Mahogany HVP and Orchestra Rach win HH Sheikh Mansoor Festival races in Sao Paulo

Mahogany HVP and jockey Marcos Ribeiro

Mahogany HVP won the GP Munjiz - Wathba Stud Farm Cup while Orchestra RACH bagged the GP Unchained Melody - Wathba Stud Farm Cup in Saturday’s Arabian Racing Day at the Sao Paulo Jockey Club organised under the umbrella of the HH Sheikh Mansoor Bin Zayed Al Nahyan Global Arabian Horse Flat Racing Festival, on July 23.

The two races, which carried a prize fund of Euros 15,000 each, was held under instructions from HH Sheikh Mansoor Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Deputy Prime Minister of the UAE and Minister of Presidential Affairs.

The GP Munjiz - Wathba Stud Farm Cup was a turf contest and run over 1400 metres. It was a great finish after a close contest between the final three. It was Marei RACH that hit the front on the final straight and soon Heron MVP joined in and the two were battling it out stride for stride. Then from the outside came Mahogany HVP under jockey Marcos Ribeiro with a breezy run. With less than 100 metres left Mahogany HVP caught and overtook Marei RACH and Heron HVP to win a hotly-contested race.

Heron HVP was the winner of last year’s HH Sheikha Fatima Bint Mubarak Apprentice World Championship (IFAHR) under Brazilian Apprentice jockey Roberlei Viana Filho.

Mahogany HVP completed the 7-furlong race in 1:35.58 and the winner was trained by Eduardo Garcia for owner and breeder Agropecuaria Vila dos Pinheiros.

The Festival’s second race was a 1200-metre contest on the dirt tracks and was open to mares. With Euros 15,000 on offer some of the best runners were in the fray and eventually a great effort by jockey Uanderson Silva on the Lucas Quintana-trained Orchestra RACH ended on a winning note.

Orchestra Rach and Uanderson Silva

Once Orchestra hit the front it was only for a brief while that Zinia VE posed a challenge. But Silva on Orchestra Rach hit the right note and won from Zinia VE.

It was the second time that Zinia VE was losing out as the mare had also finished second to Heron HVP when the Festival made its debut in Brazil with the HH Sheikha Fatima Bint Mubarak Apprentice World Championship (IFAHR) race last year.

Commenting on the races Ms Lara Sawaya, Executive Director of HH Sheikh Mansoor Bin Zayed Al Nahyan Global Arabian Horse Flat Racing Festival, Chairman of the Int'l Federation of Horse Racing Academies (IFHRA), Chairman of Ladies & Apprentice Racing Committees in the International Federation of Arabian Horse Racing Authorities (IFAHR) said, “Brazil has a long history with Purebred Arabian horses and we are heppy to run two races this year. The HH Sheikh Mansoor Bin Zayed Al Nahyan Global Arabian Horse Flat Racing Festival is keen to ensure the growth of Purebred Arabian racing in all parts of the globe.”

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
Photos: Cidinha Franzão