HH Sheikh Mansoor Festival increases UK support for 2022

The Arabian Racing Organisation (ARO) welcomed the increase in support for UK Arabian racing in 2022 by the HH Sheikh Mansoor bin Zayed Al Nahyan Racing Festival. This year they have increased their commitment with an extra five races, taking their total sponsorship to eleven, including the Group 3PA HH Sheikha Fatima bint Mubarak Cup.

As in 2021, the Festival highlight will be the HH Sheikha Fatima bint Mubarak Cup run at Haydock Park on Saturday 3rd September. Held over a mile, with a prize fund of £14,000 it takes place as part Haydock’s premier Flat racing three-day festival, the Sprint Cup Celebration.

The ever-popular Wathba Stallions Cup series which aims to promote the breeders of Arabian racehorses around the world by supporting the sports’ grassroots is back, and has increased to ten races from five. This season the series will visit Bath, Brighton, Chepstow, Royal Windsor and Wolverhampton racecourses. The races on offer range from maidens to mid-range handicaps, all of which will have a prize fund of £4000 per race.

Trophies for the winning connections of the 2021 HH Sheikha Fatima bint Mubarak Cup (Gr3PA)

The HH Sheikh Mansoor bin Zayed Al Nahyan Racing Festival has played a significant role in the promotion of Arabian racing and breeding around the world since it began in 2009. The Festival aims to continue the efforts made by the late Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan to preserve heritage sports and equestrian sport in particular, promoting Arabian horses and UAE heritage around the world. Sponsoring more than 150 races in 2022, the Festival supports a wide variety of contests from the grassroots to the highest level. These events culminate in the worlds’ strongest Arabian horse race on Turf, the Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan Jewel Crown, a Group 1 PA run in Abu Dhabi in December.

Lara Sawaya, Executive Director of the HH Sheikh Mansoor Bin Zayed Al Nahyan Racing Festival, said: “The Festival is delighted to support the Arabian Racing Organisation through the sponsorship of these races in the UK and looks forward to returning to Haydock Park for the HH Sheikha Fatima bint Mubarak Cup.”

Runners in the paddock for the Wathba Stallions Cup at Royal Windsor racecourse. © Debbie Burt – equinecreativemedia.com

Genny Haynes, ARO Chief Executive Office said: “For over ten years the HH Sheikh Mansoor bin Zayed Al Nahyan Racing Festival has generously supported our racing for which ARO is extremely grateful.  Their first race with us was the Wathba Stud Farm Cup Series UK Breeders Stakes run in 2011 at Newbury. Two years later ARO hosted the HH Sheikh Mansoor Festival Conference in London, with supporting races also at Newbury."

“The continued support of the HH Sheikh Mansoor Festival for UK Arabian racing has been very well received and we look forward to a competitive season, culminating in HH Sheikha Fatima bint Mubarak Cup. We are also grateful for the support and assistance of the British Horseracing Authority and all the racecourses.”

Source: Arabian Racing Organisation