Swedish delight in Wathba Stud Farm Cup

Dubai: UA Bey Shaka, ridden by Swedish lady jockey Annelie Hollstenius, won the Wathba Stud Farm Cup for Purebred Arabians at Täby Racecourse in the Swedish capital of Stockholm on Saturday.

The winner scored by a length from the three-year-old filly Maggia who won the Chateau Ksara Arabian Cup in July this year. Maggia was ridden by Danish jockey Jacob Johansen who currently leads the Swedish jockeys championship. She is one in a string of eight horses owned by breeder Onsala Arabians.

UA Bey Shaka is bred in Sweden and is trained by Charlotte Gross for Swedish owner Mrs Siv Jungefelt.

A delighted Jungefelt said after the race that she was confident UA Bey Shaka would be difficult to beat in the light of the brilliant form he has been displaying in recent starts. She said that she will continue to send her horse to the festival races.

Hollstenius, who has ridden over 50 winners, said that she was confident of her horses’s chances given his current form.

The  event attracted 13 top Europe-based Arabian horses and was held under the directives of Shaikh Mansour bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Minister of the Presidential Affairs and organised by  the Abu Dhabi Culture and Heritage Authority  (ADACH) , Abu Dhabi Sports Council and Wathba Stud Farm. It was sponsored by the Invest AD, Bonyan International Investment Group (Holding) LLC and Abu Dhabi International Hunting and Equestrian Exhibition 2011.

Among the many high-profile guests attending the race were the UAE ambassador to Sweden Shaikha Najla Al Qassimi, Saudi ambassador Dr. Abdul Rahman Al Gidaie, Kuwaiti ambassador Ali Al Nikhailan, the Swedish Middle East, North Africa ambassador Robert Ridebridge, Lara Sawaya, director of the Shaikh Mansour bin Zayed Al Nahyan Global Arabian Racing Festival and a big crowd of horse owners, connections and racegoers.

Meanwhile, Uzbek designer Adelia Bakhtiaroba said she was excited with the race and delighted to be associated with the HH Shaikha Fatima Bint Mubarak Ladies Fegentri Cup race series.

Swedish diplomat Robert Ridebridge commented: “The Festival will enhance the already strong bilateral relationships between the two countries. Sports have always been very special in deepening the links between nations, organisations and individuals.”

The UAE ambassador Al Qassimi sadded: “The Shaikh Mansour bin Zayed Al Nahyan Global Arabian Racing Festival has become a landmark for Purebred Arabians races and industry across Europe. Arabian horses have always carried our culture and rich history to the rest of the world because they have been at all times part of our identity heritage.”

Lara Sawaya, director of the Shaikh Mansour bin Zayed Al Nahyan Global Arabian Racing Festival commented: “The directives of Shaikh Mansour bin Zayed Al Nahyan is the driving force behind our efforts to achieve the noble goals and objectives of the festival.

Sawaya unveiled that the prize-money for the Shaikh Zayed Bin Sultan Al Nahyan Cup will be raised to 25,000 euros next season while the prize-money of Shaikha Fatima Bin Mubarak Ladies Fegentri Cup will be increased to 20,000 euros. Both events will be held in Stockholm next year.

“But Wathba Stud Farm Cup which carries a total purse of 8,000 euros will be held in Malmo,” she noted.

The Saudi and Kuwait ambassadors also expressed their thanks to Shaikh Mansour Bin Zayed Al Nahyan for promoting Arab history, culture, heritage and identity through the Purebred Arabian horse around the globe.