It was the HH Sheikh Mansoor Bin Zayed Al Nahyan Global Arabian Horse Flat Racing Festival’s Wathba Stud Farm Cup for Private Owners race that kick-started the Al Ain race course’s 2016-17 flat racing season on Friday, November 18, 2016.

The 7-race meeting with six races for Purebred Arabians opened with the Wathba Stud Farm Cup, a 1000m handicap with a prize fund of Dh. 70,000.

The Helal Al Alawi-trained RB Goliath under UAE Apprentice Saeed Al Mazroui scored a two-length victory over Saleem ridden by Dubai World Cup winning jockey Fernando Jara. Tm Ac-Dc was ridden to third place by Adrie De Vries.

HH Sheikh Mansoor Festival supports prestigious award

The UAE Ambassador in London, HE Sulaiman Al Mazroui along with Ms. Lara Sawaya, Executive Director of HH Sheikh Mansoor Bin Zayed Al Nahyan Global Arabian Horse Flat Racing Festival, Chairperson of the International Federation of Horse Racing Academies (IFHRA) and Chairperson of Ladies & Apprentice Racing Committees in the International Federation of Arabian Horse Racing Authorities (IFAHR) gave away the Women of the Future Sport award to Paralympic archer Danielle Brown, world number one, winner of the Gold in two consecutive Paralympic Games and three World Championships.

HRH The Countess of Wessex praised the activities of HH Sheikh Mansoor Bin Zayed Al Nahyan Global Arabian Horse Flat Racing Festival at the Women of the Future Summit, a forum dedicated to discussing the world of millennial leaders held at the Hilton Park Lane, London on Wednesday evening.

HE Sulaiman Al Mazroui, UAE Ambassador to the UK, together with Ms. Lara Sawaya, attended a private meeting with the Women of the Future Programme’s Royal Ambassador, Her Royal Highness The Countess of Wessex.

Sheikh Mansoor Festival Mentorship Programme

It will be a huge moment for Polish Apprentice jockey Kamil Grzybowski when he wears the silks of the UAE President His Highness Sheikh Khalifa Bin Zayed Al Nahyan in the Sharjah Police Headquarters race in Sharjah on Saturday, October 29, 2016.

Grzybowski is with leading Purebred Arabian trainer Eric Lemartinel at the Al Asayl Stables, thanks to the Racing Scholarship Fund, RSF- a first of its kind mentorship programme- an initiative of International Federation of Horse Racing Academies (IFHRA), headquartered in Abu Dhabi. The funding for the mentorship programme is being done by His Highness Sheikh Mansoor Bin Zayed Al Nahyan Global Arabian Horse Racing Festival.

HH Sheikh Mansoor Festival’s premier race series ends international campaign

Karimah, a 3-year-old filly owned by the Royal Cavalry of Oman and bred by HH Sheikh Mansoor Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, UAE Deputy Prime Minister if Minister of Presidential Affairs was ridden to a thrilling victory by Francois-Xavier Bertras in the Sheikh Zayed Bin Sultan Al Nahyan Cup (Group 2)-French Arabian Breeder's Challenge in Toulouse, France on Thursday, October 27.

The Francois Rohaut-trained Munjiz filly edged out pre-race favourite Diva Du Paon under Christophe Soumillon to win by a neck in a time of 1:48.97 for the 1600-metre distance.

UAE owners strongly represented in Thursday’s meeting

HH Sheikh Mansoor Bin Zayed Al Nahyan Global Arabian Horse Flat Racing Festival will mark its final race in the Sheikh Zayed Bin Sultan Al Nahyan Cup 2016 series at the Toulouse Hippodrome in France on Thursday, October 27, 2016.

The Sheikh Zayed Bin Sultan Al Nahyan Cup (Group 2)-French Arabian Breeder's Challenge, a mile’s contest for three-year old fillies has attracted eight promising runners and is one of the four Group 2 races for Purebred Arabians to be staged at the Toulouse racecourse.

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.

Thabit and Mirna, owned by His Highness Sheikh Mansoor Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, UAE Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Presidential Affairs, finished 1-2 in the final qualifying leg of the HH Sheikha Fatima Bint Mubarak Apprentice World Championship (IFAHR) race at the Tarbes racecourse in Pau, France, on Sunday, October 16.

Apprentice jockey Kersley Ramsamy from Mauritius steered Thabit, the 4-year-old son of Munjiz to a narrow win over Mirna (Germany’s Robin Weber from Germany astride), the 4-year-old daughter of Mahabb, adding more success to the Wathba Stallions and HH Sheikh Mansoor.

HH Sheikha Fatima Bint Mubarak Apprentice World Championship race in France

Tarbes, France - A dozen top Purebred Arabian horses under Apprentice jockeys from around the world will face-off on Sunday in what will be their last chance to win and qualify for the HH Sheikh Mansoor Bin Zayed Al Nahyan Global Arabian Horse Flat Racing Festival’s HH Sheikha Fatima Bint Mubarak Apprentice World Championship (IFAHR) race at the Tarbes racecourse in France, on October 16.

The Euros 20,000 contest over a distance of 1500 metres is being held under the directives of His Highness Sheikh Mansoor Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, UAE Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Presidential Affairs with support from 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.

Jagersro, Sweden - Anna Pilroth on Macallan scored for the second time in two years with a superb finish in the HH Sheikh Mansoor Bin Zayed Al Nahyan Global Arabian Horse Flat Racing Festival’s Wathba Stud Farm Cup race held here on October 6, 2016.

Run over 1200-metre (6 furlong) at Jägersro racecourse in Sweden the Wathba Stud Farm Cup Sprint boasting Group 3 status was for the second year in a row won by local sprint ace Macallan.

The grey son of Dahess and out of the good Swedish mare Queen Anne (Riyal) is bred by Kerstin Kimfors and Ove Henriksson. 

Darley Awards in Hollywood on March 31, 2017

Marrakesh, a former imperial city in Western Morocco, will play host to the eighth edition of the World Arabian Horse Racing Conference, WAHRC, from May 1-7, 2017, under the umbrella of HH Sheikh Mansoor Bin Zayed Al Nahyan Global Arabian Horse Flat Racing Festival.

Ms. Lara Sawaya, Executive Director of the HH Sheikh Mansoor Bin Zayed Al Nahyan Global Arabian Horse Flat Racing Festival, Chairperson of the International Federation of Horse Racing Academies (IFHRA) and Chairperson of Ladies & Apprentice Racing Committees in the International Federation of Arabian Horse Racing Authorities (IFAHR), announced this at a press conference on Friday, October 7, 2016 on the sidelines of the Abu Dhabi International Hunting and Equestrian Exhibition (ADIHEX), which is currently in progress at the Abu Dhabi National Exhibition Centre.

VIPs visit HH Sheikh Mansoor Festival Stand at ADIHEX  

Endurance sport under the umbrella of His Highness Sheikh Mansoor Bin Zayed Al Nahyan Global Arabian Horse Flat Racing Festival is spreading its wings far and wide and will include several more countries in the 2017 season.

Ms Lara Sawaya, Executive Director of the HH Sheikh Mansoor Bin Zayed Festival, Chairperson of the International Federation of Horse Racing Academies (IFHRA) and Chairperson of Ladies & Apprentice Racing Committees in the International Federation of Arabian Horse Racing Authorities (IFAHR), announced this at a press conference  on Thursday, October 6, 2016 on the sidelines of the 14th edition of Abu Dhabi International Hunting and Equestrian Exhibition (ADIHEX) currently on at the Abu Dhabi National Exhibition Centre premises.

As many as 1,800 invitees, including endurance and flat racing jockeys and other officials, are expected to attend the HH Sheikh Mansoor Bin Zayed Al Nahyan Global Arabian Horse Flat Racing Festival’s ‘One World, Six Continents’ extravaganza to be held at Abu Dhabi, UAE, from November 7-14, 2016, marking the end of Festival’s events for the year 2016.

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), announced this at a press conference  on Wednesday at ADNEC Capital Suite 14, Abu Dhabi, on the sidelines of the 14th edition of Abu Dhabi International Hunting and Equestrian Exhibition (ADIHEX) at the Abu Dhabi National Exhibition Centre premises.

Ex-amateur now turned professional Flat and National Hunt jockey Alice Mills, 29, has been shortlisted to receive the coveted Women of the Future Sport Award sponsored by the HH Sheikh Mansoor Bin Zayed Al Nahyan Global Arabian Horse Flat Racing Festival.

This will be the first time that British horseracing has received representation at the awards which, now in its eleventh year, recognises and celebrates the achievements of the UK’s pipeline of young female talent.

French women win team gold in HH Sheikh Mansoor Festival-supported event

Montauban, France - It was a memorable day for UAE lady riders as Alia Ahmad Mohammed Al Saboori won the 120-km CEIO HH Sheikha Fatima Bint Mubarak Ladies Endurance Cup while Alyazia Khalid Khalifa Al Romaithi finished second in the HH Sheikh Mansoor Bin Zayed Al Nahyan Endurance Cup, both events held on the historic Saint-Etienne-de-Tulmont region in Montauban, France, on Sunday, September 25, 2016.

Alia Al Saboori and her 14-year-old horse Za’amah from the MRM Stables turned in a dominant display to lead from start to finish in the four-stage 120-km event and win in a time of in 06:14:34 seconds at an average speed of 19.45 kmph.

FEI World Championship for Young Horses in Montauban, France

Montauban, France - Germany’s Sabrina Arnold steered 7-year-old Tsagan Nour to a superb win in the 122-km FEI World Championship for Young Horses organized by the Endurance Equestrian Negrepelisse on the historic Saint-Etienne-de-Tulmont region in Montauban, Toulouse, France, on Friday, September 23, 2016.

