The Wellington race track in Ostend, Belgium will come alive to the thundering hooves of Purebred Arabian horses as the H.H. Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed Al Nahyan Global Arabian Horse Flat Racing Festival stages three races on Monday, August 17th.

Eight horses start in the premier series of the Festival, the Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan Cup (Group 3), which will be run over a distance of 1600 metres on grass with 35,000 Euros on offer.

In addition, eight female jockeys will get their last chance to qualify for the H.H. Sheikha Fatima bint Mubarak Ladies World Championship (IFAHR) final to be held in Abu Dhabi in November. They will contest over a shorter distance of 1000 metres and this race carries a prize fund of 30,000 Euros.

The festival's focus on apprentice jockeys will see ten of them compete for a place in the final of the H.H. Sheikha Fatima bint Mubarak Apprentice World Championship (IFAHR) which will be run over 2100 metres with 20,000 Euros on offer.

"We are excited to be back in Belgium and on Monday all three races are sure to provide exciting Purebred Arabian racing for the fans. The H.H. Sheikha Fatima bint Mubarak Ladies Championship in particular will see an all-out bid by the lady jockeys as this is the last berth left to fill for the November 8th final in Abu Dhabi," said Lara Sawaya, Executive Director of H.H. Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed Al Nahyan Global Arabian Horse Flat Racing Festival, Chairperson of the International Federation of Horse Racing Academies (IFHRA), Chairperson of Ladies and Apprentice Racing Committees in the International Federation of Arabian Horse Racing Authorities (IFAHR).

"It is with great pride that we are staging the three prestigious races under the umbrella of the H.H. Sheikh Mansour Festival. We welcome all on this important yearly event in the world of horse-racing, an activity where Belgium was on top worldwide in the previous century", said Nelly Philippot-Hermanne, President of the Arabian Horse Racing Club of Belgium."

The H.H. Sheikh Mansoor bin Zayed Al Nahyan Global Arabian Horse Flat Racing Festival is supported by the Abu Dhabi Tourism and Culture Authority and coordinated by Abu Dhabi Sports Council in cooperation with Emirates Racing Authority, IFAHR, Emirates Arabian Horse Society, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, General Authority of Youth and Sports Welfare with The National Archives as the official partner and Emirates airline as the official carriers. It is sponsored by Invest AD, National Feed and Flour Production and Marketing Co. LLC, Tourism Development and Investment Company (TDIC), Abu Dhabi National Exhibition Centre (ADNEC), Al Awani General Enterprises, Kabale, Al Wathba Centre, the UAE's General Women's Union, The Supreme Council for Motherhood and Childhood, the H.H. Sheikha Fatima Bint Mubarak Ladies Sports Academy, Abu Dhabi International Hunting and Equestrian Exhibition 2015, Bloom, Dr. Nader Saab Switzerland, Abu Dhabi Equestrian Club, Eastern Mangroves Suites-Abu Dhabi by Jannah, Yas Channel, Omeir Travel, The Racing Post and Laboratoires Fadia Karam Cosmetics.
Source: WAM