Fresh from the opening race of the season at Wolverhampton, the Arabian Racing Organisation (ARO) welcomes the second of the five Wathba Stallions Cup races, which will be run at Bath on Monday May 3rd. The one mile (0-70) handicap race has attracted 8 runners and is part of the HH Sheikh Mansoor bin Zayed Al Nahyan Racing Festival programme of races.
Likely favourite is Serafim Forta for leading trainer James Owen. The four-year-old colt looked progressive last season when winning on his final start for the trainer and makes his reappearance in new colours having joined Owen’s Racing Club over the winter. He renews rivalry with Zayin Zyperion, a homebred for Zayin Arabians, who finished ahead of Serafim Forta over this trip last term. Trainer Pete Hammersley will be hoping his charge has improved and can shed the maiden tag after some good placed results last year. He is also hoping his other runner, Bin Al Reeh will be better back on Turf having failed to put his best foot forward on the All Weather last season.
Making her handicap debut is Jamaraat for Phil Collington. The only other four-year-old in the line-up found a few too good in maiden company but her trainer expects her to be better now tried on Turf. He also fields Al Monther who is running back at a mile for the first time in three years, having won at this trip in his debut season. Aljawaaher returns to competition after a year off due to the challenges of Covid, whilst Gerko De Tenelle could find improvement trying quick ground for the first time. Deena Bint Krayaan is another making her Turf debut after an exclusive earlier campaign on artificial surfaces.
The Wathba Stallions Cup series aims to promote the breeders of Arabian racehorses, and is supported by Wathba Stallions, the breeding arm in the UAE and France, of HH Sheikh Mansoor bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Presidential Affairs, who is also Chairman of the Emirates Arabian Horse Association.
Genny Haynes, ARO Commercial and Finance Director said: “ARO is extremely grateful for the continued support of the HH Sheikh Mansoor bin Zayed Al Nahyan Racing Festival. We are also grateful for the assistance of the British Horseracing Authority and all the racecourses who are supporting our racing this season.
“ARO is fully committed to supporting the BHA’s stance on a social media boycott to highlight the issue of abuse and racism suffered by sporting participants. Therefore following the race, we will not be posting the results on our Twitter or Facebook accounts until Tuesday morning. However, the results will be uploaded to the results database on our website following the race as usual.”
The HH Sheikh Mansoor Bin Zayed Al Nahyan Horse Racing Festival is sustained by the Abu Dhabi Department of Culture & Tourism coordinated by Abu Dhabi Sports Council, Etisalat as the official sponsor, with National Feed as strategic partner, The National Archives as the official partner , Emirates Airline as the official carrier, sponsored by Al Massood Automobiles Nissan, Areej Alameerat, Omeir Travels Agency, YAS Sports TV., Viola Communications, Abu Dhabi Falconers Club, the UAE’s General Women’s Union , Emirates Arabian Horse Society & Abu Dhabi Equestrian Club.