In fact Arnold led a 1-2-3 finish by women riders in Friday’s FEI championship supported by HH Sheikh Mansoor Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Deputy Prime Minister of the UAE and Minister of Presidential Affairs and staged under the umbrella of HH Sheikh Mansoor Bin Zayed Al Nahyan Global Arabian Horse Racing Festival.

Historic Saint-Etienne-de-Tulmont region in Montauban, France to stage three rides

After a hectic schedule of Purebred Arabian flat racing in the recent weeks, the HH Sheikh Mansoor Bin Zayed Al Nahyan Global Arabian Horse Flat Racing Festival now shifts its focus to endurance and over 200 horses and riders will be seen in action starting from Friday, September 23, 2016, in the Festival-supported rides on the historic Saint-Étienne-de-Tulmont region in Montauban, France.

The HH Sheikh Mansoor Bin Zayed Al Nahyan Global Arabian Horse Flat Racing Festival, one of the world’s most respected horseracing organisations run under the patronage of His Highness Sheikh Mansoor Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Deputy Prime Minister of the UAE and Minister of Presidential Affairs, announced on Wednesday a landmark category sponsorship of the Women of the Future Awards, an annual awards ceremony which celebrates Britain’s new generation of young influential women across business, media, sport, culture and public service.

Second-placed Paddys Day defends retains Triple Crown title

Los Alamitos, California - In a fascinating battle all the way to the finish, Sand Victor under Hugo Herrera delivered another shock to hot favourite Paddys Day to win the $48,700 Sheikh Zayed Bin Sultan Al Nahyan Arabian Cup Diamond Jewel, a Grade II race, on Saturday, September 17, 2016, at Los Alamitos in the US.

Hall of Famer to be Ambassador for HH Sheikh Mansoor Festival

Los Alamitos, CA - One of the world’s most famous faces in flat racing and the first female jockey to win a Triple Crown race and a Breeder’s Cup – Julie Krone- has been roped in as an Ambassador for the HH Sheikh Mansoor Bin Zayed Al Nahyan Global Arabian Horse Flat Racing Festival.

Paddys Day looks set to retain title

Los Alamitos, USA - Paddys Day, the winner of the Sheikh Zayed Bin Sultan Al Nahyan Cup Triple Jewel series last year, looks all set to successfully defend that title when he starts firm favourite in the $48,700 Sheikh Zayed Bin Sultan Al Nahyan Arabian Cup Diamond Jewel, a Grade II race, on Saturday, September 17, 2016, at Los Alamitos in the US. 

Owen saddles 1st and 3rd for HH Sheikh Hamdan in Lingfield Park

James Owen saddled the winner and third-placed horse for HH Sheikh Hamdan Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Dubai Deputy Ruler and Minister of Finance in the HH Sheikh Mansoor Bin Zayed Al Nahyan Global Arabian Horse Flat Racing Festival’s HH Sheikha Fatima Bint Mubarak Apprentice World Championship (IFAHR) race at Lingfield Park in the United Kingdom on Saturday, September 10.

Puerto Rican Evin Roman revealed a lot of promise as the 18-year-old steered the Owen-trained Emiraaty to edge past Aljawaaher under Ireland’s Keith Moriarty and win the 1600-metre race to qualify for the HH Sheikha Fatima Bint Mubarak Apprentice World Championship final to be held on November 13 in Abu Dhabi.

Three runners owned by HH Sheikh Hamdan Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Dubai Deputy Ruler and Minister of Finance are part of the 10-strong line-up in the HH Sheikh Mansoor Bin Zayed Al Nahyan Global Arabian Horse Flat Racing Festival’s HH Sheikha Fatima Bint Mubarak Apprentice World Championship (IFAHR) race at Lingfield Park in the United Kingdom on Saturday.

Munbaher under Oman’s Yahya Al Hamdani, Emiraaty under Puerto Rico’s Evin Roman and Al Kabeer under Australia’s Mitchell Aitken are the three runners in HH Sheikh Hamdan’s colours bidding to halt the winning run of favourite Karar.

Reid River R-Mani, Djehlbi on target

Reid River R-Mani and Djehlbi emerged winners in the HH Sheikh Mansoor Bin Zayed Al Nahyan Global Arabian Horse Flat Racing Festival’s Wathba Stud Farm Cup races as the globe-trotting series made its debut at the Gold Coast Turf Club in Australia on Saturday, September 3.

The Festival staged two races in its Wathba Stud Farm Cup series and Reid River R-Mani won the first of the two races under Benjamin Jewitt while Djehlbi under Isabella Teh won the second.

HH Sheikha Fatima Bint Mubarak Apprentice World Championship race series

Kazan, Tatarstan - Belgium’s Emilie Goudman booked a berth in the November 13 final of the HH Sheikh Mansoor Bin Zayed Al Nahyan Global Arabian Horse Flat Racing Festival’s HH Sheikha Fatima Bint Mubarak Apprentice World Championship (IFAHR) finale after a superb win in the Kazan leg on Tuesday, August 30.

Riding 4-year-old grey Katrusya, a reserve runner that got into the starting line-up after Amanta, the horse that Goudman was to ride got injured, the Belgian won with much to spare with the other runners way behind.

Close finishes mark 2016’s final Wathba Stud Farm Cup in UK

Hereford, United Kingdom - A number of close finishes including a dead heat were the highlights of the fourth and final meeting of the HH Sheikh Mansoor Bin Zayed Al Nahyan Global Arabian Horse Flat Racing Festival ’s Wathba Stud Farm Cup race series which was worked off at the Hereford racecourse on Sunday, August 28, 2016.

Warsaw, Poland - Tomas Lukasek scored a great victory on Tefkir pushing favourite Ziyadd to second place in the Polish leg of the HH Sheikh Mansoor Bin Zayed Al Nahyan Global Arabian Horse Flat Racing Festival’s Sheikh Zayed Bin Sultan Al Nahyan Cup (Group 3) race at the Sluzewiec race course in Warsaw, Poland on Sunday, August 21.

Earlier there was cheer for the Gulf region when Bahrain’s Ali Al Shuwaikh on Eastway won the HH Sheikha Fatima Bint Mubarak Apprentice World Championship (IFAHR) series while the Polish fans rejoiced in wet conditions when Joanna Wyrzyk won on Cepton to clinch the final berth to qualify for the HH Sheikha Fatima Bint Mubarak Ladies World Championship (IFAHR) 2016 series final to be held in November.

Another Group 1 success for HH the UAE President’s horse

Sir Bani Yas, owned by the President of the UAE, HH Sheikh Khalifa Bin Zayed Al Nahyan came up with a devastating run in the final stages to win the HH Sheikh Mansoor Bin Zayed Al Nahyan Global Arabian Horse Flat Racing Festival’s Sheikh Zayed Bin Sultan Al Nahyan Cup (Group 1) race at the Sandown Park race course in the United Kingdom on Saturday, August 20.

The £ 80,000 race was the biggest purse in Saturday’s meeting and was part of the Emirates day with many UAE-based sponsors supporting other races on the card.

Recently crowned European Triple Crown winner Ziyadd, owned by HH Sheikh Mansoor Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Deputy Prime Minister of the UAE and Minister of Presidential Affairs will be back in action in Sunday’s Sheikh Zayed Bin Sultan Al Nahyan Cup (Group 3) race at the Sluzewiec race course in Warsaw, Poland, August 21.

Ziyadd under Pierantonio Convertino is one of the nine runners in the line-up at the Polish racecourse where the HH Sheikh Mansoor Bin Zayed Al Nahyan Global Arabian Horse Flat Racing Festival stages all three of its top race series.

Brussels, Belgium - It was a French 1-2-3 led by Vincent Gaudriot  on 9-year-old Tahar Du Barthas in the HH Sheikh Mansoor Bin Zayed Al Nahyan Global Arabian Horse Flat Racing Festival-supported Brussels Equestrian Endurance Masters (BEEM) 160-km ride on Thursday, August 18, at the Sonian forest region near the city of Brussels.

Gaudriot who was fourth in penultimate stage of the five-stage 160-km ride, finished first with a time of 9 hours 8 minutes and 26 seconds recording an average time of 17.50kmph.

With a prize purse of £80,000, the HH Sheikh Mansoor Bin Zayed Al Nahyan Global Arabian Horse Flat Racing Festival’s Sheikh Zayed Bin Sultan Al Nahyan Cup (Group 1) race is the biggest purse out of any race on Saturday’s card at the Sandown Park race course in the United Kingdom.

The race is part of the Emirates day, and all of the races over Friday and Saturday hold the name of Abu Dhabi or of a UAE-based sponsor and is following on from last year's inaugural fixture staged by the Festival.

HH Sheikha Fatima Ladies race attracts strong field

Ten lady riders including three professionals will be part of the line-up for the UK stage of the HH Sheikha Fatima Bint Mubarak Ladies World Championship (IFAHR) series, to be run as part of race meeting sponsored by the HH Sheikh Mansoor Bin Zayed Al Nahyan Global Arabian Horse Flat Racing Festival at the Sandown Park racecourse on Friday, August 19, 2016.

While the HH Sheikha Fatima Bint Mubarak Ladies race will be the featured Purebred Arabian race on Friday, the HH Sheikh Mansoor Bin Zayed Al Nahyan Global Arabian Horse Flat Racing Festival’s Sheikh Zayed Bin Sultan Al Nahyan Cup (Group 1) race will be the highlight on Saturday, August 20.

