The Arabian Racing Organisation (ARO) looks forward to the final top-level contest of the UK Arabian racing season, the 2019 President of the UAE Cup (UK Arabian Derby) Group 1 PA, which includes this year’s French Derby winner, Hayyan. The President of the UAE Cup is the oldest Purebred Arabian race series and it is fitting that it is to be held on the same card as the UK’s oldest thoroughbred classic, the William Hill St.Leger, on Saturday 14 September at Doncaster Racecourse.
Run over a mile and a quarter, The President of the UAE Cup resumed its’ association with the UK Arabian Derby in 2016 and is exclusively for four-year-old Purebred Arabians with a prize fund of £80,000. For the last two seasons it has been won by the winner of the French equivalent, in Nafees and Rodess Du Loup, so expectations will be high for this year’s winner, Hayyan, trained by Frédéric Sanchez for YAS Horse Management. He faces a further four winners, including his stablemate Ibn Gadir, who finished ahead of him when third in the Prix Dormane (Gr3PA) in April. They will face a strong challenge from Al Shaqab’s Melabi who lost nothing in defeat at Newbury last month against older horses when second to six-time Group 1PA winner Gazwan at this level.
Completing the line-up are Probat T and Farhaa. Probat T is a half-brother to the 2017 fourth Pronto T and races for their owner-breeder-trainer Gerard Zoetelief, whilst Farhaa is also well-related, being a sister to 2014 UK Arabian Derby narrow-margin second Najlaa. The only filly in the race, she runs in the colours of her owner-breeder, HH Sheikh Hamdan bin Rashid Al Maktoum and is a second runner in the contest for leading UK Arabian trainer James Owen, who scored his first Group victory with Awzaan last month, also for His Highness.
Faisal Al Rahmani, General Secretary for the President of the UAE Cup series and Chairman of the International Federation of Arabian Horseracing Authorities (IFAHR) said: “The President of the UAE Cup Series sponsoring at the legendary St Leger meeting is indeed an honour. This being the fourth year of our association with Doncaster Racecourse, we are confident that the President's Cup, a Group 1 race for purebred Arabian horses, will prove to be an outstanding contest on a major date for British racing”.
Genny Haynes, ARO Commercial and Finance Director was pleased commenting. “We were excited to welcome back the President of the UAE Cup in 2016 and are proud that the race has always attracted international competition.
“We are extremely grateful to the President of the UAE Cup Series for their generous support of our feature race for four-year-olds. Holding the race on St Leger Day further enhances the status of the contest and the reputation of UK Arabian racing, with it being run as part of Doncaster’s most prestigious meeting of the year.”
