Ten horses have been declared to battle it to the wire in the 18th round of the Wathba Stud Farm Cup III International at the Muelheim/ Ruhr Racecourse on Saturday.
The race which is open for three-year-olds and above and carries a total purse of Euro 2.000 in prize-money will be contested over a mile with top weight Badjy looking good to cross the finish line ahead of the rest. The six-year-old by Dormane ex Badjaya has won one of his ten starts this season and finished in the money on four other occasions.
But, the well-bred Dutch contender Senna O. A. poses the immediate danger. The four-year-old colt of Marwan from Saffiah is lightly raced. He took part in six races, won once and finished respectable second and third twice.
Meanwhile, trainer Mrs. Bianca van der Harst saddles Detroit, a four-year-old son of Arc Kossack, who struck twice this season in six starts and claimed Euro 3.475.00 from eight appearances.
Among the other runners stands the Dutch-bred Phraseur Kossack, another tough performer by Prince d’Orient from Pengalia Kossack, daughter of the Arabian racing legend Bengali d’Albert.
“We are now very close to the end of the season and the series are growing bigger and bigger. Horses are coming from around Europe and elsewhere to compete in the 18th round of the series. This is further evidence that the competition is on the right track. The race has attracted a strong field of ten runners and this is a great achievement by itself,” said Abdulla Al Qubaisi, director of Communications, Abu Dhabi Tourism and Culture Authority said.
“The series which are originally designed to support small breeders and farmers has received the cooperation of all parties involved and proceeding from one success to another,” he added.
“Our immediate target at the authority is to set up a long term strategy for varying events, including the Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan Cup and HH Sheikha Fatima bint Mubarak Ladies World Championship IFAHR,” he added.
Lara Sawaya, director of the HH Sheikh Mansoor bin Zayed Al Nahyan Global Arabian Horse Racing Festival and Head of IFAHR ladies racing said: “Muelheim is another stopover in the road of success. We are truly delighted to see small owners and trainers sending their best racing Arabian horses to compete in the Wathba Stud Farm series. Horses are coming from within the old continent and other parts of the world to make their presence felt.
“Once again, we would like to assert that the farsightedness vision and directives of HH Sheikh Mansoor bin Zayed Al Nahyan in launching this campaign is paying dividends and the Arabian horse has regained its true value around the globe,” she added.
Abdul Rahim Al Hashemi, director of public relations and external cooperation at the Women’s General Union praised the role of the festival in promoting UAE and Abu Dhabi worldwide.
The 18th round of the series is held under the directives of HH Sheikh Mansoor bin Zayed Al Nahyan, UAE Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Presidential Affairs, as part of the 4th edition of the HH Sheikh Mansoor bin Zayed Al Nahyan Global Arabian Flat Racing Festival.
The HH Sheikh Mansoor bin Zayed Al Nahyan Global Arabian Flat Racing Festival is organized by the Abu Dhabi Tourism and Culture Authority and co-ordinated by Abu Dhabi Sports Council in association with Emirates Racing Authority, IFAHR and Emirates Arabian Horse Society, supported by General Authority for Youth and Sports Welfare and Fegentri with Emirates airlines as the official carrier and sponsored by Invest AD, Al Rashid Investment, Areej Al Ameerat, Mauzan, AlAwani General Enterprises, Kabale, the UAE’s General Women’s Union, the HH Sheikha Fatima bint Mubarak Ladies Sports Academy, Abu Dhabi International Hunting and Equestrian Exhibition 2012,Wathba Stud Farm and Abu Dhabi Equestrian Club.
