HH Sheikh Mansour Festival holds historic debut of Arabian horse racing

The HH Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed Al Nahyan Global Arabian Horse Flat Racing Festival will create history once again, and this time it will be at historic Monmouth Park Racetrack in Oceanport, New Jersey, on Monday, 4th September, which is also Labour Day, a public holiday in the US.

The Festival’s US$50,000 Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan Cup Diamond Jewel (G1) and the H.H. Sheikha Fatima bint Mubarak Apprentice World Championship race are part of Monday’s race. This marks the historic debut of purebred Arabian racing at Monmouth Park the venue’s annual marquee event being the $1.75million Haskell Invitational (G1), serving as a key race in determining the ‘Horse of the Year’ awards for thoroughbreds.

The Festival, which has penetrated many top racing venues around the globe with the introduction of its purebred Arabian races, will add Monmouth Park to that list, and on the important Labour Day holiday. This will enable thousands of racing fans to catch a glimpse of the racing abilities of Arabian horses.

In the $20,000 H.H. Sheikha Fatima Bint Mubarak Apprentice World Championship race, which will be held prior to the Sheikh Zayed Cup, apprentice jockeys from around the globe will make a bid to win and qualify for the 10th November final in Abu Dhabi.

Lara Sawaya, Executive Director of the HH Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed Al Nahyan Global Arabian Horse Flat Racing Festival, Chairperson of the International Federation of Horse Racing Academies and Chairperson of Ladies and Apprentice Racing Committees in the International Federation of Arabian Horse Racing Authorities and General Manager of Wathba Stallions, is excited about the debut of Arabian horse racing at Monmouth Park.

"This is another red letter day, a milestone event for the HH Sheikh Mansour Festival. A record crowd is expected, and what better way for the purebred Arabian horses to showcase their racing skills.

"Hall of Fame jockey Julie Krone, who is an ambassador of the Festival, will be on-hand for an autograph/meet-and-greet session at Monmouth Park," Sawaya said.

"It has been years since I have been back to Monmouth. It is one of the most beautiful places I have ever been, and it is where I established my career. It will be a great homecoming," said Krone, who retired from racing in 2004.