Thursday, Apr 11, 2013
Casablanca, Morocco: Ten women jockeys will start in Friday’s Her Highness Shaikha Fatima Bint Mubarak Ladies World Championship (IFAHR) series race, which returns to the Casablanca-Anfa Racecourse here.
The event is held under the umbrella of the Shaikh Mansour Bin Zayed Al Nahyan Global Arabian Flat Racing Festival on the same day as the Grand Prix de SAR Le Prince Heritier Moulay El Hassan, to be contested over nine-and-a-half furlongs and carrying a total purse of Moroccan Dh200,000 (Dh86,569).
The UAE ambassador to Morocco Alsari Saeed Al Dhahri hailed the support that is received by sports in the UAE, which underlines the keenness of the leadership to promote sports in general and Arabian horse races in particular.
Speaking at the Casablanca Grand Hyatt on Thursday, Lara Sawaya, director of the Shaikh Mansour Festival and head of women’s racing at IFAHR said: “Bringing this highly prestigious race to Morocco, to be held on the International Day of Purebred Arabian Horses, is a new breakthrough to promote this noble creature and the Moroccan races as well.
“It’s of great pride for the festival to see ten lady riders from around the world gathering in the world’s richest ladies horse race at this beautiful venue.”
Rashid Waleed Waleed Al Ardha addressed the press conference on behalf of Emirates airline and Adnan Sultan, Director-General of the Abu Dhabi Equestrian Club, highlighted the contribution of the festival to the development and promotion of women’s sports in general and the UAE culture in particular.
Dr Wadooda Badran, advisor of the Arab Women’s Organisation, and Lolowa Al Wadhi, member of the Bahraini Consultative Council, praised the initiative of Her Highness Shaikha Fatima Bint Mubarak, Mother of the UAE, Chairperson of the General Women’s Union, in advancing the role of Arab women in public life.
The HH Shaikh Mansour Bin Zayed Al Nahyan Global Arabian Flat Racing Festival is organised by the Abu Dhabi Tourism and Culture Authority and co-ordinated by Abu Dhabi Sports Council in association with Emirates Racing Authority, IFAHR and Emirates Arabian Horse Society. It is supported by General Authority for Youth and Sports Welfare and Fegentri, with Emirates as the official carrier.
It is sponsored by Invest AD, Arabtec Holding PJSC, SAS Investment, Al Rashid Investment, Areej Al Ameerat, Al Awani General Enterprises, Kabale, the UAE’s General Women’s Union, the HH Shaikha Fatima Bint Mubarak Ladies Sports Academy, Abu Dhabi International Hunting and Equestrian Exhibition 2013, Dr Nader Saab Switzerland, Wathba Stud Farm and Abu Dhabi Equestrian Club.
Staff Report
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