Abu Dhabi: The HH Shaikh Mansour Bin Zayed Al Nahyan Global Arabian Horse Flat Racing Festival will be held in the Royal National City Park in Stockholm on Friday as part of Sweden’s National Day celebrations.
The Festival’s H.H. Shaikh Zayed Bin Sultan Al Nahyan Cup (Listed) race and the H.H. Shaikha Fatima Bint Mubarak Ladies World Championship race will be part of a seven-race card to be run in front of an expected 50,000 Swedish fans.
Competing on the makeshift turf track in the Shaikh Zayed Bin Sultan Al Nahyan Cup (Listed) race over 1500 metres are Dutch trio Sartejano, Athlete del Sol and Gazel T, all previous winners of the Festival’s races. The local challenge will be in the form of Mad Makz, Mahany de Piboul and Ghallab. Completing a competitive field are Labwah, Yaqoot and Sheymah Qardabyiah.
In the H.H. Shaikha Fatima Bint Mubarak Ladies World Championship IFAHR race to be run over 2750 metres, Australian lady jockey Robyn Freeman-Key on Alibaba Del Sol and Poland’s Ania Gil on Mirabella Del Sol have drawn horses that have been in the winner’s circle in the Festival before.
“We are extremely delighted that they have included the H.H. Shaikh Zayed Bin Sultan Al Nahyan Cup (Listed) race and the H.H. Shaikha Fatima Bint Mubarak Ladies World Championship IFAHR race as part of their National Day celebrations,” said Lara Sawaya, Executive Director of HH Shaikh Mansour Bin Zayed Al Nahyan Global Arabian Horse Flat Racing Festival and Chairman of Ladies Racing at the International Federation of Arabian Horse Racing Authorities (IFAHR).
“With an estimated 50,000 fans set to throng the Royal National City Park on Friday, which is a national holiday, it will be a great opportunity for the fans to watch the Purebred Arabian horses as well as the lady jockeys in action,” she added.
“There will be seven races in total, including two for the smallest ponies. Apart from horse races, there will be medieval jousting, hat contests, pony rides and other events to attract the whole family on Sweden’s National Day,” said Mats Genberg, president of the Scandinavian Arabian Racing Association and a passionate Purebred Arabian horseman.
