Sheikh Zayed Bin Sultan Al Nahyan Cup makes debut on July 24
as Hoppegarten welcomes back historic Grosser Preis von Berlin

The HH Sheikh Mansoor bin Zayed Al Nahyan Global Arabian Flat Racing Festival has chosen one of the most historic of race days in the German capital to stage its first-ever Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan Cup (Listed) race on July 24 at the Hoppegarten race course.

It will be the perfect advertisement for Purebred Arabian racing as the entire racing fraternity is looking forward to Sunday, July 24 when the Grosser Preis von Berlin (Deutschland Preis), the Euros 175,000 Group 1 race returns to its original home, the Hoppegarten race course in Berlin, after over 65 years!

The race was run at Berlin’s Hoppegarten racecourse from 1888 to 1908, moving across town to Grunewald from 1909 until 1933 (although not run in 1915) before returning to Hoppegarten from 1933 to 1944.

Renamed the Grosser Preis von Nordrhein-Westfalen it went to Dusseldorf in 1947 before going to Hamburg in 2010 but now returns to Berlin and will be the German capital’s first Group 1 race of modern era.

HE Mohammed Ahmed Mahmood, UAE Ambassador to Germany was at the head of a press conference held at the UAE Embassy in Berlin which was also attended by Ms Lara Sawaya, Director of HH Sheikh Mansoor bin Zayed Al Nahyan Global Arabian Flat Racing Festival and Sami Al Boueinen, IFAHR President among others.

HE Mohammed Ahmed Mahmood said, “We thank HH Sheikh Mansoor bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Presidential Affairs for staging these races here in Germany. There is a large presence of Purebred Arabian horses in the country and this move will help boost Arabian racing both in Germany as well as in Europe.”

“This is a matter of great pride for us as the Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan Cup (Listed) makes its debut in Berlin on a historic race meeting. This will be the first of two races that we will be organizing in Germany this month, the next in Frankfurt, and we are extremely pleased with the response so far to our move to support Arabian racing here in Germany,” said Ms Lara Sawaya, Director of HH Sheikh Mansoor bin Zayed Al Nahyan Global Arabian Flat Racing Festival.

“We are also extremely delighted to announce the HH Shaikha Fatma Bint Mubarak Ladies Fegentri Cup to be held in Frankfurt in 2012 and this race for Purebred Arabians will carry the richest purse for an Arabian race in Germany. This along with the Third World Arabian Racing Conference in Frankfurt makes Germany an important stop for the Festival next year,” she said.

Sami Al Boueinen, IFAHR President said, “With the HH Sheikh Mansoor bin Zayed Al Nahyan Global Arabian Flat Racing Festival’s 2012 World Arabian Racing Conference to be staged in Germany, we at IFAHR are glad to support and promote the Festival’s activities. Staging the Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan Cup on a historic race meeting on July 24 is another huge success as we have penetrated another major race meeting.”

Stephen Bowey, Executive Director of Invest AD, said, “It is an immense privilege for Invest AD to be part of the HH Sheikh Mansoor bin Zayed Al Nahyan Global Arabian Flat Racing Festival’s activities. It is a tremendous privilege to share the experience of Purebred Arabian racing with so many countries and this Festival is a good example of success.”

Gerhard Schoningh, who is the new owner of Hoppegarten racecourse and aims to return the famous old racecourse to its former pre-war glory, said, “We are excited with the classy field of runners that the Euros 175,000 Grossen Preis von Berlin (Group 1), the Euros 80,000 International Super-Handicap and the first-ever Euros 20,000 Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan Cup for Purebred Arabians has attracted. We are looking for to a historic race meeting.”

Dr. Paul-Jean Daverio, President of DRAV and Hans- Gerd Wernicke and Wolf-gang Figge, owner and trainer of Grossen Preis von Berlin (Group 1) favourite Night Magic also addressed the press conference.

The HH Sheikh Mansoor bin Zayed Al Nahyan Global Arabian Flat Racing Festival is organised 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 with support from Invest AD, Areej Al Ameerat, La Sirene, the UAE’s General Women’s Union, Abu Dhabi International Hunting and Equestrian Exhibition 2011, Wathba Stud Farm and Abu Dhabi Equestrian Club.