16 horses to line up for the world’s richest Purebred Arabian race Euros 1.2 million Sheikh Zayed Bin Sultan Al Nahyan Jewel Crown (Group1)

10 September 2015, Abu Dhabi, UAE ~ History will be written on 8 November 2015 when the HH Sheikh Mansoor Bin Zayed Al Nahyan Global Arabian Horse Flat Racing Festival stages the Euros 1.2 million Sheikh Zayed Bin Sultan Al Nahyan Jewel Crown (Group1) at the Abu Dhabi Equestrian Club as part of the Festival’s ‘One World, Six Continents’ extravaganza.

Four top Arabian races for 8 November in Abu Dhabi

Details of the Sheikh Zayed Bin Sultan Al Nahyan Jewel Crown, the world’s richest Purebred Arabian race; the HH Sheikha Fatima Bint Mubarak Ladies World Championship final race; the HH Sheikha Fatima Bint Mubarak Apprentice World Championship race; and the Wathba Stud Farm Cup race were announced at a press conference held on the sidelines of the Abu Dhabi International Hunting and Equestrian Exhibition (ADIHEX) 2015 on Thursday 10 September.

Dr. Abdulla Elreyes, Director General of the National Archives; Sheikh Hamdan Al Sharqi, Invest AD; Sultan Aouda, Managing Director of National Feed & Flour Production & Marketing Company (LLC); Mubarak Al Nuaimi,TCA Abu Dhabi; Essam Abdulla, Emirates Arabian Horse Society (EHRS); Khalid Al Hamadi, General Authority of Youth & Sports Welfare (GAYSW); Nadim Lahad, Emirates Airline; Pat Buckley, Director of Racing at Abu Dhabi Equestrian Club; Khalid Al Qubaisi from ADNEC and Ms Lara Sawaya, Chairperson of the IFHRA, Executive Director of the HH Sheikh Mansoor Bin Zayed Al Nahyan Global Arabian Horse Flat Racing Festival and Chairman of Ladies & Apprentice Racing Committees in the International Federation of Arabian Horse Racing Authorities addressed the press conference with Sheikh Hamed Bin Khadim Al Hamed and Ebrahim Abdul Malik, Secretary General of General Authority of Youth and Sports Welfare (GAYSW) in attendance.

A field of 16 top-rated runners, three from the US, three from Europe, three from the GCC nations, and the rest from the UAE, will line up for the 1 mile (1600m) turf race with the stipulation that only one horse may be finally entered by each owner.

Nominated horses will first be vetted by the National Registry (EAHS) for eligibility, then sent to the OC for consideration for an invitation to the Sheikh Zayed Bin Sultan Al Nahyan Jewel Crown.

Mr. Essam Abdulla of EAHS said, “The main objective is to improve the quality of our breeding because this is our identity and for this reason we need to protect our industry and protect the breed.”

All expenses will be paid for all invited horses to the Jewel Crown on 8 November and the entire day’s card will be sponsored by the Festival, according to Ms. Sawaya.

“The main race, the Sheikh Zayed Bin Sultan Al Nahyan Jewel Crown, carries a total purse of 1.2million Euros while the prize-money for the HH Sheikha Fatima Bint Mubarak Ladies World Championship (IFAHR) is Dh200.000. The HH Sheikha Fatima Bint Mubarak Apprentice World Championship (IFAHR) final will carry a total prize-money of Dh150.000 with Dh 80.000 for the Wathba Stud Farm Cup race and Dh 80.000 and Dh 90.000 for the other supporting two races respectively. There will also be a 10% Breeders Bonus awarded in addition to the prize money,” Sawaya confirmed.

ADIHEX, a four-day exhibition, is in its 12th season at the Abu Dhabi National Exhibition Centre. It is now one of the four largest hunting shows in the world and this year has a showroom area of more than 17,000 square metres with 48 countries participating from  640 companies.

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 in cooperation with Emirates Racing Authority, IFAHR, Emirates Arabian Horse Society, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, General Authority of Youth and Sports Welfare with The National Archives as the official partner and Emirates airline as the official carriers and sponsored by Invest AD, National Feed and Flour Production and Marketing Co. LLC, Bloom, Petromal, Rise General Trading Co. LLC, Hayatna, Tourism Development & Investment Company (TDIC), Abu Dhabi National Exhibition Centre (ADNEC), Al Awani General Enterprises, Kabale, 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 2015, Dr. Nader Saab Switzerland, Al Wathba Center, Abu Dhabi Equestrian Club, Eastern Mangroves Suites-Abu Dhabi by Jannah, Yas Channel, Omeir Travels, Racing Post and Laboratories Fadia Karam Cosmetics.

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