A 160-km international endurance ride which is expected to see some of the top riders in the world participating will kick-start the three-day HH Sheikh Mansoor Bin Zayed Al Nahyan Global Arabian Horse Flat Racing Festival-supported Brussels Equestrian Endurance Masters (BEEM) on August 18, 2016.

Thursday’s 160-km Open International Endurance Ride in the ancient Sonian forest region is the main event of BEEM and is the result of a three-year pact between the Royal Belgian Federation of Equestrian Sports (FRBSE-KBRSF) and the HH Sheikh Mansoor Bin Zayed Al Nahyan Global Arabian Horse Flat Racing Festival.

Sha’hir bags Sheikh Zayed Cup in Ostend

Sha’hir won the Sheikh Zayed Bin Sultan Al Nahyan Cup (Group 3) race while Great Britain’s Catherine Walton emerged winner in the HH Sheikha Fatima Bint Mubarak Ladies World Championship race at the Hippodrome Wellington in Ostend Belgium on Sunday, August 14, 2016.

The two premier races of the HH Sheikh Mansoor Bin Zayed Al Nahyan Global Arabian Horse Flat Racing Festival produced some exciting fare for the packed stands as the Festival runs into one of its busiest periods of the year.

Mahdod, Sartejano make quick comeback bidding to win again

Qatari jockey Faleh Bughenaim will be aiming for his second Group 3 success on Al Mahdod while Sartejano will be looking to win another HH Sheikha Fatima Bint Mubarak race in nine days as the Hippodrome Wellington in Ostend Belgium plays host to two premier races of the HH Sheikh Mansoor Bin Zayed Al Nahyan Global Arabian Horse Flat Racing Festival on Monday, August 15, 2016.

Al Mahdod and stablemate Al Nashmi, both trained by Elizabeth Bernard and representing the Al Shaqab Racing in Qatar, will be battling it out again in the Sheikh Zayed Bin Sultan Al Nahyan Cup (Group 3).

HH Sheikh Mansoor Festival’s Wathba Cup races in Hereford

Hereford, UK - The Arabian Racing Organisation (ARO) novice jockey Malcolm Mallow, got off the mark in some style on Sunday, August 7, with a quick fire double at the third HH Sheikh Mansoor Bin Zayed Al Nahyan Global Arabian Horse Flat Racing Festival fixture at Hereford.

Mallow powered home on Jenny’s Peyton’s Trip To Khairo in the longest race of the day and then followed up with a win on Maidaan for his boss, trainer Philip Collington and owner-breeder, HH Sheikh Hamdan Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Dubai Deputy Ruler and Minister of Finance.

HH Sheikha Fatima World Championship race in Copenhagen

Nine-year-old Sartejano was back to winning ways carrying Italian Apprentice jockey Daniel Scipioni to a superb win in the HH Sheikh Mansoor Bin Zayed Al Nahyan Global Arabian Horse Flat Racing Festival’s HH Sheikha Fatima Bint Mubarak Apprentice World Championship race at the Klampenborg Racecourse, Copenhagen, Denmark on Saturday, August 7.

It was a sizzling display by the 20-year-old from Italy as he rode the former ‘veteran’ star from Diana Dorenburg’s yard to a great win in the 7-furlong contest which was watched by nearly 30,000 fans.

Hereford, United Kingdom - The Arabian Racing Organisation (ARO) holds the third of four full fixtures for Purebred Arabians at Hereford on Sunday, August 7, with all meetings run under the generous sponsorship of the HH Sheikh Mansoor Bin Zayed Al Nahyan Global Arabian Horse Flat Racing. The offer of free entry drew a good crowd to the first two events, which stands for the remaining fixtures, with the first race on Sunday, August 7, starting at 1.00 pm.

Fifty nine horses have been declared for the seven-race card this Sunday, with the longest race, the 1m 6f (2800 metres) Wathba Stud Farm Cup (0-40) Handicap Stakes attracting the largest field of 14 runners.

Ten in fray for HH Sheikha Fatima World Apprentice Championship race

The HH Sheikh Mansoor Bin Zayed Al Nahyan Global Arabian Horse Flat Racing Festival makes its next stop at the Klampenborg Racecourse, Copenhagen, Denmark on Saturday 6th August with the HH Sheikha Fatima Bint Mubarak World Apprentice Championship race.

Ten Apprentice jockeys will line up at this historic racecourse located in the leafy suburb of Klampenborg, just north of Copenhagen city and one of Denmark’s premier racing venues.

August is a very exciting month for the HH Sheikh Mansoor bin Zayed Al Nahyan Festival in the UK, with two full racedays at Hereford Racecourse, featuring 11 Wathba Stallions and Wathba Stud Farm Cup races for UK domestic horses. However, the highlight of the Festival races in August will be the two Emirates Days at Sandown Park on 19th and 20th.  The HH Sheikha Fatima bint Mubarak Ladies World Championship (IFAHR) and the HH Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan Cup (Group1 PA) are part of two days of Thoroughbred racing supported by the HH Sheikh Mansoor bin Zayed Al Nahyan Festival.

La Teste - Alsaker, a 4-year-old mare owned by the Royal Stables of Oman demolished a small but quality field in the HH Sheikh Mansoor Bin Zayed Al Nahyan Global Arabian Horse Flat Racing Festival’s Wathba Stud Farm Cup race held in La Teste, France, on July 23.

Ridden by Julien Auge, Alsaker revealed some devastating pace in the final furlong to win the 1400-metre Listed contest in a time of 1:37.1.

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 HH Sheikh Mansoor Bin Zayed Al Nahyan Global Arabian Horse Flat Racing Festival had made a Latin American debut last year with the HH Sheikha Fatima Bint Mubarak Apprentice World Championship (IFAHR) being staged at the Hippodrome of Cidade Jardim in Sao Paulo, Brazil.

Now the Festival, held under instructions from HH Sheikh Mansoor Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Deputy Prime Minister of the UAE and Minister of Presidential Affairs, will be staging two Wathba Stud Farm Cup races at the Sao Paulo Jockey Club on Saturday, July 23, 2016.

Endurance rides to be held at ancient Sonian forest area

Brussels, Belgium - The HH Sheikh Mansoor Bin Zayed Al Nahyan Global Arabian Horse Flat Racing Festival and the Royal Belgian Federation of Equestrian Sports have jointly announced an annual international endurance festival for a three-year period starting from August, 2016.

The Brussels Equestrian Endurance Masters (BEEM) is positioned as a major meeting for the European and the International Endurance and is scheduled annually on the 3rd weekend of August, in the city of Brussels, capital of Belgium and of Europe. The BEEM offers three days of endurancecompetition under the auspices of the FEI (Federation Equestre Internationale).

Austrian Slamanig wins HH Sheikha Fatima race in California

Pleasanton, California - Powered by a superb finish, Sand Victor staved off favourite Paddys Day in Sheikh Zayed Bin Sultan Al Nahyan Grade II – Emerald Arabian Triple Jewel race while Austrian lady jockey Manuela Slamanig obliged on favourite RB Madymoiselle in the H.H. Sheikha Fatima Bint Mubarak Ladies World Championship series in Pleasanton, California, on Saturday, July 2, 2016.

It was sweet revenge for Sand Victor as in last year’s race Paddys Day had finished ahead of Saturday’s winner.

Zayed Bin Sultan Al Nahyan Cup Triple Jewel series

Pleasanton, California - Paddys Day, the winner of the Sheikh Zayed Bin Sultan Al Nahyan Cup Triple Jewel series last year and the winner of the Sheikh Zayed Bin Sultan Al Nahyan Cup – Amethyst Jewel,  Grade 1 race at the Sam Houston Race Park in Texas in March this year will be the one to beat in Saturday’s Emerald Jewel race of the series at Pleasanton in California, July 2.

Pleasanton stages both the Sheikh Zayed Bin Sultan Al Nahyan Arabian Cup Grade II – Emerald Arabian Triple Jewel second leg as well as the 11 race in this year’s H.H. Sheikha Fatima Bint Mubarak Ladies World Championship series.

Majeed wins Sheikh Zayed Cup; Norway’s Storen tops in Ladies race in The Netherlands

Duindigt, The Netherlands - Qatar raider Majeed under Gaetan Faucon won the Sheikh Zayed Bin Sultan Al Nahyan Cup (Group 3) race in a thrilling finish while Ziyadd, owned by HH Sheikh Mansoor Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Deputy Prime Minister of the UAE and Minister of Presidential Affairs emerged as the new European Triple Crown winner.

In one of the most hotly-contested races held under the umbrella of the HH Sheikh Mansoor Bin Zayed Al Nahyan Global Arabian Horse Flat Racing Festival, Majeed prevailed in a close finish over Sir Bani Yas under Julien Auger at the Duindigt race course in The Netherlands on Sunday, June 26.

HH Sheikh Mansoor Festival’s top races in The Netherlands on Sunday

Amsterdam, The Netherlands - All roads in The Netherlands will lead to the Duindigt race course in The Hague which stages three races for Purebred Arabian races including the deciding leg of the Sheikh Zayed Bin Sultan Al Nahyan Cup European Triple Crown, all under the umbrella of the HH Sheikh Mansoor Bin Zayed Al Nahyan Global Arabian Horse Flat Racing Festival.

The races to be run on Sunday, June 26 are the Wathba Stud Farm Cup II, the HH Sheikha Fatima Bint Mubarak Ladies World Championship race and the final leg of the three-leg European Triple Crown in the Sheikh Zayed Bin Sultan Al Nahyan Cup race series.

