Richest prize of $1.2m up for grabs in Abu Dhabi race on Sunday

The richest race in the world for purebred Arabians takes place this Sunday in Abu Dhabi as the culmination of the HH Sheikh Mansoor Bin Zayed Al Nahyan Global Arabian Horse Flat Racing Festival.

The $1.2 million Group 1 Sheikh Zayed Bin Sultan Al Nahyan Cup Crown Jewel-IPIC is the feature race on a card that also stages the finals of the HH Sheikha Fatima Bint Mubarak Apprentice Championship and HH Sheikha Fatima Bint Mubarak Ladies World Championship.

More than 800 guests have arrived in Abu Dhabi from around the world for a festival that includes a conference as well as the race meeting and which celebrates the preservation of heritage and traditions, especially that of equestrian sports in the UAE.

The days before Sunday’s meeting are aimed at the advancement of Arabian racing through a series of conferences on public relations and media development, and the health and education of jockeys.

The expert panels include pioneering jockeys Julie Krone, the first female to win a US Triple Crown race and a Hall of Famer, and Chantal Sutherland, the highest-earning female rider of all time.