup Carnival.

The event was organized by the Meydan Group in partnership with Chengdu Municipal Government, Chengdu Sports Bureau, Wenjiang District Government and China Guangsha Group.

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