Quality field for Sheikh Zayed Cup in Morocco

Marrakesh, Morocco - The HH Sheikh Mansoor Bin Zayed Al Nahyan Global Arabian Horse Flat Racing Festival will unveil four of its races at the Marrakesh race course in Morocco on Tuesday, April 24, 2018. 

The Sheikh Zayed Bin Sultan Al Nahyan Cup race headlines the Festival’s four races, the others being the HH Sheikha Fatima Bint Mubarak Ladies World Championship race, the HH Sheikha Fatima Bint Mubarak Apprentice World Championship race and the Wathba Stallions Cup race.

All four races are part of the Festival which was initiated in 2009 by HH Sheikh Mansour Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Deputy Prime Minister of the UAE and Minister of Presidential Affairs.

With the UAE celebrating 2018 as the Year of Zayed as it marks the 100th birth anniversary of the late Sheikh Zayed Bin Sultan Al Nahyan, the Sheikh Zayed Bin Sultan Al Nahyan Cup Listed race will carry a prize fund of Euros 35,000 and will be run over 1900 metres.

A strong field of 12 horses have entered and they include Kerchera, Metrag, Bachar De Carrere, Jazzar, Dalsimata Cole, Autza, Emir Des Vialettes, Bint Grine, Enigma Al Coyan, Risk De Riolat, Aoun and Amenvol.

In the HH Sheikha Fatima Bint Mubarak Ladies World Championship race, all eyes will be on local lady jockey Zinel El Briouil representing Morocco. Two professional jockeys- Poland’s Karolina Dynarowska and UK’s Alice Mills- are also in the fray. The others include Croatia’s Sara Giavarini, Denmark’s Lisa Lindbjerg, French rider Marie Lemartinel, Germany’s Eva Herresthal, Nadia Ibrahim from The Netherlands and Spanish jockey Beatriz Alonzo.

Ten jockeys will vie for top honors in the 1600-metre HH Sheikha Fatima Bint Mubarak Apprentice World Championship race which carries a prize fund of Euros 20,000. The winner of this race and the Ladies race will take part in the respective finals in November in Abu Dhabi.

The Wathba Stallions Cup race, which is aimed to boost Arabian racing at the lowest level has attracted nine runners and will be run over 1600 metres with a prize money of Euros 5,000.

“Last year we had a great response here in Marrakesh as the new race course was inaugurated and we also staged the World Arabian Racing Conference here,” said 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). “We are looking forward to an exciting race meeting,” she said. “This year in 2018 we not only mark the 10th anniversary of the Festival but more importantly the 100th birth anniversary of the late Sheikh Zayed Bin Sultan Al Nahyan, Founder and father of the UAE.”

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 carrier,  in cooperation with Emirates Racing Authority, IFHRA, IFAHR, Emirates Arabian Horse Society, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Abu Dhabi Youth Council, General Authority for Sports and sponsored by Ayadi LLC, Global United Veterinary Services LLC,  Nissan Middleast  Al Massood Automobiles, Nirvana Travels and Tourism LLC, Equicare Veterinary Services, Alawal Stud, Cavalos Equine Care & Supplies, SET Sustainable Environmental Technologies, Al Awani General Enterprises, Omeir Travels, Kabale, YAS Channel, Abu Dhabi Falconers Club, Emirates Falconers Club,  Mohammed Bin Zayed Falconry and Desert Physiognomy School,  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 2018, Abu Dhabi Equestrian Club, Anantara Eastern Mangroves Spa and Resort.

Source: HH SH Mansoor Festival / Satya Narayan
Photos: Morhaf Al Assaf