Wathba Stud Farm Cup in La Teste, France 

La Teste, France - Thabit, a 4-year-old son of Munjiz scored a superb win in the HH Sheikh Mansoor Bin Zayed Al Nahyan Global Arabian Horse Flat Racing Festival’s Wathba Stud Farm Cup race held in La Teste, France on Wednesday, June 8.

Owned by HH Sheikh Mansoor Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Deputy Prime Minister of the UAE and Minister of Presidential Affairs, Thabit is another breeding success and in Wednesday’s win over 1900 metres showed a lot of potential.

Reigning Ladies World Champion Wullschleger, Apprentice Jeonghee qualify

Ziyadd, owned by HH Sheikh Mansoor Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Deputy Prime Minister of the UAE and Minister of Presidential Affairs ran into contention for this year’s Sheikh Zayed Bin Sultan Al Nahyan Cup European Triple Crown while reigning HH Sheikha Fatima Bint Mubarak Ladies World Champion Astrid Wullschleger took her first step towards defence of that title she won in 2015.

Callymay win keeps Thomas, Walker on top

Hereford, UK - Delyth Thomas’s Callymay stole the thunder in the eight-race Wathba Stud Farm Cup meeting held in Hereford on Sunday, June 5 under the umbrella of the HH Sheikh Mansoor Bin Zayed Al Nahyan Global Arabian Horse Flat Racing Festival.

Callymay made it three on the bounce this season, when winning at the Hereford racecourse in the meeting organised by the Arabian Racing Organisation (ARO). The win by the 6-year-old mare, owned and trained locally by Thomas, maintains the trainer’s grip on the Arabian Racing Organisation (ARO) 2016 Championship, and also kept Simon Walker at the top of the Jockey’s Championship too. Walker has won the jockey’s title no less than nine times, including last season.

HH Sheikh Mansoor Racing Festival in Stockholm on Monday

The Swedish National Day ended on a perfect note for Maria Hagman-Eriksson as the owner-trainer completed a winning the two prestigious Purebred Arabian horse races at Gardet on Monday, June 6, in Stockholm.

Hagman-Eriksson’s Toutatix under Dayverson De Barros scored a stunning victory in the Sheikh Zayed Bin Sultan Al Nahyan Cup Listed race after Ireland’s Nora Looby steered Hagman-Eriksson’s Al Janoob- which ran in Rome in last week’s Sheikh Zayed Cup at Capenelli finishing second behind Ziyadd- to victory in the HH Sheikha Fatima Bint Mubarak Ladies World Championship race.

HH Sheikh Mansoor Festival races feature on Swedish National Day

Once again it is the Swedish National Day on Monday, June 6 and all roads in Stockholm will lead to the Gardet where the feature of the special race meeting will be the two top Purebred Arabian horse races staged under the umbrella of the HH Sheikh Mansoor Bin Zayed Al Nahyan Global Arabian Horse Flat Racing Festival.

Adding to the excitement is the fact that the Sheikh Zayed Bin Sultan Al Nahyan Cup race, a Listed event, will see a mouthwatering clash between the unbeaten Macallan and Gazel T, winner of the Festival’s Wathba Stud Farm Cup earlier in the season for a record 5th successive time!

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.

Local trainer Delyth Thomas stole the limelight in the first of four Wathba Stud Farm Cup race meetings to be held under the umbrella of the Sheikh Mansoor Bin Zayed Al Nahyan Global Arabian Horse Flat Racing Festival was held at Hereford this year.

Thomas saddled three of the winners in the six Purebred Arabian races on Saturday, May 7.

Kiraa, who had won here last season, and her young jockey Charlie Price, got Thomas off to a flying start winning the Wathba Stallions (0-75) Handicap Stakes in a desperately close three-way photo.

Hereford meeting kick-starts Festival’s 2016 UK campaign

The HH Sheikh Mansoor Bin Zayed Al Nahyan Global Arabian Horse Flat Racing Festival’s support to Purebred Arabian horse racing in 2016 in the United Kingdom begins on Saturday, May 7, 2016, in Hereford. The Arabian Racing Organisation (ARO) holds the first of four full fixtures in Hereford with all meetings run under the generous sponsorship of the HH Sheikh Mansoor Bin Zayed Al Nahyan Global Arabian Horse Flat Racing Festival.

Fifty-seven runners have been declared for the eight-race card for Saturday’s meeting. The feature race of the day is the Wathba Stallions (0-95) Handicap Stakes over 7 furlongs, the select field of five, includes promising course and distance winner Al Kabeer. He is trained by last seasons’ Leading Newcomer Award winner, James Owen, who got off to a flying start with a treble at the first ARO fixture last month at Chelmsford City.

HH Sheikha Fatima Ladies World Championship race in Casablanca

It was another French triumph in the HH Sheikh Mansoor Bin Zayed Al Nahyan Global Arabian Horse Flat Racing Festival’s HH Sheikha Fatima Bint Mubarak Ladies World Championship (IFAHR) race held at the Casablanca-Anfa Racecourse in Morocco on Friday, May 6.

In a powerful finish, Ingrid Grard on Charmsper won the 1900-metre contest with home favourite Moroccan Bouchra Marmoul on Maysan Maamora battling to second place while further behind in third and fourth places were Australia’s professional Linda Meech on Djourman BS and Omani Azher Al Wardi on Cherguy respectively.

HH Sheikha Fatima Bint Mubarak Ladies World Championship (IFAHR) race series

The HH Sheikh Mansoor Bin Zayed Al Nahyan Global Arabian Horse Flat Racing Festival’s HH Sheikha Fatima Bint Mubarak Ladies World Championship (IFAHR) race series winner of 2015, Astrid Wullschleger of Switzerland will be seen in action in Friday’s Morocco leg of the 2016 series, May 6.

Wullschleger was drawn to ride Rajasthan in the 1900 metre contest which will be run at the Casablanca-Anfa Racecourse in the ladies championship race, with the winner qualifying for the final in November in Abu Dhabi.

Wullschleger is one the three professional lady jockeys in the race, the other two being Australia’s Linda Meech on Djourman BS and Canada’s Corinne Andros on Ayman Thabet.

HH Sheikh Mansoor Festival’s successful debut in Hungary

Slovenia’s Helena Okorn was in a class of her own as she stormed to victory in the HH Sheikh Mansoor Bin Zayed Al Nahyan Global Arabian Horse Flat Racing Festival-supported FEI Central European Endurance Cup 2016 international 120-km endurance ride held on Saturday, April 30, 2016 in Bábolna, Hungary.

Riding HS Ebla, a horse she has owned for 9 years, Okorn made it a winning debut in this historic Arabian horse breeding town while Polish rider Wojciech Heliasz on Sinda finished second and French rider Marion Wasilewski took third place on Quernika Du Cade.

HH Sheikh Mansoor Racing Festival supports competitions

Bábolna strong ties with the Arabian horse was on display as the Hungarian town put up an inaugural ceremony on Friday night to mark the HH Sheikh Mansoor Bin Zayed Al Nahyan Global Arabian Horse Flat Racing Festival’s FEI Central European Endurance Cup 2016 international endurance rides which began early on Saturday.

Apart from riders from the host country Hungary, others in the fray are from France, Poland, Austria, Czech Rep, Romania, Croatia, China, Bulgaria, Slovakia and Serbia.

Historic Bábolna stages five endurance rides

The HH Sheikh Mansoor Bin Zayed Al Nahyan Global Arabian Horse Flat Racing Festival is all set to break new ground when Bábolna in Hungary stages the FEI Central European Endurance Cup 2016 international endurance rides on Saturday, April 30, 2016.

The historic venue of Bábolna forms the back-drop for a CEI Three star 160-km ride, a CEI Two-star 120-km Open ride, a CEI Two star 120-km ride for Juniors and Young Riders and two 80km rides, all FEI rides that will be held under the umbrella of the Festival under directions of HH Sheikh Mansoor Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, UAE Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Presidential Affairs.

HH Sheikh Mansoor Bin Zayed Al Nahyan Global Arabian Horse Flat Racing Festival’s Year Book for 2015 was launched at the 26th edition of the 2016 Abu Dhabi International Book Fair which opened at the Abu Dhabi National Exhibition Centre in Abu Dhabi on Wednesday, April 27, 2016.

HH Sheikh Abdulla Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, UAE Minister of Foreign Affairs, accompanied by HH Sheikh Nahyan Bin Mubarak Al Nahyan, Minister of Culture and Knowledge Development, who opened the week-long show, also inaugurated the stand of the HH Sheikh Mansoor Bin Zayed Al Nahyan Global Arabian Horse Racing Festival.

Impressive stand greets visitors at 4-day show

HH Sheikh Mansoor Bin Zayed Al Nahyan Global Arabian Horse Flat Racing Festival presented itself through an innovative and impressive stand at the Arabian Travel Market (ATM) 2016 which opened in Dubai on Monday, April 25.

Now in its 23rd year, the 2016 edition of ATM is being held at the Dubai World Trade Centre from April 25 until April 28.

Three endurance rides held under the umbrella of HH Sheikh Mansoor Festival

Fronteira, Portugal - Laia Soria Pinol riding Kz Magica won the HH Sheikh Mansoor Bin Zayed Al Nahyan Global Arabian Horse Flat Racing Festival-sponsored 120-km National Championship ride of Portugal held in Fronteira on Saturday, April 23, 2016.

Pinol finished the 120-km ride, run in five stages, ahead of Marisa Bote Chamorro on Tirante with Maite Melgusa Minguez on Harrison in third place.

