Home News List

Eight in fray for President’s Cup in Paris Eight horses are in fray for the second installation of The President of the UAE Cup Series for Pure-bred Arabian horses which will be held on Saturday, June 27, 2010, at the Saint Cloud Race course in France, the same day which features the prestigious Gran Prix de St-Cloud (G1). The race is organized by the Emirates Equestrian Federation. The President of the UAE Cup - Coupe d’Europe des Chevaux Arabes is run over 2,000 metres and will feature four-year-old Arabians who will vie for a prize money of Euros 50,000. The horses in fray include Fatih, Cambrydge, Nayef Al Khalidiah, Simmbad, Damis, Raqiyah, Banjo De Loup and Al Seif. The HH the President Cup is held under the directives of His Highness the President Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan and the support of His Excellency General Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Deputy Supreme Commander of the UAE Armed Forces and Chairman of the Executive Committee, and the follow-up of His Excellency Dr Sheikh Sultan bin Khalifa Al Nahyan, Chairman of the Emirates Equestrian Federation to promote the Arabian breed and to stimulate international interest and to promote tourism. The day will witness two more races for Thoroughbred horses - Abu Dhabi Prix Malleret and the Etihad Airways Handicap. AFAC, the French Arabian Horse Racing Association, and France Galop signed a one-year sponsorship deal with the Emirates Equestrian Federation regarding the Group 1 PA Coupe d’Europe des Chevaux Arabes and the Group 2 Prix de Malleret. Worth 130 000 Euros, 50 000 Euros will be allocated to the Group 1 PA race and 80 000 Euros allocated to France Galop. This Group 1 PA race is an integral part of the UAE Cup Series, which already includes a Group 1 PA race of the same name at Ascot on King George VI & Queen Elizabeth II Stakes day and at Keeneland in the US during the coming months. Taleb Dhaher Al Muhairi, Secretary General, Emirates Equestrian Federation, stated: “This race will mark our 16th Arabian race in France, and we are again looking forward to the enthusiasm and support of the Paris crowd. In fact, France hosted the first-ever President of the UAE Cup race when the series was launched in 1994.” He said he was looking forward to the second leg after the stupendous success of the inaugural race at the Curragh Racecourse in Ireland in May. Jean-Pierre de Gasté from AFAC said: “We would like to thank the Emirates Equestrian Federation for its unfailing support since 1994, which saw it sponsor the Prix du Jockey Club day in France until 2000. Following an interlude of seven years at Deauville, it returned to Chantilly for the Prix Jean Prat in 2008 and 2009. The commitment of the Emirates Equestrian Federation has been a driving force in the revival of the Pure-bred Arabian breed in Europe.” Mr Hubert Monzat from France Galop added: “ We are very proud of this partnership that reinforces the synergy between the Pure-bred Arabian and Thoroughbred racing programme. The Grand Prix de Saint-Cloud meeting is without doubt an important event in the sporting calendar and the association with the coveted Prix de Malleret for three-year-old fillies only makes it more attractive. We sincerely thank the Emirates Equestrian Federation for its faithful support.” Established in 1994 by the late Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan to promote and celebrate the Arabian horse globally, the President of the UAE Cup Series was the first international Pure-bred Arabian horse race series, and today is still considered the premier racing series for the breed. After St Cloud, the Series will move to Newmarket in UK, Moscow in Russia, Ascot in UK and Keenland in the US. Saint-Cloud is a grass race course for flat horse racing that hosts a number of important meets including three Group 1 events: the Grand Prix de Saint-Cloud in June, which is one of the trials for the Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe Lucien Barrière, the Critérium International, and the Critérium de Saint-Cloud in November. It was opened in 1901 and overlooks the western side of Paris. Some runners highlights: RAQIYAH: This French-trained mare was the favourite at the Abu Dhabi Irish Guineas Festival in May, finishing in second place. CAMBRYDGE: Another French-trained horse, this gelding has finished in the top placing in all its three starts of 2010. NASHWAN AL KHALIDIAH: This successful chestnut gelding has enjoyed six wins in 14 starts over its three-year career, including the Prix Dragon (G2) at Longchamp last summer, with total earnings over €150,000 AL FATIH: A seven-year old grey gelding, with 16 race starts and total career earnings of almost €140,000 JALAB AL KHALIDIAH: This impressive gelding has had four wins for nine starts in its three-year career, including the Prix Maganate (G1) last summer at Deauville. Total prize money earnings of €950,000 BANJO DU LOUP: This German-trained gelding has performed consistently throughout its four-year career, finishing in the top three, eight times out of 15 starts. In 2009 he won the Trirheana Cup at Manheim Racecourse.   View Photo 1View Photo 2View Photo 3View Photo 4