Eleven lady jockeys will get to test their riding skills on a snow race track on the frozen lake in St. Moritz in Switzerland on Sunday, thanks to the HH Sheikh Mansoor bin Zayed Al Nahyan Global Arabian Horse Flat Racing Festival.

Providing the lady jockeys this unique experience is the HH Sheikh Mansoor bin Zayed Al Nahyan Global Arabian Horse Flat Racing Festival’s HH Sheikha Fatima bint Mubarak Ladies World Championship race and the winner here will qualify to race in the championship finale in November in Abu Dhabi.

While a draw of lots has put Briton Rachael Kneller on the favourite Alibaba Del Sol, Irish lady Nora Lobby will be on Athlete Del Sol the second favourite.

Trainer of both the horses Karin van den Bos and owner of both the horses Langoeld Waterland will be looking for another Dutch double like the one they achieved here a fortnight ago.

On February 8 in the Festival’s Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan Cup (Listed) race, Alibaba Del Sol under Daniel Porcu and Athlete Del Sol under Andre Best completed a 1-2 and depending on the skills of the lady jockeys, one of them could once again visit the winner’s enclosure on Sunday.

“This is going to be an exciting contest on the White Turf with one of the best crowds packing this venue on the frozen lake among the stunningly beautiful, snow-capped mountains of St Moritz,” said Ms Lara Sawaya, Executive Director of the HH Sheikh Mansoor bin Zayed Al Nahyan Global Arabian Horse Flat Racing Festival, Chairman of the International Federation of Horse Racing Academies (IFHRA) and Chairman of Ladies & Apprentice Racing Committees in the International Federation of Arabian Horse Racing Authorities (IFAHR).

“The Del Sol pair of horses have been multiple winners of events organised by the HH Sheikh Mansoor bin Zayed Al Nahyan Global Arabian Horse Flat Racing Festival at various venues and along with the nine other runners are all set to showcase yet another trait of the Purebred Arabian horse while racing on the ice and snow here in St Moritz,” she added.

“Sunday hosts the third and final meeting of the White Turf St Moritz European Snow Meeting and the HH Sheikha Fatima bint Mubarak Ladies World Championship over 1600 metres is one of the feature events with a prize fund of Euros 30,000. We thank the Mother of the UAE 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, for providing this great opportunity for lady jockeys from around the globe,”