Curtain comes down on 2018 HH Sheikh Mansoor Festival activities
Gala Dinner Ends Festival Finale

The curtain came down on the 2018 activities of the HH Sheikh Mansoor Bin Zayed Al Nahyan Global Arabian Horse Flat Racing Festival with a Gala Dinner at the Ritz Carlton on Saturday night where officials, representatives of sponsors and media persons were honored.

Mubarak Al Nuaimi - Director of External Promotion Department, Abu Dhabi Department of Culture and Tourism said the Festival was a huge success and had made a huge impact of Arabian horse racing all over the world.

Ms. Sawaya thanked all the sponsors for their support and added, “The year 2018 has been a milestone year for the Festival and the and this success was possible only due to the support of His Highness Sheikh Mansoor Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Deputy Prime Minister of the UAE and Minister of Presidential Affairs and Her Highness Sheikha Fatima Bint Mubarak, Chairwoman of the General Women's Union, Supreme President of the Family Development Foundation (FDF) and Head of the Supreme Council for Motherhood and Childhood.”

Al Ghailani on Almendra JV scores maiden win

Abdul Rahman Saeed Saleh Al Ghailani on Almendra JV scored his first ever career win when he finish on top of the pack in the 120-km Al Wathba Challenge Endurance ride which was held on Saturday in Al Wathba on the sidelines of the HH Sheikh Mansoor Bin Zayed Al Nahyan Global Arabian Horse Flat Racing Festival finale of their 2018 calendar of events. Al Ghailani’s win came on the 9-year-old chestnut mare from Al Wathba Stables which belongs to HH Sheikh Mansoor Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, UAE Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Presidential Affairs. While registering his first career win, Al Ghailani on Almendra JV, who started the final phase in 5th place, whipped up a pace of over 33 kmph in the final loop and that helped him finish first in a time of 4 hours 16 minutes and 15 seconds for the 120-km distance. Fellow UAE rider Abdulla Ghanim Al Marri on Inshalla Slagger finished second a minute later while in third place was Oman’s Issa Radhawan on LM Tremendo. The UAE’s Hamad Obaid Rashed Al Kaabi on Unzo took fourth place and all the four top riders were awarded a car each for their effort. “I thank HH Sheikh Mansoor and the trainer Majid Al Jahouri for their support which helped me win my first ride in five years,” the winning Al Ghailani said.

Dr. Ghanim Al-Hajri, Secretary-General of the UAE Equestrian and Racing Federation, Adnan Sultan Al Nuaimi, Director General of Abu Dhabi Equestrian Club and 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 trophies and keys of the cars to the winners.

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 Festival / Satya Narayan
Photos: Morhaf Al Assaf