With Listed win in The Al Nujaifi Racing Trophy at Royal Windsor. Owner breeder and race sponsor Al Nujaifi Racing secured a hattrick of wins for the season with Fareedhat El Izz in the inaugural Al Nujaifi Racing Trophy at Royal Windsor today. Ridden by Billy Loughnane and trained by James Owen, the five-year-old mare drew clear of her nearest challenger, Wendy Hassall’s Victoria, to win eased down in the £15,000 contest held over a mile.
Al Nujaifi Racing kindly offered a free nomination to their promising young stallion Amir Al Zaman to the highest placed British owned mare in today’s race, which will go to Hassall. Pharitz Racing’s homebred, Pharitz Lahia finished in third.
Fareedhat El Izz (FR) (Billy Longhnane) wins the inaugural running of the Al Nujaifi Racing Trophy Listed PA
ARO CEO Genny Haynes commented, “We congratulate Dr Mohammad Al Nujaifi and his son Zaid of Al Nujaifi Racing on their win with Fareedhat El Izz. Unfortunately, their other runner, Amirat Al Zaman, sustained an injury and was pulled up, however she has been transferred to Newmarket Equine Hospital for further assessment, and we wish her a successful outcome.
“We thank Al Nujaifi Racing for their generous support of this new Listed race for Arabian fillies and mares and we congratulate Wendy Hassall for securing the free nomination, also provided by Al Nujaifi Racing.”
Seven mares for the inaugural Al Nujaifi Racing Trophy
ARO welcomed seven mares for the inaugural Al Nujaifi Racing Trophy to be run at Windsor on Saturday 28 June. The entries for the £15,000 PA Listed contest to be run over a mile include two Al Nujaifi homebreds, Fareedhat El Izz and Amirat Al Zamanwho finished first and second in the prep race held at Lingfield Park at the end of May. The remainder of the field are all British bred, with the owner of highest placed British bred runner gaining a free nomination to Amir Al Zaman, promising young sire raced by Al Nujaifi Racing and bred by Dr Mohammad Al Nujaifi. A son of his dual Group 1PA winner Hilal Al Zaman, he is out of Hamiya, dam of the Group 1PA winning fillies Al Shomoos and Muneera.
Fareedhat El Izz (grey) and Amirat Al Zaman do battle at Lingfield Park last month
The Arabian Racing Organisation’s (ARO) 2025 season returns at Wolverhampton on Monday 7th April with increased prize money adding to the excitement around the returning series. This year, all Arabian races run in the UK will be worth a minimum of £6,000 thanks to a host of new sponsors.
During the off season ARO have teamed up with the likes of CarbonetZero Ltd, Rapido Racing, Newmarket Equine Salt Therapy System and Cre Run allowing the organisation to boost the prize money across the board throughout the new campaign. Al Nujaifi Racing Ltd will support the ARO season in the UK this year with three horses in-training, while they will also sponsor two races including a new £15,000 Fillies & Mares Listed Purebred Arabian (PA) Stakes at Windsor in June.
Highlights of the ARO season in 2025 include the Qatar International Stakes, run at the Qatar Goodwood Festival, which will be worth £400,000. The UAE President Cup is back as part of the St Leger Festival this year and has also seen its prize money increase to £400,000.
There will also be two handicaps worth £10,000 each that will feature as part of the 2025 ARO season.
James Owen has trained purebred Arabians since 2015 and has been crowned Leading Arabian Trainer in the UK six times. Owen has trained Arabian winners around the world including in the UK, Belgium and Holland and is keen to retain his association with the breed. Owen has won the Arabian Racing Achievement Award at the HWPA Derby Awards on three separate occasions.
Owen trains across all codes including National Hunt and Flat as well as Arabian. He trained his first Group 2 winner on the flat last year in his first full season with a licence in the shape of Wimbledon Hawkeye. The Gredley Family-owned colt won the Juddmonte Royal Lodge Stakes (G2) impressively and is one of the leading players in this year’s Derby.
Ahead of the new ARO season, Champion Trainer, James Owen said, “We’ve got nine Arabians this season. We’ve got a good mixture of some horses who did well last season and some horses who did well last year but are still developing. They’ve done really well over the Winter, and we’re really pleased with how they are training.”
He added, “I think it’s great that we’re racing for good prize money. All the races are worth over £6,000 and there are some really good incentives for some of the mid range handicaps, where a win can almost half pay for your season.”
ARO Chief Executive, Genny Haynes, said, “We are delighted to confirm this season’s programme of Arabian races, which will take place at racecourses across Britain. Our thanks go to our new sponsors CarbonetZero Ltd, Rapido Racing, Newmarket Equine Salt Therapy System and Cre Run for their support this season, which has meant we have been able to invest significantly into the prize money available at all levels across the programme. Likewise, to Al Nujaifi Racing Ltd, who will have three horses in training this season alongside their sponsorship of the new Fillies & Mares Listed race at Windsor.”
“The two highlights of the Arabian racing season in Britain, both worth £400,000 this season, will take place alongside two of the summer’s most popular thoroughbred racing festivals. The Qatar Goodwood Festival will once again host the Group 1 Qatar International Stakes, whilst the UAE President’s Cup will sit alongside the World’s Oldest Classic on Betfred St Leger Day at Doncaster, and becomes Europe’s richest 4-year-old only Arabian race.”