Muraaqib, owned by HH Sheikh Hamdan Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Dubai Deputy Ruler and Minister of Finance, won the  HH Sheikh Mansoor Bin Zayed Al Nahyan Global Arabian Horse Flat Racing Festival’s Sheikh Zayed Bin Sultan Al Nahyan Cup (Prix De Carthage – Hannibal) Group 2 race at the Toulouse Hippodrome in France on Friday, April 22, 2016.

The HH Sheikha Fatima Bint Mubarak Ladies World Championship IFAHR race, which was held alongside the Sheikh Zayed Cup was won by Sweden’s Yasmin Nilsson on Laft Nethar.

The two featured races of the HH Sheikh Mansoor Bin Zayed Al Nahyan Global Arabian Horse Flat Racing Festival to be run on Friday, April 22,2016, at the Toulouse Hippodrome in France are set to be mouth-watering clashes between top campaigners.

The Festival’s Sheikh Zayed Bin Sultan Al Nahyan Cup (Prix De Carthage – Hannibal) Group 2 over 2000 metres and the HH Sheikha Fatima Bint Mubarak Ladies World Championship IFAHR over 1600 metres have attracted strong fields.

This Toulouse round of the Sheikh Zayed Cup is also the first leg of the Sheikh Zayed Bin Sultan Al Nahyan Cup European Triple Crown series and in contention are a bunch of class performers.

Hollywood, LA - What started with a glittering HH Sheikha Fatima Bint Mubarak Darley Arabian Awards and US Darley Awards ceremony on Friday, stopped over at the Santa Anita Park for the first-ever Arabian Stakes race and then ended on Sunday with an equally spectacular show accompanied by a gala dinner and the Arabian Racing Cup Stallion Auction.

And amidst all the action, the loudest cheers of the night went to Victor Espinoza –the California-based jockey who last week won the Dubai World Cup on California Chrome!  The two had in 2014 won the Kentucky Derby and Preakness Stakes and last year Espinoza rode American Pharoah to win the 2015 Kentucky Derby, the 2015 Preakness Stakes, and the 2015 Belmont Stakes for the first Triple Crown victory since Affirmed and Steve Cauthen did it back in 1978.

Promotion of Arabian racing, support to jockeys worldwide

Sunday, April 3 was a red letter day for the HH Sheikh Mansoor Bin Zayed Al Nahyan Global Arabian Horse Flat Racing Festival. A day after the Festival penetrated the famous Santa Anita Park racecourse to stage the first-ever Grade I, $100,000 HH Sheikha Fatima Bint Mubarak Darley Award Stakes for Purebred Arabian horses, the organization headed by HH Sheikh Mansoor Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, UAE Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Presidential Affairs, was commended by the California State Senate.

Inaugural HH Sheikha Fatima Bint Mubarak Darley Awards Stakes (Grade 1) in Santa Anita Park

One of the top trainers in America has been on cloud nine for the last 48 hours! On Friday night Lynn Ashby was named the Darley US Award winner as Best Trainer and since it was the 8th time she was winning that accolade she put that in perspective. But about an hour later she was back on stage and this time she received the HH Sheikha Fatima Bint Mubarak International Award as Best Trainer and this was global recognition.

If that was not enough, Ashby was choked with emotion at the Santa Anita Park racecourse on Saturday evening after Travis Wales shot off to a pillar-to-post victory on Thess Is Awesome and in the bargain got the better of the mighty Paddy’s Day under Kelsi Purcell. It was a fitting result to the first-ever HH Sheikha Fatima Bint Mubarak Darley Awards Stakes, a Grade 1 race with a prize fund of US$ 100,000.

Switzerland’s Zindel gets HH Sheikha Fatima Bint Mubarak Darley lifetime achievement award

Purebred Arabian horse connections experienced tremendous amount of pride as the HH Sheikha Fatima Bint Mubarak Darley Arabian Awards and the US Darley Awards ceremony played out at the Dolby Theater in Highland Center, Hollywood, California on Friday, April 1, 2016.

The HH Sheikh Mansoor Bin Zayed Al Nahyan Global Arabian Horse Flat Racing Festival and the US Darley Awards organized by the Arabian Racing Cup marked their fifth year of hosting the awards together and the HH Sheikha Fatima Bint Mubarak Darley Arabian Awards was increased to 15, giving it a truly international character.

Paddy’s Day leads strong field of runners

Most of the top Purebred Arabians currently racing in the US have lined up for the inaugural edition of the HH Sheikha Fatima Bint Mubarak Darley Awards Stakes, a Grade 1 race to be held at the Santa Anita Park on Saturday, April 2.

Organised by the HH Sheikh Mansoor Bin Zayed Al Nahyan Global Arabian Horse Flat Racing Festival, the Grade 1 race will be run over 1600 distance with a total prize fund of US$ 100,000 on offer for the Purebred Arabian Stakes event.

HH Sheikha Fatima Bint Mubarak Darley Arabian Awards, US Darley Awards on April 1

It is appropriately dubbed as the ‘Oscars’ of the Arabian Racing- the HH Sheikha Fatima Bint Mubarak Darley Arabian Awards and the US Darley Awards – which are all set to light up the Dolby Theater in Highland Center, Hollywood, California on Friday, April 1, 2016.

The HH Sheikh Mansoor Bin Zayed Al Nahyan Global Arabian Horse Flat Racing Festival has elevated the annual US awards for Purebred Arabian horses and their connections to a whole new level ever since they stepped in as partners while the Festival’s HH Sheikha Fatima Bint Mubarak Darley Arabian Awards is a recognition of women in racing on the global stage.

The HH Sheikh Mansoor Bin Zayed Al Nahyan Global Arabian Horse Flat Racing Festival was the recipient of the ‘Outstanding Achievement Award’ for 2015 in the field of sports for the second year in a row at the annual awards function.

H.H. Sheikh Mansoor Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Presidential Affairs attended the 9th annual ceremony to distribute the grant of President His Highness Sheikh Khalifa Bin Zayed Al Nahyan of AED 17.6 million to the sports achievers for the year 2015.

One of the highlights, at least among the Private Owners, on the final meeting, on March 20, at Abu Dhabi Equestrian Club was the HH Sheikh Mansoor Bin Zayed Al Nahyan Global Arabian Horse Flat Racing Festival’s Wathba Stud Farm Cup For Private Owners Only.

Owner-breeder Khalid Khalifa Al Naboodah signed off in style as he not only had the winner in this popular series’ finale but registered ca 1-2-3 as horses bred by him took the second and third place behind the winner AF Maqayes.

The HH Sheikh Mansoor Bin Zayed Al Nahyan Global Arabian Horse Flat Racing Festival’s Wathba Stud Farm Cup For Private Owners Only kick-started the final race meeting of Al Ain 2015-16 on Friday, March 18. It provided a superb success to Emirati owner-trainer Saeed Hadher Al Mazrouei.

Tha’Er, ridden by Xavier Ziani won the Wathba Stud Farm Cup For Private Owners 1600m handicap and it was a third winner of the season for trainer Saeed Hadher Al Mazrouei.

After the success of last year’s debut in Bahrain, the HH Sheikh Manor Bin Zayed Al Nahyan Global Arabian Horse Flat Racing Festival’s HH Sheikha Fatima Bint Mubarak Ladies World Championship (IFAHR) series is back to the Rashid Equestrian and Horse Racing Club in Manama for another run.

This year’s fifth round of the ladies world championship race is listed for 3.45 pm on Friday, March 18, and the 1400-metre race with a prize fund of BD 15,000 has attracted seven quality runners.

Fernando Jara registered a double at the Abu Dhabi Equestrian Club race course on Sunday, March 13, and one of his wins came in the HH Sheikh Mansoor Bin Zayed Al Nahyan Global Arabian Flat Horse Racing Festival’s Wathba Stud Farm Cup.

Jara rode the Musabah Al Muhairi-trained AF Ssayeb to victory to give another win to owner-breeder Khalid Khalifa Al Naboodah. 

A maiden winner at Sharjah, also over 1200m, on his second and previous outing, he and Jara made all on that occasion and were able to repeat here.

The first edition of the Fujairah Arabian Horse Show 2016 under the patronage of HH Sheikh Mohammed Bin Hamad Al Sharqi, Crown Prince of Fujairah was held on Saturday, March 12 with the historic Fort providing a spectacular backdrop.

The championship was staged under the directives of HH Sheikh Mansoor Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Presidential Affairs with 271 contenders representing 123 studs.

Abu Dhabi, UAE - Khalid Khalifa Al Naboodah is enjoying an amazing season as an owner with horses he has bred himself, mostly by his own sire, AF Al Buraq.

AF Maqayes, a 4-year-old son of AF Al Buraq, won the HH Sheikh Mansoor bin Zayed Al Nahyan Global Arabian Horse Flat Racing Festival’s Wathba Stud Farm Cup For Private Owners Only at the Abu Dhabi Equestrian Club race course on March 7, 2016.

AF Maqayes won by a length from the Ernst Oertel’s AF Laja under David Probert with Al Shabab under Royston Ffrench finishing third.

Houston, Texas, USA - Paddys Day, winner of the Sheikh Zayed Bin Sultan Al Nahyan Cup Triple Jewel series last year made a perfect start in his defense of that title with a superb win in the Sheikh Zayed Bin Sultan Al Nahyan Cup – Amethyst Jewel, a Grade 1 race at the Sam Houston Race Park in Texas on Saturday night, March 5.

Kelsi Purcell got the five-year-old Burning Sand son and odds on favourite from Scott Powell’s yard back to winning ways after the star’s failed run in the world’s richest race for Purebred Arabians – the Sheikh Zayed Bin Sultan Al Nahyan Jewel Crown – in Abu Dhabi last November.

