Japan, Brazil make debut in H.H. Sheikha Fatima Bint Mubarak
Ladies World Championship

Strong field for H.H. Sheikh Zayed Bin Sultan Al Nahyan Cup

Newbury, United Kingdom: The HH Sheikh Mansoor Bin Zayed Al Nahyan Global Arabian Horse Flat Racing Festival’s  H.H. Sheikh Zayed Bin Sultan Al Nahyan Cup race makes a huge debut while the H.H. Sheikha Fatima Bint Mubarak Ladies World Championship has attracted a strong field here at the Newbury racecourse in the UK with lady jockeys from Brazil and Japan getting into the starting line-up for the first time.

Even as the curtain comes down on the fifth World Arabian Horse Racing Conference being held at the St James Theatre in London, UK, the action shifts to the racecourse in Newbury with the Festival’s two flagship races on Saturday, May 31.

In the H.H. Sheikh Zayed Bin Sultan Al Nahyan Cup, which is a Listed PA event with a total prize fund of, £70,000, Nashmi under Pierantonio Convertino and Djet Taouy under David Michaux are likely to battle for the prestigious Cup.

The other horses and jockeys in the 2000-metre contest are Nerbah (Steve Drowne), Tawaazun (Tadhg O'Shea), Lahoob (M Stanley), Pacific Athbah (Sam Hitchcott), Radames (P Collington), Djakbar Des Forges (Jadey Pietrasiewicz), Azizi (J.F McDonald), Nekhen Taoui (M Manueddu),Munya Farah (M  Monaghan) and  Shadiya (Shane Kelly).

The H.H. Sheikha Fatima Bint Mubarak Ladies World Championship with a prize fund of £25,000 makes it the richest ever race for ladies to be held here in the UK.

Brazil’s Jeane Alves on Marif and Japan’s Chiaki Iwanaga on Altesse Kossack will be making a debut for their respective countries in this popular race which is growing in status with each passing race.

Germany’s Miss Larissa Biess on Syrah Gris, Holland’s Tjarda Humphreij on Vigile Du Loup, Oman’s Azher Al Wardi on Kiraa, Korea’s Jonghyun Park  on LB Armani, Ireland’s Miss Aine O'Conner on Man Of Dreams, Great Britain’s Page Fuller on Sophia, Camille Peltier on Sharaf, Morocco’s M. Bouchra on Suhaim, Slovakia’s M Kucharikova on Radical and Sweden’s  H Martensson on Hetaf are the other runners in the contest.

“I am looking forward to make a winning debut and clinch a spot for the Abu Dhabi finale,” said Alves, the 25-year-old Brazilian who has over 450 wins including two Grade 1 victories. Her horse Marif will have to get the better of Man Of Dreams and Chiaki’s mount as the latter two are considered to be strong favourites.

Racing Manager Amanda Smith said: “I am very pleased that the UK has attracted strong International entries for the inaugural UK running of the Sheikh Zayed Bin Sultan Al Nayhan Cup, this valuable race is a very welcome addition to the UK’s International Calendar. The HH Sheikha Fatima Bint Mubarak Ladies World Championship (IFAHR) has always been one of the most well supported races of the ARO calendar and this is true once again.”

Ms Lara Sawaya, Executive Director of HH Sheikh Mansoor bin Zayed Al Nahyan Global Arabian Horse Flat Racing Festival  and Chairman of Ladies Racing at the International Federation of Arabian Horse Racing Authorities (IFAHR) said, “While the World Arabian Horse Racing Conference has kept the nearly 350 delegates busy, the races are all set to provide excitement to the fans here in the UK. We are delighted with the participation of lady jockeys from more new countries and this augurs well for the sport.”

The HH Sheikh Mansoor bin Zayed Al Nahyan Global Arabian Horse Flat Racing Festival is organised by the Abu Dhabi Tourism and Culture Authority and coordinated by Abu Dhabi Sports Council in association with Emirates Racing Authority, IFAHR and Emirates Arabian Horse Society, supported by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs , the General Authority of Youth and Sports Welfare with Arabtec Holding PJSC as the Official Partner and Emirates airline as the official carriers and sponsored by Invest AD, Tourism Development & Investment Company (TDIC),  Abu Dhabi National Exhibition Centre (ADNEC), Al Rashid Investment, Al  Awani General Enterprises, Kabale, Al Wathba Centre, the UAE's General Women's Union, the HH Sheikha Fatima bint Mubarak Ladies Sports Academy, Abu Dhabi International Hunting and Equestrian Exhibition 2014, Dr. Nader Saab Switzerland, Al Wathba Center, Abu Dhabi Equestrian Club, Eastern Mangroves Suites-Abu Dhabi by Jannah, Abu Dhabi Sports Channel and Racing Post.

Source: HH SH Mansoor Global Arabian Flat Racing Festival / Satya Narayan
Photo: Morhaf Al Assaf