Brazil will host four races of the
Wathba Stallions Cup in 2021

Since 2015 Brazil has been part of the HH Sheikh Mansoor Bin Zayed Al Nahyan Racing Festival calendar when organized, in October, the first race of the HH Sheikha Fatima Bint Mubarak Apprentice World Championship (IFAHR) in South America, which had the participation of ten apprentice jockeys.

Since then, all races have been held at the Hippodrome of Cidade Jardim, at the Jockey Club of São Paulo and are organized by Brazilian Arabian Horse Breeders Association (ABCCA) and this year; Brazil will hold four races of the Wathba Stallions Cup: two for Colts and two for Fillies. And the races will be held on May 1st and September 25th.

The first two races the Grand Prix Wathba Stallions Cup for Colts and the Grand Prix Wathba Stallions Cup for Fillies will take place next Saturday starting at 1 pm.

The first race will be the Grand Prix Wathba Stallions Cup for Colts, held at 1,300m on turf, with the participation of eight horses, including last year's race winner, Mentor Rach, who will attempt his second victory, but he will have as opponent RG El Back who won two races this year.
The horses are: Gunther Rach (Eksort Rach X Geneve AJR by Second Chall), RG Kansas (Zapal X RQ Kasja by Caceres CSM), Clapton AJR (Mared Al Sahra x *Cowboys Gal by Wiking), Farouk AJR (Feitizzo Rach X Fascinacion by Adventure Aladin), Graccus Rach (Veracious Rach X Gracyara HCF by LD Halston), Mentor Rach (*Sarmata X Musa Rach by *Polonez), RG El Bak (RG Karat x *Endora by Wojslaw) and RG Kemir (Zapal x Campanha CSM by Eksport).

In the second race, the Grand Prix Wathba Stallions Cup for Fillies, held at 1,000m on turf, which will have seven animals, including last year's winner Osiris Rach will also try to win her second race, but the battle will be very well fought with Cashmerie AJR, who won the first race of the UAE President Cup Series For Fillies on April 10.

The animals that will participate in the Grand Prix Wathba Stallions Cup for Fillies are: Holly Pol Rach (All Pol Rach x Hinode ELS by Power World JQ), Revelation Rach (Eksport X Rapunzel Rach by Voltaire Rach), RG Kodak (Caceres CSM X Caldas CSM by Pavel Rach), Cashmerie AJR (Zachzell x *Cowboys Gal by Wiking), Maísa do Bagdá (Magic Shadeedeh x Katyusha LM by Shahllenger), Osiris Rach (Eksort Rach x Olympia Rach by *Aicyng AHRA) and Zarmacja Rach (Sarmata X Zahara Rach by Eksport).

Since arriving in Brazil, HE Mr. Ibrahim Salem Alalawi, Consul General of the United Arab Emirates in the State of São Paulo, has attended all races and confirmed his presence in the first two races on Saturday.

“The Purebred Arabian Horse Races, which will be held at Hippodrome of Cidade Jardim, State of São Paulo, are sponsored by HH Sheikh Mansour Bin Zayed Al Nahyan Racing Festival and are organised and supervised by the Brazilian Arabian Horse Breeders Association.

On this occasion, I would like to thank His Highness Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Presidential Affairs, for his unlimited support for sport in general and equestrian sport in particular, which has had a major impact on the current status and in the future of Arabian horses around the world.

We are proud when we see the flag of the United Arab Emirates flying in the fields of Brazil and also with the success that the Festival has achieved here and in various parts of the world.

Finally, I would like to thank Ms. Lara Sawaya, CEO of the festival, and also the team for their continued efforts to make this festival a local and international success”, said HE Mr. Ibrahim Salem Alalawi.

“HH Sheikh Mansoor Bin Zayed Al Nahyan Racing Festival was the first partner and international sponsor to encourage and sponsor Arabian horse racing in Brazil, since 2015. We held two Grand Prix annually and in 2021 we will have the opportunity to organize for the first time four Grand Prix, two in May and two in September.

Our first meeting will be on Saturday, May 1st, where we will have the best males competing in the Grand Prix Wathba Stallions Cup for Colts and then we will have the best females who will compete in the Grand Prix Wathba Stallions Cup for Fillies.

It is important to note that these four Grand Prix that will be played at the Jockey Club of São Paulo are part of the world calendar of the Wathba Stallions Cup that is held on 5 continents, which puts Brazil and our breeding of Arabian horses on the international stage of Arabian horse racing.

We want to thank HH Sheikh Mansoor Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Presidential Affairs, who is also Chariman of Emirates Racing Authority (ERA) and Emirates Arabian Horse Society (EAHS), for their sponsorship, to Lara Sawaya, Director General of Festival, to the Jockey Club of São Paulo for the partnership and the board of the Brazilian Arabian Horse Breeders Association for the commitment and dedication to the Arabian Sport Horse and the passion and enthusiasm of our breeders for our Arabian Horse ”, said Almir José Ribeiro, Racing Director at ABCCA.

The Wathba Stallions Cup for Colt and Fillies are organized by the Brazilian Arabian Horse Breeders Association in partnership with the Jockey Club de São Paulo.

THE FESTIVAL

HH Sheikh Mansoor bin Zayed Al Nahyan Racing Festival was launched for the first time in 2009, as directed by His Highness Sheikh Mansoor bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Deputy Prime Minister, Minister of Presidential Affairs and Chairman for the Emirates Arabian Horse Society. It is an important factor in the increased diversity of the activities of pure-bred Arabian racing. The Festival aims to continue the considerable efforts made by the late Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan, in the context of the preservation of heritage and traditions. 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, Etisalat as the official sponsor, with National Feed as strategic partner, The National Archives as the official partner , Emirates Airline as the official carrier, sponsored by Al Massood Automobiles Nissan, Areej Alameerat, Omeir Travels Agency, YAS Sports TV., Viola Communications, Abu Dhabi Falconers Club, the UAE’s General Women’s Union , Emirates Arabian Horse Society & Abu Dhabi Equestrian Club.

Text: Cidinha Franzão. Photos: Porfírio Menezes