DUBAI — The 2010-11 season’s inaugural race for the Wathba Stud Farm Cup as part of the Shaikh Mansour Bin Zayed Al Nahyan Global Arabian Horse Flat Racing Festival kicks off today at the Avenches race course in Switzerland, a press release said.
The Festival is being organised by the Abu Dhabi Authority of Culture and Heritage (ADACH) .

Six horses including two owned by Shaikh Mansour bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Deputy Prime Minister of the UAE and Minister of Presidential Affairs, are taking part in the 1800-metre race which is open for 3-years-old and above.

Shaikh Mansoor’s Rami, a colt to be ridden by Jean-Baptiste Hamel, and Tarfa, a filly to be ridden by Julien Martin, will run in the green and yellow colours. Both horses are trained by Jean-Francois Bernard and have won their last races coming into this Swiss race.

Germany’s Terska, French duo of Banjo Du Loup and Bella de Brugere and Swiss runner Nil lshan Ibnal Sable complete the small field.

Abdullah Al Qubaisi, Director of Communications, Abu Dhabi Authority of Culture and Heritage, said, “We can hardly believe that we are now at the beginning of another exciting series. This is the first time that we are organising a race in Switzerland and we hope it will be a success like the previous races.

“ADACH hopes that this first race in Switzerland will help revive and spread Purebred Arabian racing in this part of Europe.

Once again we have to thank Shaikh Mansour for his support and going by the success of the past races we are sure this will be a huge success,” Al Qubaisi said.

Lara Sawaya, Director of Shaikh Mansour bin Zayed Al Nahyan Global Arabian Horse Flat Racing Festival, said, “We are excited with the debut of the Wathba Stud Farm Cup race here at this beautiful Avenches race course.”