Sheikh Rashid of UAE rides to endurance gold

DOHA, Dec 14 (Reuters) Sheikh Rashid Bin Mohammed Al Maktoum of United Arab Emirates cantered to victory in the Asian Games equestrian endurance race today.

One of the toughest events at the Dec. 1-15 Games, the 120 km race through the rocky Mesaieed desert pushed horse and rider to the hilt.

Sheikh Rashid was ecstatic after claiming victory astride Magic Glenn in the race which began at dawn.

''Whooo!!! I'm just over the moon,'' yelled the delighted horseman. ''The horse is very good. It was fresh till the end.'' The UAE rider averaged a speed of more than 20 kph to win in five hours, 45 minutes and 49 seconds.

Sheikh Nasser Bin Al Khalifa of Bahrain took silver on Shar Rushkin, a 11-year-old Anglo-Arab gelding, three minutes behind while UAE also took bronze through Sultan Bin Sulayem.

Many struggled on the slippery course after yesterday's heavy downpour.

''The course is very hard to ride, the most difficult I have ever been on because the footing is unpredictable,'' Qatar's Sheikh Mohamed Al Thani said after covering only 35 km.

''The footing is not so good after the rain last night,'' Korean rider Ahn So-yeoun said. ''In some places it is deep, and there are some rocks the size of a woman's fist.'' The team event was won by UAE with Bahrain winning silver and hosts Qatar taking the bronze.

REUTERS DH BST226