Runners announced for Sheikh Zayed Bin Sultan Al Nahyan Cup Crown Jewel-IPIC (Group 1) on November 13

Sheikh Zayed Bin Sultan Al Nahyan Cup Crown Jewel-IPIC (Group 1) on November 13. Last year’s winner Kalino, US Triple Jewel champion Paddys Day part of a strong 16-horse line-up for Euros 1.2m contest

The second running of the HH Sheikh Mansoor Bin Zayed Al Nahyan Global Arabian Horse Flat Racing Festival’sEuros 1.2 million Sheikh Zayed Bin Sultan Al Nahyan Cup Crown Jewel-IPIC (Group 1) – the richest race in the world for Purebred Arabian horses on November 13, 2016 – has once again attracted the top Purebred Arabians currently racing.

Kalino, the winner of the inaugural edition in 2015, will be back to defend his win and so will be the second and third placed Sahabba and Thakif respectively, according to the final list of runners announced by Ms. Lara Sawaya, Executive Director of the HH Sheikh Mansoor Bin Zayed Al Nahyan Global Arabian Horse Flat Racing Festival, Chairperson of the Int’l Federation of Horse Racing Academies (IFHRA) and Chairperson of Ladies & Apprentice Racing Committees in the International Federation of Arabian Horse Racing Authorities (IFAHR).

Apart from the 1-2-3 finishers of last year’s race, strong contender Al Mourtajez, the 2016 Sheikh Zayed Bin Sultan Al Nahyan Cup US Triple Crown winner Paddys Day and AF Mathmoon- the 2016 Dubai Kahayla Classic winner are also in the fray.  

The 1,600-metre contest to be run as part of the HH Sheikh Mansoor Festival’s ‘One World, 6 Continents’ extravaganza, also features some top Purebred Arabians that include Sylvine Al Maury, Sand Victor, Thess Is Awesome, Loraa, Bigg N Rich, Abhaar, RB Burn, Faucon Du Loup, Mabrooka and AF Tawaq.

The reserve horses are Djet Taouy (for Oman) and RB So Rich, Uptown Danny's Boy and Al Bastoon for any of the others.

Ms. Sawaya also released the list of the Lady Jockeys and Apprentice Jockeys who will feature in the two finals of the HH Sheikha Fatima Bint Mubarak Ladies and Apprentice World Championship races.

HH Sheikha Fatima Bint Mubarak Ladies World Championship
The list of lady riders for the HH Sheikha Fatima Bint Mubarak Ladies World Championship (IFAHR) final includes defending champion Astrid Wullschleger of Switzerland.

Austria’s Manuela Slamanig, Belgium’s Anna van den Troost and Sara Vermeersch, Ingrid  Grard of France, Germany’s Monique Luebcke, Ireland’s Nora Looby, Cindy Klinkenberg from The Netherlands, Norway’s Silja Storen, Poland’s Joanna Wyrzyk, Great Britain’s Alice Mills and  Catherine Walton and Sweden’s Yasmine Nilsson - are all winners of various legs of the 2016 HH Sheikha Fatima Bint Mubarak Ladies World Championship races. Apart from the above 13 winners of 2016, Japan’s Nanako Fujita, Morocco’s Bouchra Marmoul and Sweden’s Malin Holmberg complete the 16-strong line-up for the final.

HH Sheikha Fatima Bint Mubarak Apprentice World Championship
In the HH Sheikha Fatima Bint Mubarak Apprentice World Championship series qualifiers held in 2016, the following six Apprentice jockeys won and qualified: South Korean Jeong Jeonghee in Rome, Italy; Italian Apprentice jockey Daniel Scipioni won in Copenhagen, Denmark; Bahrain’s Ali Al Shuwaikh won in Warsaw, Poland, Belgium’s Emilie Goudman won in Kazan in Tatarstan, Puerto Rican Evin Roman won in Lingfield Park in the United Kingdom and Kersley Ramsamy from Mauritius won the final leg in Tarbes, France.

Apart from the above six the remaining ten Apprentice jockeys who will feature in the November 13 final are: Australia’s Dylan Dunn, Brazil’s Dailey Milan, Christakis Panteli of Cyprus, Lauro Grosso of France, Germany’s Esther Weissmeier, Great Britain’s Rowan Scott, Jordan’s Milly Naseb, Oman’s Yahya Al Hamdani, South Africa’s Lyle Hewitson and American Corey Mongan.

“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 their support,” Ms. Lara Sawaya stated.

“We are in top gear as we prepare to welcome the horse racing fraternity for the ‘One World, 6 Continents’ extravaganza in Abu Dhabi from November 7 to 14, 2016. The world’s cream of Purebred Arabian horses are in the 16-strong line-up for feature event on November 13 -  the Euros 1.2 million Sheikh Zayed Bin Sultan Al Nahyan Cup Crown Jewel-IPIC (Group 1) – the richest race in the world for Purebred Arabian horses,” she said.

“The suspense has ended and now all the connections of the 16 horses will begin their final preparations and we will be extending all support to the runners that arrive from outside the UAE,” she said.

“We have also named the 16 Lady jockeys and the 16 Apprentice jockeys who will figure in the two finals of the HH Sheikha Fatima Bint Mubarak Ladies World Championship (IFAHR) and the HH Sheikha Fatima Bint Mubarak Apprentice World Championship (IFAHR) races, which will support the feature race on November 13,” Ms. Sawaya said.  

“The response to the Ladies and Apprentice race finals from Owners and Trainers has been very encouraging and even these two races will be of the highest international class,” she said.

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
Photo: Morhaf Al Assaf