Wathba Stallions Cup series returns to the UK for 2020

The Arabian Racing Organisation (ARO) announced today that the Wathba Stallions Cup series will once again be an integral part of the UK Arabian racing calendar for 2020. The series supports grassroots Arabian racing as part of the HH Sheikh Mansoor Global Arabian Horse Flat Racing Festival and is a popular addition to the programme worldwide. The five UK Wathba Stallions Cup races will be held from September through November at Wolverhampton and Chelmsford City racecourses.

The HH Sheikh Mansoor Global Arabian Horse Flat Racing Festival has played a significant role in the promotion of Arabian racing and breeding 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 hundreds of races annually since its’ inception, the Festival supports a wide variety of contests from the grassroots to the highest level across Australia, Algeria, Belguim, Brazil, Denmark, France, Italy, Morocco, Poland, Romania, Russia, Spain, Sweden, UAE, UK and the USA. The events culminate in the worlds’ richest Arabian horse race, the Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan Jewel Crown, a Group 1 PA run in Abu Dhabi which this year is scheduled for December 4th.

Wathba Stallions Cup 2019. Photo: Debbie Burt

The Wathba Stallions Cup series aims to promote the breeding of Arabian racehorses, and is supported by Wathba Stallions, the breeding arm in the UAE and France, of HH Sheikh Mansoor bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Presidential Affairs, who is also Chairman of the Emirates Arabian Horse Association. Wathba Stallions includes His Highness’s homebred champion Munjiz, who was leading Arabian sire in the UK in 2019 for the first time.

Genny Haynes, ARO Commercial and Finance Director said: “ARO is extremely grateful for the continued support of the HH Sheikh Mansoor Global Arabian Horse Flat Racing Festival over the last ten years. 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. It is also thanks to the Festival’s sponsorship that we held five meeting’s at Hereford in 2013, which was instrumental in keeping that racecourse operational.”

“The return of the HH Sheikh Mansoor Festival to the UK will be very welcome news for our participants who have been patiently waiting for the start of our 2020 season which will now be extended through to the end of November. We are also grateful for the support and assistance of the British Horseracing Authority, Chelmsford City and Wolverhampton raceourses. ARO remains committed to keeping all its’ registered participants informed of updates to UK Arabian racing as soon as they are available.”

Source: Arabian Racing Organisation (ARO)