August 20, 2013, Wellington Racecourse, Ostend, Belgium ~ HH Sheikh Mansoor Festival boosts presence in BelgiumFollowing the success of the 2012 Wathba Stud Farm Cup in Ghlin, and Monday’s tremendous response to the Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan Cup(Listed) race in Ostend, the HH Sheikh Mansoor bin Zayed Al Nahyan Global Arabian Horse Flat Racing Festival made two announcements that were warmly welcomed by the racing fans at the Wellington racetrack on Monday.
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) for Ladies Racing, announced that from next year (2014) Ostend will be a stop for the HH Sheikha Fatima bint Mubarak World Ladies Championship race.
“With the Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan Cup (Listed) race as well as the lady jockeys making a debut in Belgium in the HH Sheikha Fatima bint Mubarak World Ladies Championship next August, it will be a huge step forward for Arabian racing here,” she said.
“His Highness Sheikh Mansoor bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Presidential Affairs and 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 are keen to continue their generous support to promote Arabian racing and we thank them for that,” Ms Sawaya said.
Ms Sawaya also introduced Anna van den Troost, the young jockey who will be making Belgium proud as its first representative in the HH Sheikha Fatima bint Mubarak World Ladies Championship race in Sweden next month.
“Anna is right now training and with Belgium also joining the championship it is another moment of pride for the HH Sheikh Mansoor Festival,” Ms Sawaya said.
“We will continue to innovate and make the HH Sheikh Mansoor Bin Zayed Al Nahyan Global Arabian Horse Flat Racing Festival effective and we also have a surprise lined up during the annual Abu Dhabi International Hunting and Equestrian Exhibition 2013. We will announce this later,” Ms Sawaya said.
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