Wathba Stallions race in Chelmsford on July 15

Chelmsford, UK - The HH Sheikh Mansoor Bin Zayed Al Nahyan Global Arabian Horse Flat Racing Festival’s Wathba Stallions series will make its debut in Chelmsford City racecourse in Essex, UK on Saturday, July 15, 2017.

The UK’s Arabian Racing Organisation welcomed the Wathba Stallions series to Chelmsford City Racecourse and the July 15 Wathba Stallions race meeting will be the first of three full Arabian race meetings at the Essex track this season, the other two fixtures scheduled for 12th August and 16th September, 2017. The Wathba Stallions series offers welcome support to the grass roots with the seven-race card for July 15 including two maidens and a range of handicaps to cater for all grades. Gemma Cobb, Arabian Racing Organisation Racing Operations Executive said: “It is a pleasure to host the Wathba Stallions Series again this season. ARO is extremely grateful for the continued support of the HH Sheikh Mansoor Bin Zayed Al Nahyan Global Arabian Horse Flat Racing Festival’s and it’s Executive Director Ms. Lara Sawaya. Our full meetings have always been very well received at Chelmsford City by the local race-goers and the staff, and it promises to be an exciting afternoon of racing.” “We are looking forward to the Festival’s races in the UK this season,” said Ms. Lara Sawaya, Executive Director of the HH Sheikh Mansoor Bin Zayed Al Nahyan Global Arabian Horse Flat Racing Festival, Chairperson of 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).

“Purebred Arabian racing in the UK is at a high level and all the Festival’s races attract good entries and the quality of racing is very promising,” she said.

ENTRIES FOR THE AUGUST 12th SHEIKH ZAYED BIN SULTAN AL NAHYAN CUP

The entry list for the HH Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan Cup (Gr1PA) to be run at Chelmsford City racecourse on Saturday 12th August includes an exciting range of up and coming young horses such as recent French Derby second Ahzar, and two course winners in Naishaan and Alazeez. The proven older horses include Kalino, the winner of the 2015 HH Sheikh Zayed Bin Sultan Al Nahyan Jewel Crown (Gr1 PA), which, with a prize fund of €1.2 million Euros, is the world’s richest Arabian horse race.

Naishaan and Joanna Mason astride winning a Wathba Stallions (Wathba Stud Farm Cup) race in Hereford, UK last year.

This race is the highlight of HH Sheikh Mansoor Festival’s events in the UK, which for the first time will be run as part of a full evening of Purebred Arabian racing at Chelmsford City racecourse. The Group 1 contest, with a £80,000 prize fund will be supported by the two HH Sheikha Fatima Bint Mubarak World Championship (IFAHR) series races for Lady and Apprentice riders as well as a further three Wathba Stallion Cup races. Staged as part of Chelmsford’s successful music night series, the event will conclude with live music from UB40.

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, 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 Ayadi LLC, Global United Veterinary Services LLC,  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, 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 2017, 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