HH Sheikh Zayed Cup, HH Sheikha Fatima Cup races on Saturday

Houston, USA - The Sheikh Zayed Bin Sultan Al Nahyan Cup – Amethyst Jewel, a Grade 1 (Group 1) race gets the HH Sheikh Mansoor bin Zayed Al Nahyan Global Arabian Horse Flat Racing Festival’s US campaign off to a roaring start at the Sam Houston Race Park in Houston, Texas on Saturday, March 5, 2016.

Saturday’s 7-furlong Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan Cup race is also the first leg of the three-race Triple Jewel series for Purebred Arabians in the US and the winner of the inaugural edition last year, Paddys Day, is back to bid for a successful defense of that triumph.

The Uruguayan pair of Maria Cecilia Sebben on HC Potra Perka and Jonathan Riveria Iriarte on SM Conjeque came up with some fantastic pace in the final two loops to finish first and third in the HH Sheikh Mohammed Bin Mansoor Bin Zayed Al Nahyan Cup for Private Owners’ 100-km CEN Endurance Ride held at the Emirates International Endurance Village in Al Wathba, Abu Dhabi on Saturday, February 27.

It was the UAE’s Saif Ahmed Al Mazroui on Al Qaher who led after the first two loops  of 40 kms and 25 kms. At that stage, after 65kms in the 100km race, Maria Cecilia Sebben on HC Potra Perka was 8th while Jonatan Rivera Iriarte on SM Conjeque was 11th.

It was the HH Sheikh Mansoor Bin Zayed Al Nahyan Global Arabian Horse Flat Racing Festival’s Wathba Stud farm Cup for Private Owners which kick-started the action at the Al Ain race course on Friday, February 26 in the meeting which also played host to the city’s inaugural Derby for four-year-old Purebred Arabians.

The National Stables-based trainer Helal Al Alawi, who is enjoying his best season to date saddled his 16th winner of the campaign, his third with a license, with the victory of Naiem in Dh 80,000 contest seven furlongs (1400 metres) in the Wathba Stud Farm Cup.

Nouf Abdul Reda, astride 11-year-old Anglo Arabia gelding RR Erebus, landed the 100km HH Sheikha Fatma Bint Mansoor Bin Zayed Al Nahyan Ladies Endurance Cup for Al Maghaweer Stables,  at the Emirates International Endurance Village in Al Wathba, Abu Dhabi on Friday, February 26.

HH Sheikha Mahra Bint Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum headed the 108 riders who started the race under favourable weather conditions at the beautiful venue which was decked up with a lot of side activities at the ‘Arts Creative Land’ for young kids and especially girls.

5-year-old makes it a double in 8 days on St Moritz snow track

Nil Kamla once again took advantage of the shortened distance on the ice/snow track to win the HH Sheikh Mansoor Bin Zayed Al Nahyan Global Arabian Horse Flat Racing Festival’s HH Sheikha Fatima Bint Mubarak Ladies World Championship (IFAHR) race on Sunday, February 21, under Belgian lady jockey Anna van den Troost.

The year 2016 seems to be a lucky one for the 5-year-old Dahess daughter, trained by Swiss connections Franziska Aeschbacher and owned by her husband Urs Aeschbacher. For in seven previous races since 2014, Nil Kamla had failed to win a single race but in eight days has registered a perfect double as she had won the Sheikh Zayed Bin Sultan Al Nahyan Cup race under Raphael Lingg on the same snow track last Sunday (February 14).

Abu Dhabi - After finishing second twice in the HH Sheikh Mansoor Bin Zayed Al Nahyan Global Arabian Horse Flat Racing Festival’s Wathba Stud Farm Cup For Private Owners Only race at the Abu Dhabi Equestrian Club racecourse, Al Shabab finally struck to register his third win in 14 starts.

The five year old son of Velte had finished second to AF Maqayes on January 17 and again last week had finished second to Dere’A Al Jazeera, losing by less than a length. On Sunday, February 21, it was another tight finish but Royston Ffrench did well to stave off the challenge by AF Maqayes to win by a neck.

Six cars up for grabs in Festival’s Endurance rides on Feb 26, 27

HH Sheikh Mansoor Bin Zayed Al Nahyan Global Arabian Horse Flat Racing Festival has decided to make the European Triple Crown in the Sheikh Zayed Bin Sultan Al Nahyan Cup series more exciting by naming the snow race track ‘White Turf’ on the St Moritz Lake in Switzerland as one of the venues from next year for three-race competition.

Weather permitting a cracking race is on the cards in Switzerland

Weather permitting; the snow race track on the St Moritz Lake in Switzerland is all set to play host to a fantastic contest with lady riders on Purebred Arabian horses in the HH Sheikh Mansoor Bin Zayed Al Nahyan Global Arabian Horse Flat Racing Festival’s HH Sheikha Fatima Bint Mubarak Ladies World Championship (IFAHR) race on Sunday, February 21.

The race is set to be run over 1600-metres on the ice/snow track and this is the third leg of the of the world championship for ladies for 2016.

After the HH The President’s Cup Dh 3 million Group 1 race meeting for Purebred Arabians was staged, a gala get-together followed at the poolside of the Eastern Mangroves Hotel & Spa by Anantara Abu Dhabi on Sunday, February 14, 2016.

Amidst performances by various artistes, music and laser shows, a awards ceremony was also held and the main feature was the felicitation of two of the top horses from the American and European continents respectively.  

For once the Del Sol pair of runners had to take a back seat as Nil Kamla made the most of the conditions to win the HH Sheikh Mansoor Bin Zayed Al Nahyan Global Arabian Horse Flat Racing Festival’s Sheikh Zayed Bin Sultan Al Nahyan Cup race on the snow track of ST Moritz in Switzerland on Sunday, February 14.

The 1600-metre race (reduced to 800 metres) with a prize fund of nearly 40,000 Swiss Francs was  to be run on the frozen lake, amidst the snow-capped mountains of St Moritz a week earlier but due to the warm conditions the snow track was affected and postponed to February 14.

Under the patronage of HH Sheikh Mansoor Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, UAE Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Presidential Affairs, and Chairman of the Abu Dhabi Equestrian Club, the UAE Arabian Horse Society hosted the Dh16.5m five-day Abu Dhabi International Arabian Horse Championship at the Abu Dhabi Equestrian Club turf arena with 365 contenders representing 139 studs in the fray.

The Sheikh Zayed Bin Sultan Al Nahyan Cup was staged under the sponsorship of the HH Sheikh Mansoor Bin Zayed Al Nahyan Global Arabian Horse Flat Racing Festival and was claimed by D Seraj for the Dubai Arabian Horse Stud.

Second successive Group 1 win for the Mahabb son

Thakif, owned by HH Sheikh Mansoor Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, UAE Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Presidential Affairs was once again on target when winning the Dh 3 million Group 1 HH The President Cup for Purebred Arabian horses at the Abu Dhabi Equestrian Club racecourse on Sunday, February 14.

In last year’s running, Thakif  and Bentley had crossed the line first in the HH President’s Cup chased home by Abu Alabyad but Thakif subsequently lost the race with Abu Alabyad promoted to first following a Stewards’ inquiry.

Riding 12-year-old grey Shaddad, Sheikh Rashid Dalmook Juma Al Maktoum edged out Indian rider Madhu Singh on Mustafa to win the prestigious 160-km HH The President of the UAE Endurance Cup at the Emirates International Endurance Village in Al Wathba on Saturday, February 13.

In a grueling ride that attracted 190 riders and horses from all over the world, Sheikh Rashid and Madhu Singh were involved in a two-way battle for supremacy and the UAE rider came up on top to win with a little over a minute to spare after the 160-km ride.

Fourth GA meet held in Abu Dhabi

The fourth General Assembly meeting of the International Federation of Horse Racing Academies, (IFHRA), was held on Friday, February 12, 2016, at the National Archive premises in Abu Dhabi with almost all the members in attendance.

Representatives from Argentina, Australia, Brazil, Canada, China, Denmark, France, Hong Kong, Hungary, Malaysia, Oman, Poland, Puerto Rico, Russia, Slovakia, South Africa, South Korea, the UAE, the United Kingdom and the United States attended the highly interactive meeting which was chaired by Ms Lara Sawaya, Chairperson of the International Federation of Horse Racing Academies (IFHRA), Executive Director of the HH Sheikh Mansoor Bin Zayed Al Nahyan Global Arabian Horse Flat Racing Festival and Chairperson of Ladies & Apprentice Racing Committees in the International Federation of Arabian Horse Racing Authorities (IFAHR).

Al Ain, UAE - Dhruba Selvaratnam, the soft-spoken trainer who has been handling horses in the UAE for over 25 years, scored a superb win as an owner of a Purebred Arabian horse in the HH Sheikh Mansoor Bin Zayed Al Nahyan Global Arabian Horse Flat Racing Festival’s Wathba Stud Farm Cup For Private Owners held in Al Ain on Friday, February 12.

It was Joyous Dream, an 8-year-old gelding under Christopher Hayes that provided tremendous joy to Selvaratnam with a comfortable win in the Dh 80,000 race staged by the HH Sheikh Mansoor Festival to encourage small and private owners in the UAE.

Top Purebred Arabians to battle in Sunday’s Dh.3 million HH President’s Cup flat race

The spotlight will once again be on Abu Dhabi when the city hosts the HH The President of the UAE Endurance Cup on Saturday, February 13 and the HH The President’s Cup flat races for Purebred Arabians and Thoroughbreds on Sunday, February 14 respectively.

