11 September 2014, Abu Dhabi ~ The Arabian horse racing world has received another boost from the HH Sheikh Mansoor bin Zayed Al Nahyan Global Arabian Horse Flat Racing Festival with the introduction of a bonus for the American Triple Jewel and the upgrade of the prize money of the European Triple Crown during the 2015 season.
USA Triple Jewel
“Under the directives of HH Sheikh Mansoor bin Zayed Al Nahyan, UAE Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Presidential Affairs, the festival opens a new chapter in its book of success and achievements with the launching of the $150,000 Triple Jewel,” said Lara Sawaya, Executive Director of the HH Sheikh Mansoor Bin Zayed Al Nahyan Global Arabian Horse Flat Racing Festival and Chairman of the Ladies Racing Committee in the International Federation of Arabian Horse Racing Authorities (IFAHR).
“The prize money of the Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan Cup in Europe and USA will remain unchanged (€35,000 each) and its equivalent in US dollars respectively ($47,800), but the new development is a bonus of $150,000 for the newly introduced Triple Jewel for US and the increase of the bonus for Europe to Euro 50,000,” she confirmed.
The American Triple Jewel competition will be held at three race tracks, according to Kathryn Smoke, President of the US Arabian Jockey Club. Sawaya and USA’s representative, Sam Vasquez, announced the three locations as: Leg one will be the Amethyst (7F) run at Sam Houston, Texas, on April 8, followed by the Emerald at Pleasanton, California, July 5 (12F), then the Diamond at Los Alamitos, California, in September, (1mile), bringing the total number of the festival’s races to in America to 24.
Points will be awarded for finishing position, and a $150,000.00 bonus will be awarded to the horse with the most points that runs in at least two of the series races. The award will be given in Abu Dhabi at the championship races in November 2015.
European Triple Crown
Sawaya noted that the bonus for the European Triple Crown will be increased to Euro 50,000 and Edwina Stud, the owners of the French horse Amaretto, the only winner of the trophy for three seasons in a row, will receive the trophy on the final day of the festival’s competitions (2014) in the capital of the world’s Arabian horse races Abu Dhabi on November 9. For the European Triple Crown, Sawaya confirmed that the races will be held in Toulouse, Holland and Poland, also under the umbrella of the International Federation of Arabian Horse Racing Authorities (IFAHR).
“The race which will be held in Warsaw in coincidence with the World Arabian Horse Races Conference 2015 will not be part of the championship. There’s an International Sheikh Zayed bin Sutan Al Nahyan Cup (Listed) to be held at the same venue in August, which will be the final leg of the Triple Crown that was launched in 2010 for the European horses,” Sawaya clarified.
New International Darley Awards Added
Sawaya announced that, two new categories have been added to the 11 categories of the HH Sheikha Fatima bint Mubarak Darley Awards that will be at the home of the Oscars in Los Angeles, California, from 2015. (location also of 2014 Awards)
Sawaya said the 2015 Lifetime Achievement’s title will be awarded this time to a specific lady who has been doing everything right, but she declined to elaborate.
“This lifetime achievement award will not be restricted to the sponsors alone, and the winning lady could be from any other party. Also, the endurance associations around the world will be asked to nominate one jockey for the award and the judges will make the final selection,” she added.
Appreciation
Mubarak Al Naimi, representing the Tourism and Culture Authority (TCA), Ahmed Al Fahim, TDC, Salah Al Hashemi, ASC, Nadeem Lahd, Emirates Airline and Sheikh Hamad Al Sharqi, Invest Ad have all reiterated their commitment to the noble objectives of the festival and lauded the creative thinking to spread the Arabian races around the globe.
Genny Haynes, IFAHR vice-president and executive board member and Sam Vasquez from the Arabian Racing Cup welcomed the incredible support of the festival for the Arabian races in Europe, USA and elsewhere saying that without the backing of HH Sheikh Mansoor bin Zayed Al Nahyan, they would have struggled hard for survival.
Finally, Sawaya urged the owners to stay tuned, the trainers to saddle their horses and the jockeys to polish their boots to battle it out for the richest bonus for the Arabian races around the world.
The HH Sheikh Mansoor bin Zayed Al Nahyan Global Arabian Horse Flat Racing Festival is organised by the Abu Dhabi Tourism and Culture Authority and coordinated by Abu Dhabi Sports Council in association with Emirates Racing Authority, IFAHR and Emirates Arabian Horse Society, supported by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs , the General Authority of Youth and Sports Welfare with Arabtec Holding PJSC as the Official Partner and Emirates airline as the official carriers and sponsored by Invest AD, Tourism Development & Investment Company (TDIC), Abu Dhabi National Exhibition Centre (ADNEC), Al Rashid Investment, 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 2014, Dr. Nader Saab Switzerland, Al Wathba Center, Abu Dhabi Equestrian Club, Eastern Mangroves Suites-Abu Dhabi by Jannah, Abu Dhabi Sports Channel and Racing Post.
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