H.H. Sheikh Mansoor Bin Zayed Al Nahyan Global Arabian Flat Racing Festival

OFFICIAL WEBSITE / Photos by Morhaf

Successful appearance for Arabian Races in Down Under

Melbourne – Australia (27/Jan/2012): Warrawee Naaziq under by Kim Noble won the first leg of the Shaikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan Cup at the Moonee Valley Racecourse here on Friday evening.

The eight-year-old gelded son of Trystan is owned and trained by Noble at her private stables in Lancefield and this was the second time to get onboard.

The race was held on the 2040m distance of the Cox Plate and the winner covered the 2040m in 2:27:15 seconds.

Loretta Beckman, riding public favourite Franshar Park K Shar, finished a length and a quarter back in second place and behind them came the Swiss contester Catherine Buri astride Blakes Heaven Bombora in third.
In the HH Shaikha Fatima bint Mubarak ladies IFAHR Cup, a handicap event contested over a mile, top weight Ridgecrest made all under Jady Pietrasiewicz to win by more than five lengths to the run of the judge.

“He picked up nicely and was always surprising me,” said a delighted Dutch amateur rider. It’s one for my country and the better is still to come,” she said. Chardonnay Park Rasheeka, ridden by Phillipa Tutty took second and the French rider Barbara Guenet, riding Wantley Kaliph, walked away with the third place honours.

HE Ali Nasser Al Naimi, UAE ambassador to Australia and New Zealand said: “The brilliant intiative by HH Shaikha Fatima and Shaikh Manour bin Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan, UAE Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Presidential Affairs, made our job easier. This hard work coupled with the investments of Darley and Shadwell put the name of the UAE in the mouth of everybody.”

The same opinion was echoed by HE Noura Khalifa Al Suwaidi, Director of the Emirates General Women's Association and chairperson of the UAE Women Sport and praised the dedication of the UAE and Arab riders to make their presence felt at this international arena.

Lara Sawya, director of the Shaikh Mansour bin Zayed Global Arabian Racing Festival thanked the festival’s partners, sponsors and supporters for all what they have been doing to ensure the success of this national campaign.

Abdulla Al Hashemi, military attaché of the UAE embassy said the festival is doing a great job in promoting this noble creature which played and still playing an important part of our past and future.

Khaled Hassan, director of sports affairs at the General authority for Youth and Sports Welfare thanked HH Shaikha Fatima bint Mubarak and Shaikh Mansour bin Zayed Al Nahyan pointing out that the wise leadership of the UAE has always been behind the great initiatives and bright ideas.

The Shaikh Mansoor Bin Zayed Al Nahyan Global Arabian Flat Racing Festival is organized by the Abu Dhabi Authority for Culture and Heritage (ADACH) and co-ordinated by Abu Dhabi Sports Council in association with Emirates Arabian Horse Society and IFAHR, supported by Fegentri with Emirates airlines as the official carrier and sponsored by Invest AD, Al Rashid Investment, Areej Al Ameerat, Mauzan, Alasabeh Al Sihriya, Al Awani General Enterprises, Kabale, the UAE's General Women's Union, the Sheikha Fatima Bint Mubarak Ladies Sports Academy, Abu Dhabi International Hunting and Equestrian Exhibition 2012, Wathba Stud Farm and Abu Dhabi Equestrian Club and General Authority for Youth and Sports Welfare.