June 23, 2013, Netherlands ~Ameretto, Phraseur Kossack and Alibaba Del Sol emerged the winning horses in a triple delight of the HH Sheikh Mansoor Bin Zayed Al Nahyan Global Arabian Horse Flat Racing Festival at the historic Duindigt race course in The Netherlands on Sunday, June 23.
Dutch and other European fans of Purebred Arabian races were treated to some thrilling action when the HH Sheikh Mansoor Festival’s Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan Arabian Cup (Group 3) race, the HH Sheikha Fatima bint Mubarak Ladies World Championship IFAHR for lady jockeys and the Wathba Stud Farm Cup races featured the day’s meeting.
Photo: Morhaf
Ameretto (Amer x Win Taouy), second to Poulain Kossack in the Festival’s Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan Cup (Listed) race in Berlin two months ago, reversed that result when Mauro Manueddu came up with a superb ride to win Sunday’s Group 3 contest which carried a prize fund of Euros 25,000. Sartejano finished third. Ameretto is owned by Mrs. Manuela Scharefenberg and trained by G. Richter. 
The action then shifted to the lady jockeys who lined up in the prestigious HH Sheikha Fatima bint Mubarak Ladies World Championship IFAHR. Apart from a prize purse of Euros 20,000 the winner of this race secures a berth in the grand final championship race in Abu Dhabi in November and Michala Kucharikova clinched that ticket.
The Slovak lady jockey, riding Phraseur Kossack (Prince D’Orient x Pengalia Kossack), cruised home without even using the whip but the winning jockey was dislodged soon after crossing the finish line, but fortunately without any damage. Phraseur Kossack and stablemate, Poulian Kossack are owned and trained by Mr. Huub Otermans. 
Manueddu then completed his double for the day when he steered Alibaba Del Sol (Kerbella (FR) x A l’Aube del Sol) to a win in the 1800m Wathba Stud Farm Cup race. Alibaba Del Sol is owned and trained by Karin van den Bos.
HE Abdulla Hamdan Al Naqbi, the UAE Ambassador to the Kingdom of The Netherlands thanked His Highness the President Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan and his brother His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, UAE Vice-President and Prime Minister and Ruler of Dubai and their brothers the Members of the Supreme Council and Rulers of the emirates for their great support and backing for sports in general and horse racing in particular.
“I would like also to thank HH Sheikh Mansoor bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Presidential Affairs and HH Sheikha Fatima bint Mubarak, Mother of the UAE and 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, for their initiative to promote the Arabian horse and make our history and culture known worldwide,” he said.
HE Eisa Al Hammadi, Deputy to the UAE Ambassador to The Netherlands said, “It’s the far-sighted vision of our wise leadership that made all the difference.”
“Our embassy is regarded as one of the most active foreign embassies in The Netherlands and we receive preferential treatment from the Dutch authorities. We are very close to the authorities here and the image of our country is well preserved. Many people here have great passion for racing and they always look forward to the Festival’s activities as an important date on their social calendar,” he said.
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 Racing said the continued success of the Festival was a direct result of the support and vision of HH Sheikh Mansoor bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Presidential Affairs.
“The Netherlands is an important venue for Purebred Arabian racing. We have increased the number of the Wathba Stud Cup races to five in Holland and there’s more to come. This afternoon, we have organized three races which were TV streamlined live along with the other trot races by Abu Dhabi Sports Channel. We are attracting new sponsors all the time and there are more sponsors to be announced in due course,” she said.
The HH Sheikh Mansoor Bin Zayed Al Nahyan Global Arabian Horse Flat Racing Festival which is organized by the Abu Dhabi Tourism and Culture Authority and co-ordinated by Abu Dhabi Sports Council in association with Emirates Racing Authority, IFAHR and Emirates Arabian Horse Society, supported by General Authority for Youth and Sports Welfare and Fegentri with Emirates airlines as the official carrier and sponsored by Tourism Development & Investment Company (TDIC), Invest AD, Arabtec Holding PJSC, Al Rashid Investment, Areej Al Ameerat, Al Awani General Enterprises, Kabale, Al Wathba Centre, the UAE’s General Women’s Union, the HH Sheikha Fatima bint Mubarak Ladies Sports Academy, Abu Dhabi International Hunting and Equestrian Exhibition 2013, Dr. Nader Saab Switzerland, Wathba Stud Farm, Al Wathba Center, Abu Dhabi Equestrian Club, Eastern Mangroves Hotel and SPA and Eastern Mangroves Suites-Abu Dhabi by Jannah and Racing Post.
Photos: Morhaf
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