The races are being held under the directives of the President His Highness Sheikh Khalifa Bin Zayed Al Nahyan and HH Sheikh Mohammed Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Deputy Supreme Commander of the Armed Forces, and under the supervision of HH Sheikh Mansoor Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, UAE Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Presidential Affairs and Chairman of the Abu Dhabi Equestrian Club.

Italy, Lebanon and Australian Gold Coast join bandwagon

The HH Sheikh Mansoor Bin Zayed Al Nahyan Global Arabian Horse Flat Racing Festival’s calendar of events for the year 2016 was unveiled at a press conference held at the Anantara Eastern Mangroves in Abu Dhabi today, February 11, 2016.

Ms Lara Sawaya, Executive Director of the HH Sheikh Mansoor Bin Zayed Al Nahyan Global Arabian Horse Flat Racing Festival, Chairperson of the International Federation of Horse Racing Academies (IFHRA) and Chairperson of Ladies & Apprentice Racing Committees in the International Federation of Arabian Horse Racing Authorities (IFAHR) said the Festival’s feature event will once again be the Sheikh Zayed Bin Sultan Al Nahyan Crown Jewel IPIC, a Group 1 race worth Euros 1.2 million and the richest ever for Purebred Arabians.

Shateh wins Group 3 Al Ruwais

It was another success for owner-breeder Faisal Seddiq Al Mutawa in the HH Sheikh Mansoor Bin Zayed Al Nahyan Global Arabian Horse Flat Racing Festival’s Wathba Stud Farm Cup For Private Owners race held at the Abu Dhabi Equestrian Club racecourse on Sunday, February 7, 2016.

Al Mutawa’s Latifa Princess, a 7-year-old bay mare by Big Easy, scored a fine win under Sam Hitchcott in the Dh 80,000 race run over 1200 metres.

Trained by Veronika Aske, Latifa Princess led with about 300 metres left and staved off a brave challenge by Huyam under Hector Crouch while Richard Mullen steered Af Ashras to third in the 12-horse race. Only a neck separated the winner and Huyam and Af Ashras also finished a neck behind in what was a closely contested race.

Abu Dhabi - HH Sheikh Mansoor Bin Zayed Al Nahyan Global Arabian Horse Flat Racing Festival received a huge boost after the International Petroleum Investments Company (IPIC) signed a sponsorship agreement with the under which IPIC becomes a strategic partner of the Festival’s events which are staged around the globe.

The Festival is held under the directives of HH Sheikh Mansoor Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, UAE Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Presidential Affairs and the support of HH Sheikha Fatima Bint Mubarak, Supreme Chairwoman of the Family Development Foundation, Chairwoman of General Women’s Union and Chairwoman of Motherhood, Childhood Supreme Council.

Del Sol pair starts favourites in Sheikh Zayed Cup opener

St. Moritz, Switzerland - After stopping in Oman and Australia the HH Sheikh Mansoor Bin Zayed Al Nahyan Global Arabian Horse Flat Racing Festival moves to a third continent this year where a Listed Cup event will kick start the Sheikh Zayed Bin Sultan Al Nahyan Cup race series in Switzerland.

The 1600-metre race with a prize fund of nearly 40,000 Swiss Francs will be held in the winter sunshine on the frozen lake, amidst the snow-capped mountains of St Moritz. The event being part of the White Turf  extravaganza which spreads over three week-ends on 7th, 14th and 21st February and is an annual affair.

Sheikh Zayed Bin Mansoor Bin Zayed Al Nahyan Junior & Young Riders Endurance Cup

Mohammed Humaid Al Neyadi riding 9-year-old grey gelding Dahoman XI 57 won the 120-km Sheikh Zayed Bin Mansoor Bin Zayed Al Nahyan Junior & Young Riders Endurance Cup (CEN JYR) 120 held on Saturday, January 30, at the Emirates International Endurance Village in Al Wathba, Abu Dhabi.

Al Neyadi turned in a consistent display and was always in the top five through the four stage ride and clocked 4 hours 39 minutes and 01 seconds for the 120-km distance. The young winner hails from the Al Wathba 2 Stables and the winning horse is trained by Rachid Ahansal.

MH Areeb scored a smart win for owner-breeder Mansoor Khalifa Sultan Bin Habtoor in the HH Sheikh Mansoor Bin Zayed Al Nahyan Global Arabian Horse Flat Racing Festival’s Wathba Stud Farm Cup For Private Owners race held on Saturday, January 29 at the Al Ain race course.

The 7-year-old chestnut was ridden by Tadhg O’Shea and together they struck in the opening race od Saturday’s meeting outclassing a 15-horse field over the distance of 1600-metres.

Australia marked its National Day on January 26  and their Australia Day race meeting was kick-started by the HH Sheikh Mansoor Bin Zayed Al Nahyan Global Arabian Horse Flat Racing Festival’s HH Sheikha Fatima Bint Mubarak Ladies World Championship (IFAHR) race  at the Caulfield Racecourse in Victoria.

One of the largest bands of racing fans watched the Purebred Arabian horses display their racing skills under lady jockeys drawn from all over the world.

Melbourne, Australia - The stage is all set for the HH Sheikh Mansoor Bin Zayed Al Nahyan Global Arabian Horse Flat Racing Festival’s HH Sheikha Fatima Bint Mubarak Ladies World Championship (IFAHR) race to be run as part of the Australia Day Races at Caulfield Racecourse in Victoria on Tuesday, 26th January 2016.

This Australian leg of the Ladies Championship is the second in 2016 and nine lady jockeys from around the globe will be in the fray on Purebred Arabian horses in the 1600-metre contest.

Bred and owned by Khalid Khalifa Al Naboodah, AF Maqayes scored another dominating victory in the HH Sheikh Mansoor Bin Zayed Al Nahyan Global Arabian Horse Flat Racing Festival’s Wathba Stud Farm Cup For Private Owners held on Sunday, January 17, at the Abu Dhabi Equestrian Club.

The UAE-bred 4-year-old son of AF Al Buraq under Jockey Championship leader Tadhg O’Shea scored a 4-length victory over Al Shabab under Royston Ffrench with Love To Dance under Fernando Jara third in the Dh 80,000 race run over 1200-metres.

HH Sheikh Mansoor Festival-backed initiative

One more candidate from the United Kingdom is set to fly to Lexington, Kentucky, on January 18,  under the Racing Scholarship Fund, RSF, as part of the International Federation of Horse Racing Academies (IFHRA) initiative.

Twenty-two-year old Ryan Colley from York is the first representative of the Northern Racing College in Doncaster to take part in this international scholarship scheme, which is the brainchild of IFHRA, headquartered in Abu Dhabi, UAE.

The funding for Ryan’s Mentorship programme is done by His Highness Sheikh Mansoor Bin Zayed Al Nahyan Global Arabian Horse Racing Festival.

HH Sheikha Fatima Bint Mubarak Ladies World Championship (IFAHR) series opener

For the second year in a row it was a Swedish lady jockey who has got the HH Sheikh Mansoor Bin Zayed Al Nahyan Global Arabian Horse Flat Racing Festival’s HH Sheikha Fatima Bint Mubarak Ladies World Championship (IFAHR) race series off to a great start on January 15.

Sweden’s Josefin Landgren had won last year’s opening race of the Festival in Oman and this time it was Jhannah Stolt who won on Graffiti BVF to become the first qualifier to the HH Sheikha Fatima Bint Mubarak Ladies World Championship (IFAHR) final which will be contested in Abu Dhabi in November.

Omani Al Wardi faces tough challenge at home

Muscat, Oman - Oman’s lady jockey Azhar Al Wardi will be looking to make the best of home conditions in the HH Sheikha Fatima Bint Mubarak Ladies World Championship (IFAHR) race at the Al Rahba Racecourse in Muscat tomorrow (Friday, January 15).

Al Wardi, one of the better- known flat-race jockeys from the Gulf region, is a previous winner of the HH Sheikha Fatima Bint Mubarak Ladies World Championship (IFAHR) race when it was held in Toulouse in 2014.

Ten in fray for Friday’s HH Sheikha Fatima Bint Mubarak event

Muscat, Oman - The Al Rahba Racecourse in Muscat, Oman will host the first race in the HH Sheikha Fatima Bint Mubarak Ladies World Championship (IFAHR) series on Friday, January 15 and kick-start the activities of the HH Sheikh Mansoor Bin Zayed Al Nahyan Global Arabian Horse Flat Racing Festival for 2016.

The Festival is held under the directives of HH Sheikh Mansoor Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, UAE Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Presidential Affairs.

In the HH Sheikh Mansoor Bin Zayed Al Nahyan Global Arabian Horse Flat Racing Festival’s Wathba Stud Farm Cup For Private Owners held on Saturday, January 9, in Al Ain, AF Maqayes sprinted to victory over 1000 metres under Tadhg O’Shea.

The Jockeys' Championship leader O’Shea completed a double for the day and his first win of the meeting was with his retaining trainer Ali Rashid Al Raihe on AF Maqayes.

HH Sheikh Mansoor Festival-supported initiative kicks off from January 7

The much-awaited Racing Scholarship Fund, RSF, a first of its kind mentorship programme, initiated by the International Federation of Horse Racing Academies (IFHRA), headquartered in Abu Dhabi, kick-starts with British apprentice Tom Marquand heading for his mentorship programme to Australia on January 7, 2016. 

The 18-year-old jockey/rider will have a four-week mentorship programme, the funding for which is being done by His Highness Sheikh Mansoor Bin Zayed Al Nahyan Global Arabian Horse Racing Festival.

