“AL ZEER”, “ENVY” and “DIVANA” were crowned champions of the Wathba Stallions Cup races for three-year-old colts and fillies, held at the Tarbes Hippodrome in France on August 27, 2022, with a record-breaking participation of 42 horses. The races were held under the sponsorship of the 15th edition of the HH Sheikh Mansoor Bin Zayed Al Nahyan Racing Festival.

The Wathba Stallions Cup races series is organized with the support and encouragement of HH Sheikh Mansoor bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Vice President, Deputy Prime Minister of the United Arab Emirates, Minister of Presidential Court and Chairman for the Emirates Arabian Horse Society, with the aim of developing the horse racing industry worldwide, supporting the preservation of purebred Arab horse breeds, and encouraging breeders to care for them across continents.

In the first race, covering a distance of 2100 meters, “AL ZEER” claimed the title in the PRIX FLIPPER – WATHBA STALLIONS CUP with a prize of 18,000 euros. The race was exclusively for three-year-old colts, and “AL ZEER” won by 0.75 lengths, outperforming “ECLIPSE DU SOLEIL” in second place, while “MOLFIT” secured the third position. The champion completed the race in a time of 2:26:90 minutes.

In the second race, also covering 2100 meters, “ENVY” secured the victory in the PRIX MONA LISA – WATHBA STALLIONS CUP – 1 with a prize of 18,000 euros. “ENVY” displayed a remarkable comeback performance, leading by 3 lengths ahead of “SAND STORM” while “AL GHABRA” finished in third place. The champion completed the race in a time of 2:28:80 minutes.

The third race, also spanning 2100 meters, saw “DIVANA CHICA” emerge as the winner of the PRIX MONA LISA – WATHBA STALLIONS CUP – 2 with a prize of 18,000 euros. “DIVANA CHICA” secured the victory by a neck’s margin over “AMEERA AL SHAHANIA” while “TALA’A” came in third by 0.75 lengths. The champion completed the race in a time of 2:29:70 minutes.

Furthermore, the Waregem racecourse in Belgium will host the HH Sheikh Mansoor Bin Zayed Al Nahyan Racing Festival Listed Cup covering a distance of 2300 meters. The race is designated for purebred Arabian horses aged four years and above, with a prize of 20,000 euros. The competition featured a selection of champion horses who previously won races in Belgium, including “EL ZARKA” “FARIDA P” “PIZASSO T,” “TEX D.A” “AINHOA PETRUCIO” “GOT DE LAGARDE” and “PAPILLION T”

The festival includes races such as the Jewel of Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan’s Crown, the Zayed Cup, the Sheikha Fatima bint Mubarak Cup, the Wathba Stallions Cup, and the International Meeting for Purebred Arabian Horse Racing.

The festival’s inaugural race started strongly on January 11 of this year. With the addition of new races in the 2023 season, the festival includes a total of 152 local and international races around the world, covering various categories such as first, second, and third-class races.

The HH Sheikh Mansoor Bin Zayed Al Nahyan Horse Racing Festival is sustained by the Abu Dhabi Department of Culture & Tourism coordinated by Abu Dhabi Sports Council, with National Feed as strategic partner, The National Library & Archives as the official partner , MUBADALA as the official partner ,Emirates Airline as the official carrier, Etisalat as official sponsor & sponsored by Al Massood Automobiles Nissan, Areej Alameerat, Omeir Travels Agency, YAS Sports TV, Viola Communications, the UAE’s General Women’s Union , Emirates International Endurance Village, Emirates Arabian Horse Society & Abu Dhabi Equestrian Club.