After Shadiyda, owned by HH Sheikh Mansoor bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Presidential Affairs, trained by Eric Lemartinel and ridden by Gerald Avranche, won the Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan Cup (Prestige) race, the young Sheikh Mohammed distributed the trophies to the winners.

On the sidelines of Sunday’s race meeting, the HH Sheikh Mansoor bin Zayed Al Nahyan Global Arabian Racing Festival, organized by the Abu Dhabi Authority for Culture and Heritage (ADACH), held an impressive prize distribution ceremony attended by trainers and jockeys invited from Europe and leading UAE officials.

Sheikh Mohammed presented the awards to Al Khalidiah Stables manager HE Sheikh Mutlaq bin Mushrif Al Qahtani and trainer Jean-Francois Bernard for their horse their horse, Muqatil Al Khalidiah winning the HH Sheikh Mansoor bin Zayed Al Nahyan Global Arabian Racing Festival’s Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan Cup’s three-race series held in France, Holland and Poland.

Mr. Ciaran Madden, Ambassador of Ireland to the UAE, HE Humaid Al Neyadi, General Manager of HH Sheikh Mansoor’s Private Office, Mr. Abdullah Al Qubaisi, Director of Communications Department at ADACH, Ms Lara Sawaya, Director of HH Sheikh Mansoor bin Zayed Al Nahyan Global Arabian Racing Festival, Mr. Declan Hegarty as Managing Director, Global Investment Banking – Financing, MENA region, Mr Stephen Bowey representing Invest AD, Mussalam Alamri, Racing Manager for HH Sheikh Mansoor and Mr. Adnan Sultan Al Nueimi, ADEC Director General and other officials also attended the prize distribution ceremony.

Abdullah Al Qubaisi said, “It has given us great satisfaction as the final race for the 2010 HH Sheikh Mansoor Festival brought an end to a highly successful series. We congratulate all the winners and hope that the series will help create awareness in Purebred Arabian horses all over the world.”

“The Festival will be bigger next year. Today’s function was attended by leading trainers and jockeys who have expressed their delight and have praised the Festival for what it is doping in the racing world,” Lara Sawaya said.

“We have been part of most of the equestrian activities but the HH Sheikh Mansoor Festival has been a very rewarding event. The response has been tremendous and we at Invest AD are glad to be part of it,” Stephen Bowey said.

Mussalam Alamri said, “The Festival has concluded but the Wathba Cup has just started in the UAE. This race series for Private Owners will go a long way in helping the Purebred Arabian racing and breeding programmes in the UAE.”

Sunday’s Wathba Cup race was won by Mooser, with trainer Eric Lemartinel and jockey Gerald Avranche complete a double in the two main races of Abu Dhabi’s opening meeting of the 2010-11 season.

The His Highness Sheikh Mansoor Bin Zayed Al Nahyan for Global Arabian horse flat-racing series is organized by The Abu Dhabi Authority for Culture and Heritage (ADACH) in co-ordination with the Abu Dhabi Sports Council with support from the Bonyan International Investment Group, Invest AD, Areej Al Amerat, Wathba Stud Farm, Abu Dhabi Equestrian Club and the Abu Dhabi International Hunting and Equestrian Exhibition 2011.