62 runners for 8-race Wathba meeting in Hereford

Sixty two Purebred Arabian runners have been declared for the eight-race Wathba Stud Farm Cup meeting under the umbrella of the HH Sheikh Mansoor Bin Zayed Al Nahyan Global Arabian Horse Flat Racing Festival organised by the Arabian Racing Organisation (ARO) on Sunday, June 5, 2016.

This is the second of the four full fixtures at Hereford organised by ARO) under the generous sponsorship of the HH Sheikh Mansoor Festival. The offer of free entry drew a good crowd to the opening meeting, which stands for the Sunday’s fixtures, with the first race starting at 1.00 pm.

Out of the 62 runners declared for the eight-race card, six are in the fray for the feature race - the Wathba Stallions (0-95) Handicap stakes over a mile and a furlong.  They include Alcea Rosea who won the top race of the last Festival meeting, giving Joanna Mason her first win under ARO rules in the process. Mason has also competed in the Texas leg of the HH Sheikha Fatima Bint Mubarak Ladies World Championship series this year. She takes the ride again, though the likely favourite is the unbeaten Al Haader. He is trained by James Owen, who is vying for the top of the Trainers’ Championship with local trainer Delyth Thomas.

Thomas scored a treble at the course last month and with another win to her name at the recent Taunton meeting, drew clear by one race from Owen. She only has three runners this time, whilst Owen is mob handed, particularly in the Wathba Stallions Restricted Maiden, where he fields four of the 12 runners.

Amanda Smith, ARO Racing Manager commented. “We had a great crowd at Hereford for the first of the four meetings under the HH Sheikh Mansoor Festival banner and the weather forecast for Sunday promises to be another fine day. The Festival is a great supporter of grass roots racing around the world, as well as the sponsor of the World’s richest Arabian horse race, the Sheikh Zayed Bin Sultan Al Nahyan Jewel Crown (Gr.1PA), which is worth €1.2 million Euros.”

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, with National Feed and Flour Production and Marketing Co. LLC as associate sponsors, IPIC as Strategic Partner, The  National Archives as the official partner and Emirates airline as the official carriers, in cooperation with Emirates Racing Authority, IFAHR, Emirates Arabian Horse Society, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, General Authority of Youth and Sports Welfare  and sponsored by Al Aweer Stables, Ayadii LLC, Global United Veterinary Services LLC, Bloom, Petromal, Rise General Trading Co. LLC, Hayatna, Wathba Stallions, Abu Dhabi Falconers Club, Emirates Falconers Club,  Mohamed Bin Zayed Falconry and Desert Physiognomy School, Abu Dhabi National Exhibition Centre (ADNEC), Al Awani General Enterprises, Kabale, Omeir Travels, Dr Nader Saab Switzerland, Laboratories Fadia Karam Cosmetics, YAS Channel, Racing Post, Paris Turf,  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 2016, Abu Dhabi Equestrian Club, Eastern Mangroves Suites-Abu Dhabi by Jannah, Anantara Eastern Mangroves Spa and Resort.

Source: HH SH Mansoor Global Arabian Flat Racing Festival / Satya Narayan