HH Sheikh Mansoor Festival to stage Wathba Cup races in Brazil on Saturday

Roberlei Viana Filho / Heron HVP

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.

The two races – the GP Munjiz - Wathba Stud Farm Cup over 1400 metres and the GP Unchained Melody - Wathba Stud Farm Cup over 1200 metres are part of Saturday’s Arabian Racing Day.

The contenders in the GP Munjiz - Wathba Stud Farm Cup are: Adoraddo VE, Carmel AJR, Marei RACH, Mars Samuray HEC, Papiro Do Bom Viver, Rhondo RACH, Heron HVP, Kazan RB, Rayan El Madan and Mahogany HVP.

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.

The runners in the GP Unchainned Melody - Wathba Stud Farm Cup include Zinia VE, the horse that came second to Heron VHP last year under William Duarte. The other runners are Vaneska RACH, Blue Bonnet RACH, Orchestra RACH, Cantiga VE, Zells Kate, Geena AJR, Maisa do Bagda, Guinevere RACH and Rhondda RACH.

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, “We are happy to stage the Wathba Stud Farm Cup races in Brazil as this is the most important race series under the Festival’s umbrella that encourages the growth of Purebred Arabian racing at the grass-roots level.”

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: Cidinha Franzão