CLASH OF TOP RATED FOR THE HH SHEIKHA FATIMA BINT MUBARAK CUP AT ROYAL WINDSOR
Upstart Crow winning at Royal Windsor over six furlongs in April © Debbie Burt
UK’s leading domestic Arabians go head-to-head on Saturday
Wednesday 26 June 2024 –
The UK’s two highest rated domestically owned Arabians, Upstart Crow and Abiyah Athbah will go up against each other again in the Arabian Racing Organisation’s (ARO) first black type race of the season – the £20,000 HH Sheikha Fatima bint Mubarak Cup, a Group 2PA contest held over six furlongs at Royal Windsor on Saturday 29 June.
Abiyah Athbah had the edge when they met over a mile at Doncaster at the start of the month and she has been placed in this contest before, at its previous Newbury venue. The key to Dilmun Racing’s mare is fast ground, which has eluded her on numerous occasions and trainer Peter Hammerlsey will be praying the ground stays at the advertised Good to Firm. Upstart Crow, Linda Reeves leading UK Arabian of 2023, made a winning return in April at the course over the same six furlongs he will face on Saturday, and this race will have been his goal from the outset.
He will be joined by stablemate, Fareedhat El Izz, a recent recruit from France to James Owen’s yard, who made a winning debut for the stable at Newbury this month over a furlong further. She is owned by Al Nujaifi Racing who’s founding figurehead Sheikh Abdulaziz Al Nujaifi sadly passed away yesterday evening. They are joined by another course and distance winner, Storm Troupour, a winner of a Group 3PA in Sweden over this trip and Kayack, from Epsom based owner-breeder-trainer Jen Harris.
Quotes:
Lara Sawaya, Executive Director of the HH Sheikh Mansoor Bin Zayed Al Nahyan Racing Festival commented, “The Festival is excited to be returning to Royal Windsor for the HH Sheikha Fatima bint Mubarak Cup, the most prestigious of our 10 sponsored races in the UK this year. We are delighted to be supporting ARO and UK Arabian racing, and look forward to celebrating the UK’s new sprint champion on Saturday.”
Genny Haynes, ARO Chief Executive Officer said, “We thank the HH Sheikh Mansoor Festival for their continued and generous support of our racing from the grassroots to championship level. We are also delighted that they are the new sponsors of this historically important race which has been won by some of the sport’s most celebrated horses and are thrilled to bring it to a new venue in Royal Windsor.
“The race will be shown live on Sky Sports Racing and YAS tv.”
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