Open flat horse races dedicated to the Year of Youth and President’s Day took place at Dushanbe’s hippodrome (Navrouzgoh) on November 20.
Races were held in distances of 1,600, 2,000 and 2,500 meters. In all, 39 British, Tajik and Akhal Teke (Turkmen) horses participated in the races.
Horse named Sharq (East), owned by President Rahmon’s grandson Anoushervon, who is son of Dushanbe Mayor Rustam, came first in a 2000-meter flat horse race. It was the main flat horse race and Sharq won the main prize, new Mercedes.
Sharq (jockey Firdavs Salomov) participated in a 2,000-meter flat race among the British three-year-old horses and it covered the distance in 2 minutes and 04 seconds.
Flat racing is a form of horse racing which is run on a level racecourse. It is run over a predetermined distance from 2 furlongs (402 m) up to 3 miles (4,828 m) and is either test of speed, stamina or both, whilst the skills of the jockey is determined by his ability to restrain the horse or impel it. Flat racing does not require horses to jump over any obstacles such as is required for hurdling or Steeplechase. It differs from harness racing where horses are pulling a sulky and wear a harness. Many different horse breeds are used in flat racing worldwide.
