Casablanca, Morocco: The Casablanca-Anfa Racecourseis all set to stage the fourth round of the Shaikha Fatima Bint Mubarak Ladies World Championship (IFAHR) on Friday.
The event is organised as part of the Shaikh Mansour Bin Zayed Al Nahyan Global Arabian Racing Festival and will feature 12 lady riders representing the UAE, Oman, Qatar and other parts of the world.
UAE ambassador to Morocco Alsari Saeed Al Dhahr praised President His Highness Shaikh Khalifa Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, His Highness Shaikh Mohammad Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice-President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, and General Shaikh Mohammed Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Deputy Supreme Commander of the UAE Armed Forces, and Shaikh Mansour Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, UAE Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Presidential Affairs for their commitment to promoting sports in general and Purebred Arabian races in particular.
Speaking to newsmen at the Casablanca Grand Hayatt Al Dhahr said: "Holding the fourth round of the Shaikha Fatima Bint Mubarak Ladies Championship (IFAHR) in Morocco is of great essence for the women sports in the world in general and within the UAE and the Arab world in particular," he said.
Lara Sawaya, director of the Shaikh Mansour Bin Zayed Al Nahyan Global Arabian Flat Racing Festival and head of women races at IFAHR added: "Bringing this highly prestigious race of the series to Morocco to be held on the International Day of Purebred Arabian Horse is a new breakthrough to promote this noble creature and the Moroccan races as well.
"Under the directives of Shaikh Mansour we are here to add Morocco to the great venues which host these unprecedented series," she said.
"I would like to thank Her Highness Shaikha Fatima Bint Mubarak, Supreme Chairperson of the Family Development Foundation, Chairperson of UAE Women's Federation, Mother of the UAE, for her generous patronage of the series which carry the name of her highness. The support of Shaikha Fatima for the UAE women has enhanced their status and established a strong base for the women Arabian horse races worldwide," she added.
"It's a great pride for the festival to see 12 lady riders from around the world gathering at this beautiful venue. German professional jockey Nina Wagner will take part in the race and her presence will present a new challenge for the amateur riders to benefit from her experience.
"All nine winners from the nine rounds will compete in the final leg scheduled on November 4 at the Abu Dhabi Equestrian Club. Three more jockeys will be invited by the organising committee at its discretion.
The world champion will win a major share of the Euro 25.000 prize money plus a luxurious Mercedes Benz.
Meanwhile, Musallam Al Amri, supervisor of the Shaikh Mansour bin Zayed Al Nahyan Endurance Stables said: "Thanks to Shaikh Mansoor we are happy that Morocco is selected as a venue to stage this prestigious race."
Besides the Shaikha Fatima bint Mubarak Ladies World Championship the festival features the Shaikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan Cup, World Arabian Horse Racing Conference and Wathba Stud Cup.
It is organised by the Abu Dhabi Tourism and Culture Authority and co-ordinated by Abu Dhabi Sports Council in association with Emirates Arabian Horse Society and IFAHR and supported by General Authority for Youth and Sports and Fegentri. Emirates airlines is the official carrier.
Other sponsors include Invest AD, Al Rashid Investment, Areej Al Ameerat, Mauzan, Al Awani General Enterprises, Kabale, the UAE's General Women's Union, the Sheikha Fatima Bint Mubarak Ladies Sports Academy, Abu Dhabi International Hunting and Equestrian Exhibition 2012, Wathba Stud Farm and Abu Dhabi Equestrian Club.
