16 runners in fray for HH Sheikha Fatima race
Quality field for Sheikh Zayed Cup in Toulouse

With all those who participated in the 4th World Arabian Racing Conference 2013 in attendance the HH Sheikh Mansoor bin Zayed Al Nahyan Global Horse Flat Racing Festival will host on Sunday, June 9 two class races at the Toulouse racecourse here in France.

The Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan Cup, which will be run as a Listed Race while for the first time the HH Sheikha Fatima bint Mubarak Ladies World Championship (IFAHR) race will see 16 lady jockeys competing to win and book a berth at the season-ending world championship race in Abu Dhabi.

The Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan Cup (Listed) race is open to three-year-olds and will be run over 1600 metres.

The race has attracted a small but quality field with Burj Khalifa owned by His Highness Sheikh Khalifa Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, President of the UAE and  Haajab and Sha’red owned by HH Sheikh Mansoor bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Presidential Affairs and Lady Wish, owned by Sheikh Tahnoon bin Zayed Al Nahyan.

The runners and jockeys in the 4th race of Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan Cup (Listed) race this year are Burj Khalifa (Christophe Soumillon), Haajab (Jean-Baptiste Hamel)Shar’ed (David Morrison), Major (Francois-Xavier Bertras), Lady Wish (Ioritz Mendizabal), Datari (Manon Scabndella), Syrianah (Roberto Cartier).

Sunday’s second race of importance is the HH Sheikha Fatima bint Mubarak Ladies World Championship (IFAHR) event which is open only to lady jockeys in a move to promote them worldwide.

After an impressive draw on Friday, the following horses and lady jockeys were drawn together:Forgehill Cartier (Alexandra Bihari), Mamdouh Al Khalediah ( Lena Maria Mattes), Vigorous (Marie Artu), Rondo Of Grimaudie (Julie Henderson), Artex (Caroline Brunaud), Vizir Faust (Victoria  Allers), Sahess Lotois (Mary Guy), Panamix (Lara The Geay), Volga Faust (Samara Johnson), Labwah (Ingrid Grard), Shagra Du Jos (Duygu Fatura), Kassioune (Hana ) Daanah (LC Vethaak), Thaaniya (Joanna Richards), Volcane of Croatian (Josefin Landgren) and Chantilly Forgehill (Marion Dufreche).

“The prize fund for both races is Euros 20,000 each and this makes the HH Sheikha Fatima bint Mubarak Ladies World Championship (IFAHR) race the richest ever for lady jockeys,” said Ms Lara Sawaya, Director of HH Sheikh Mansoor Bin Zayed Al Nahyan Global Arabian Horse Flat Racing Festival and Head of International Federation of Arabian Horse Racing Authorities (IFAHR) Ladies.

“The HH Sheikh Mansoor bin Zayed Al Nahyan Global Horse Flat Racing Festival has been in Toulouse before but this Sunday with some of the world’s most passionate officials and friends of the Purebred Arabian horse will see them racing under girls which is a great initiative by 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,” Ms Sawaya remarked.

“Apart from this we have the UAE Ambassadors of so many countries who are here to back the initiative of HH Sheikh Mansoor bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Presidential Affairs and one expect equally exciting contests on the tracks on Sunday,” she said.