Aoun eyes second success in Sheikh Zayed Cup series

Ostend to stage three HH Sheikh Mansoor Festival races on Monday

Aoun winning Zayed Cup in Morocco

The Wellington racecourse in the Belgian city of Ostend will on Monday, August 20, 2018 play host to three races under the umbrella of the HH Sheikh Mansoor Bin Zayed Al Nahyan Global Arabian Horse Flat Racing Festival.

The Sheikh Zayed Bin Sultan Al Nahyan Cup Group 3 race with a prize fund of Euros 35,000 will be run over 1800 metres and has attracted eight runners while the Festival’s HH Sheikha Fatima Bint Mubarak Apprentice World Championship race will see 10 entries vying for a slice of the Euros 20,000 on offer.

The HH Sheikh Mansoor Bin Zayed Al Nahyan Global Arabian Horse Flat Racing Festival’s HH Sheikha Lateefa Bint Mansoor Bin Zayed Al Nahyan International Pony championship race has nine young jockeys in the fray.

Aoun, a Mahabb colt owned by Yas Horse Racing Management - the horse racing arm of HH Sheikh Mansoor Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Deputy PM of the UAE and Minister of Presidential Affairs- starts as favourite in the Group 3 Sheikh Zayed Cup. The Antoine De Watrigant-trained Aoun has won the Sheikh Zayed Bin Sultan Al Nahyan Cup (Listed) race at the Marrakesh race course in Morocco earlier in April. 

Other runners in this 1800-metre race are Lightning Bolt, Lightfleet, Furry, Lou Rayyal, Rijm, Jamas D.A and Mirabella.

In the HH Sheikha Fatima Bint Mubarak Apprentice World Championship race Dynamites, Storm Trouper, Ziggy D.A, El Zarka D.A, Kao Kat MHF, Suman D.A, Tasha D.A, Eau Divine, Elsa de Faust, Ezzahra du Breuil are the 10 horses that will carry Apprentice Jockeys in the 1000-metre race. The winning Apprentice Jockey will qualify for the November final of the HH Sheikha Fatima Bint Mubarak Apprentice World Championship in Abu Dhabi.

Similarly the nine young jockeys in the pony race will be looking to win and qualify for the final of the HH Sheikha Lateefa Bint Mansoor Bin Zayed Al Nahyan International Pony championship.

Xim de Landsheer, Seppe Balcaen, Xsana Brandts, Seppe van der Donck, Jef Verbeech, Iluna Coryn, Yana Van Rooy, James van der Scheuren, Ruben van der Scheuren are the young jockeys in the Pony race.

“We thank HH Sheikh Mansoor Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Deputy PM of the UAE and Minister of Presidential Affairs for all these races for Purebred Arabian horses and all activities under the Festival,” 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).

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