Owner and breeder Khalid Khalifa Al Nabooda tasted success in the HH Sheikh Mansoor Bin Zayed Al Nahyan Global Arabian Horse Flat Racing Festival’s Wathba Stud Farm Cup race held in Abu Dhabi on Sunday, January 3, 2016.

The prominent Emirati owner-breeder’s impressive AF Al Sally won for the second time this season, landing the night's edition of the Al Wathba Stud Farm Cup (1200m).

Trained at Oasis Stables in Dubai by Musabah Al Muhairi and ridden by stable jockey Fernando Jara the five-year-old settled in midfield before looming up dangerously entering the straight.

HH Sheikh Mansoor Festival’s ‘Zayed and The Horse’ Exhibition a big hit

The ‘Zayed and the Horse’ Exhibition put up by HH Sheikh Mansoor Bin Zayed Al Nahyan Global Arabian Horse Flat Racing Festival was one of the most popular highlights during the November 19-January 2 at the Sheikh Zayed Heritage Festival.

On the concluding day on Saturday, the HH Sheikh Mansoor Festival held a popular draw through a free raffle during which three 4WD Cars and 57 other prizes were distributed to lucky winners.

Abu Dhabi, UAE - Saeed Mohammed Khalifa Al Mehairi, winner of the 160-km Three-star HH President’s Cup ride in February, served notice of his intentions in defending his title in the big ride to be again held on February 13 next year with a superb win in Saturday’s 100-km Al Wathba Cup for Private Owners Endurance Ride at the Emirates International Endurance Village in Al Wathba, Abu Dhabi, on December 26.

Al Mehairi rode 7-year-old Esraar to a narrow win over Uruguay’s Jonatan Rivera Iriarte on HH Ciabu in the four-stage ride.

Tamooh S rallied with a late burst under Jose Santiago to win the HH Sheikh Mansoor Bin Zayed Al Nahyan Global Arabian Horse Flat Racing Festival’s Wathba Stud Farm Cup For Private Owners Only at the Abu Dhabi Equestrian Club on Sunday, December 20.

Owned by Ali Ebraheem Al Hosani, Tamooh S finished ahead of Naiem under Royston Ffrench in the 1400m handicap which carried a prize fund of Dh 80,000.

Tamooh S appeared to be struggling at halfway, but finished strongly under a determined ride from Santiago to land the spoils for trainer Elise Jeanne.

It was a great triumph for the Al Jazeera Stable 2 when their rider Madhu Singh Sumer Singh on 10-year-old Mustafa won the 120-km Al Dhafrah Endurance Ride at the Emirates International Endurance Village, Al Wathba in Abu Dhabi on Saturday, December 19.

The Indian rider Madhu Singh finished ahead of three UAE riders - Abdulla Rashid Al Naqbi on RR Kings Gold, Sheikh Hamed Dalmook Juma Al Maktoum on Quarat Poulpic and Saeed Sultan Shames Al Maamari on Radja Al Mels before another Indian rider from Al Jazeera Stable 2, Tej Singh Bhanwar Singh on Relincho Fortunato finished fifth in the 120-km event in which 97 riders started.

Wathba Stud Farm Cup for Private Owners race in Abu Dhabi

The Qatar-bred Al Muntakhab scored in the HH Sheikh Mansoor Bin Zayed Al Nahyan Global Arabian Horse Flat Racing Festival’s Wathba Stud Farm Cup for Private Owners race on Sunday, December 13 at the Abu Dhabi Equestrian Club racecourse.

Al Muntakhab did not always appear the most straightforward of characters but ran out the winner under apprentice George Buckell in the 11-furlong contest.

It was only the second UAE and twelve lifetime start for the lightly raced Helal Al Alawi-trained eight-year-old.

Wathba Stud Farm Cup in Al Ain

Al Ain became freshman trainer Veronica Aske’s favourite hunting ground when the she saddled the winner in the HH Sheikh Mansoor Bin Zayed Al Nahyan Global Arabian Horse Flat Racing Festival’s Wathba Stud Farm Cup for the second time in a row.

Aske was the winning trainer when Latifa Princess made it two wins from as many starts prevailing by a length in the 1400mWathba Stud Farm Cup for Private Owners handicap race on December 12.

Abdulla Ghanim Al Marri riding EO Rakassah Anik won the YAS for Private Owners (UAE) 100-km Endurance Ride on Saturday, December 12, 2015 at the Emirates International Endurance Village, Al Wathba, Abu Dhabi.

Rakassah Anik is a 9-year-old grey mare owned by UAE’s Hamdan Saeed Jaber and Abdulla Jaber took 3 hours 42 minutes and 20 second to complete the 100-km ride.

French rider Maeva Valentin, who is in great form once again got on to the podium riding the Mubarak Al Arti-owned Trasy SC and just five second behind the winner.

HH Sheikh Mansoor Bin Zayed Festival’s Wathba Stud Farm Cup

The Ernst Oertel -trained Madjanthis under Apprentice jockey Robert Fitzpatrick won the HH Sheikh Mansoor Bin Zayed Al Nahyan Global Arabian Horse Flat Racing Festival’s Wathba Stud Farm Cup for Private Owners Only at the Abu Dhabi Equestrian Club racecourse on Sunday.

For Apprentice Fitzpatrick, it was his first UAE winner at the eighth attempt. The five-year-old son of the great Madjani, Madjanthis last won in Houston in the USA in April last year. Since coming over to the UAE the Khaled Al Taher-owned Madjanthis had two runs in Al Ain before winning Sunday’s race, December 6.

Abu Dhabi - Khalifa  Ali Khalfan Al Jahouri, astride Arabian mare 8 Minute (Zafira) for the Al Wathba Stables, worked his way through to land the National Day Cup CEN 120km Endurance Ride at the Emirates International Endurance Village in Al Wathba here on Saturday, December 5.

The winner covered the distance in 4 hours, 20 minutes and five seconds at an average speed of 17.683 km/ hour and finished just a fraction of a second ahead of the French contender Maeva Vaslentin, onboard Arabian gelding Zenith Des Pins from the Mubarak Al Arti Stables.

120-km National Day Cup endurance ride on Saturday

Around 150 riders are expected to be in the fray in the prestigious 120-km National Day Cup, on December 5, to mark the 44th anniversary of the UAE’s National Day and is being held under the directives of HH Sheikh Mansoor Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, UAE Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Presidential Affairs and Chairman of the Abu Dhabi Equestrian Club (ADEC).

Addressing a press conference on Thursday, December 3, Adnan Sultan Al Nuaimi, Director General of ADEC said. “The National Day Cup ride is very prestigious and a large number of top stars both from the UAE and international riders will be participating.”

100-km Sheikha Fatima Bint Mubarak Ladies Endurance Cup

Moreno, an 11-year-old bay stallion from Al Reef Stables won the 100-km Sheikha Fatima Bint Mubarak Ladies Endurance Cup for the second year in a row at the Emirates International Endurance Village in Al Wathba, Abu Dhabi on Saturday, November 28, 2015.

Last year Moreno carried Argentina’s Catalina to victory in this race and this year it was another Argentinean lady Milena Mendez who won a thrilling 100-km ride spread over four stages.

HH Sheikh Mansoor Festival announces a series of rides for ladies in 2016

The HH Sheikh Mansoor Bin Zayed Al Nahyan Global Arabian Horse Flat Racing Festival announced a series for lady endurance riders for 2016 during a press conference on the eve of Saturday’s (November 28) HH Sheikha Fatima Bint Mubarak Ladies Endurance Cup CEN 100 km ride.

Over 100 lady riders are expected to start in Saturday’s ride at the Emirates International Endurance Village in Al Wathba under the directives of HH Sheikh Mansoor Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, UAE Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Presidential Affairs.

Huyam, a four-year-old grey filly from Nizam won the HH Sheikh Mansoor Bin Zayed Al Nahyan Global Arabian Horse Flat Racing Festival’s Wathba Stud Farm Cup for Private Owners Only in Abu Dhabi at the Abu Dhabi Equestrian Club racecourse on Sunday, November 22, 2015.

Royston Ffrench on Huyam beat back a challenging run from AF Rafia to give UAE trainer Helal Al Alawi a smart win in Dh. 80,000 turf contest over 1600 metres.

Wathba Stud Farm Cup makes memorable Al Ain debut

The HH Sheikh Mansoor Bin Zayed Al Nahyan Global Arabian Horse Flat Racing Festival’s Wathba Stud Farm Cup made a memorable debut at the Al Ain racecourse and the victory of Latifa Princess saddled by Veronica Aske added another chapter to the Festival’s success.

The Norwegian Aske, who made her first trip to Abu Dhabi as a participant in the Festival’s HH Sheikha Fatima Bint Mubarak Ladies World Championship a couple of years ago, soon took to training and now in her very first race as a Trainer she struck at the Al Ain race course on Friday, November 20.

HH Sheikh Hamdan Bin Mansoor Bin Zayed Al Nahyan strikes with first runner

It was a repeat show by MH Kanz when the 4-year-old chestnut filly under Jose Santiago won the HH Sheikh Mansoor Bin Zayed Al Nahyan Global Arabian Horse Flat Racing Festival’s Wathba Stud Farm Cup race at the Abu Dhabi Equestrian Club race course on Sunday, November 15, 2015.

 The Elise Jeanne-trained MH Kanz had made a winning debut in the Wathba Stud Farm Cup race a year ago and then went without a win in six races since then but on Sunday, the Akbar filly showed great character when fighting it out with AF Al Alama to get back to winning ways.