HH Sheikh Mansoor Festival makes debut in Brazil

Ten runners for HH Sheikha Fatima Bint Mubarak Apprentice World Championship in Sao Paulo

It will be a historic stop for the HH Sheikh Mansoor Bin Zayed Al Nahyan Global Arabian Horse Flat Racing Festival when Brazil plays host to the HH Sheikha Fatima Bint Mubarak Apprentice World Championship (IFAHR) at the Sao Paolo Racecourse on Monday.

The Festival’s debut in Latin America also gives a final chance to ten apprentice jockeys to book a spot in the HH Sheikha Fatima Bint Mubarak Apprentice World Championship (IFAHR) final which will be held in Abu Dhabi on November 8, 2015.

Ten horses have been declared for 1400 metre contest on turf. Heading the weights is Zinia VE under Brazilian jockey William Duarte while the mount of the other Brazilian apprentice Everton Pereira is Nadia AJR. RG Kreta under German lady jockey Sandra Eichenhofer, HFE Baby Di Rubaj with Malaisian jockey Kam Chong Wong, Kitsy Icaza from the Ecuador partners Kazan RB, Peruvian lady Elena Pomahuallca rides the hot favourite Mantineu Rach, Rob Homby from UK holds the reins of Tufiq, Chilean rider Benjamin Sancho will be on Heron HVP while Istvan Rach will be ridden by South Korean Jeon Deokyong and the Argentinean apprentice Nicolas Villalba rides Rhondda Rach.

The following eight Apprentice jockeys have already booked a berth in the final - Australia’s Ben Thompson; Belgium’s Zoe Vande Velde; Puerto Rico’s Jomar Torres Roman; Italian Andrea Fele; Irishman Ian Queally; Canada’s Brandon Duchaine; Russian Emil Kunakbaev and Isis Magnin of France.

“We thank His Highness Sheikh Mansoor Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, UAE Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Presidential Affairs and Her Highness Sheikha Fatima Bint Mubarak, Mother of the UAE, Chairperson of the General Women's Union, Supreme Chairperson of the Family Development Foundation and Chairwoman of the Supreme Council for Motherhood and Childhood and Mother of the World, for giving the Apprentice jockeys this opportunity to race in Brazil,” said Ms Lara Sawaya , Executive Director of the HH Sheikh Mansoor Bin Zayed Al Nahyan Global Arabian Horse Flat Racing Festival, Chairperson of the IFHRA and Chairperson of the Ladies & Apprentice Racing Committees in the International Federation of Arabian Horse Racing Authorities.

The HH Sheikh Mansoor Bin Zayed Al Nahyan Global Arabian Horse Flat Racing Festival is sustained by the Abu Dhabi Tourism and Culture Authority and coordinated by Abu Dhabi Sports Council in cooperation with Emirates Racing Authority, IFAHR, Emirates Arabian Horse Society, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, General Authority of Youth and Sports Welfare with The National Archives as the official partner and Emirates airline as the official carriers and sponsored by Invest AD, National Feed and Flour Production and Marketing Co. LLC, Bloom, Petromal, Rise General Trading Co. LLC, Hayatna, Tourism Development & Investment Company (TDIC),  Abu Dhabi National Exhibition Centre (ADNEC), Al Awani General Enterprises, Kabale, Al Wathba Centre, the UAE's General Women's Union, The Supreme Council for Motherhood and Childhood, the HH Sheikha Fatima Bint Mubarak Ladies Sports Academy, Abu Dhabi International Hunting and Equestrian Exhibition 2015, Dr. Nader Saab Switzerland, Al Wathba Center, Abu Dhabi Equestrian Club, Eastern Mangroves Suites-Abu Dhabi by Jannah, Yas Channel, Omeir Travels, Racing Post and Laboratories Fadia Karam Cosmetics.

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