Newbury, England: Organisers of the Dubai International Arabian Races are pulling out all the stops to ensure this weekend’s edition of the annual Purebred Arabian extravaganza at Newbury Racecourse in the UK is a success.
Around 10,000 racegoers are expected to attend the event on Sunday, when they will enjoy top class Arabian racing and traditional Arabian hospitality.
Listed below are the events being staged for the general public on Sunday, July 26.
Entertainment will include a young artists’ workshop led by equine artist Elizabeth Armstrong, which will run in conjunction with an exhibition of works by fellow members of the Society of Equestrian Artists entitled ‘The Art of Arabian Racing’.
The British Horseracing Education and Standards Trust (BHEST) will make their ‘Equiciser’ available to budding jockeys, with coaching sessions on the mechanical horse, a training aid used by all top professionals.
Also in the Pavilions, illusionist Marc Oberon will be performing two live shows throughout the afternoon.
Meanwhile, sculptures entered for the Arabian Rainbow Competition — an art project for primary schools — will be displayed and the winner and two runners-up will receive £2,000, £1,500 and £1,000 respectively.
Since its introduction in 2009, the project has raised more than £50,000 for the education of children in West Berkshire. This year, the near life-size horse sculptures have been delivered to 14 schools in the area for pupils to paint with their own designs.
Competitions on the day will see iPad Minis up for grabs in the Best Children’s Hat Competition — one each for the winners of the boys’ and girls’ categories.
Jewellery by Malabar will be presented to the winner and runners-up in the Best Dressed Lady Competition, which will be guest judged by local stylist Victoria Lochhead.
And racegoers can see themselves on the giant screens at Newbury by entering the popular ‘selfie’ competition, with the chance of winning an iPad.
A free-to-enter prize draw will give visitors the chance to win one of three holidays to Dubai, with flights and accommodation provided by Emirates airline and the Rotana hotel group.
Jebel Ali Racecourse, which is responsible for the first of the day’s Group 1 races — the Jebel Ali Zaabeel International Stakes — has added to the prize-draw offer by providing four high-value wristwatches, which will be presented throughout the day.
The day’s biggest prize will be drawn after the eighth and final race at 6.30pm (9.30pm UAE) and will see one lucky racegoer drive away in a new Citroen C1 Touch Hatchback.
