Zayed Cup in Pleasanton today

Some of America’s top Purebred Arabian horses have lined up for Saturday’s Sheikh Mansoor Bin Zayed Al Nahyan Global Arabian Flat Racing Festival’s Sheikh Zayed Bin Sultan Al Nahyan Cup, a Group 3 race to be run in Pleasanton in California, US. After last year’s roaring success when Pleasanton staged the Wathda Stud Farm Cup on the sidelines of the Alameda County Fair, the Sheikh Mansoor Bin Zayed Al Nahyan Global Arabian Flat Racing Festival’s Sheikh Zayed Bin Sultan Al Nahyan Cup will make its debut at this famous race course. Eight horses including Jucy Pickins, Qjuick Sand PW, Golly Bret, By Golly Its Hot, Sand DE Wind, La Jest A Flash, PJ Miss Zuby and Ordination will be starting off in this Listed race, trying to win a slice of the  $20,000 on offer. The race will be contested over a distance of six furlongs (1200 metres). Lara Sawaya, director of Sheikh Mansoor Bin Zayed Al Nahyan Global Arabian Flat Racing Festival and Head of Ladies Racing in International Federation of Arabian Horse Racing  (IFAHR), said, “We are delighted to be back at Pleasanton where we had such a memorable experience last year. Thousands of people who were there for the popular Alameda County Fair attended the race and enjoyed Purebred Arabians competing on the race course.” Quality field “This year it is the prestigious Sheikh Zayed Bin Sultan Al Nahyan Cup and being a Listed race the quality of entries and the competition is expected to be of a very high level,” she said. Abdullah Al Qubaisi of the Abu Dhabi Tourism and Culture Authority said, “This is the second visit by the Sheikh Mansoor Bin Zayed Al Nahyan Global Arabian Flat Racing Festival this year after the huge success in Houston earlier in the year. “We had two great races and the Sheikh Bin Zayed Al Nahyan Global Arabian Flat Racing Festival Darly awards  added a huge boost to Purebred Arabian racing both in the US and in the world.” The Sheikh Mansoor 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 Arabian Horse Society and IFAHR , supported by General Authority for Youth and Sports and Fegentri with Emirates airlines as the official carrier and sponsored by Invest AD, Al Rashid Investment, Areej Al Ameerat, Mauzan, Al Awani General Enterprises, Kabale, the UAE’s General Women’s Union, the Sheikha Fatima Bint Mubarak Ladies Sports Academy, Abu Dhabi International Hunting and Equestrian Exhibition 2012, Wathba Stud Farm and Abu Dhabi Equestrian Club.