Clapton AJR and RG Kodak winners
		          GP Wathba Stallions Cup  for Colts and Fillies in São Paulo
			      
			      Clapton AJR ridden by W. Ariel 
			      WATCH THE RACE 
			      The first two races the Grand Prix Wathba Stallions Cup  for Colts and the Grand Prix Wathba Stallions Cup for Fillies took place on Saturday,  May 1.
			       The first race was the Grand Prix Wathba Stallions Cup  for Colts, held at 1,300m on turf for 3 years old and more up to three victories,  with the participation of eight horses, and was won by Clapton AJR (Mared Al Sahra x *Cowboys Gal by Wiking) in his debut  race.
			       The race was very well fought before the final stretch  with Gunther Rach (Eksort Rach x Geneve AJR by Second Chall) in first, Graccus Rach  (Veracious Rach x Gracyara HCF by *LD Halston) in second and Clapton AJR (Mared  Al Sahra x *Cowboys Gal by Wiking) in third. When entering the final straight, Mentor  Rach (*Sarmata x Musa Rach by *Polonez), on the outside, and Clapton AJR, inside,  followed by RG El Bak (RG Karat x *Endora by Wojslaw), dominate the race and dispute  the first place and distance themselves from the others.
			       Clapton AJR, three-year-old colt owned and bred by Almir  José Ribeiro, the first son of Mared Al Sahra born in Brazil, ridden by Apprentice  jockey W. Ariel and trained by Oberdan Pereira, in his debut race, shows that comes  with a strong desire to win and opens up three lengths of advantage over Mentor  Rach, winner of the Wathba Stallions Cup for Colts in December 2020 and two races  this year.
			      
			       The apprentice jockey, W. Ariel said: “Because it was  his debut, he responded very well to the commands and because he was a very calm  horse he impressed me. When we took second place, I knew he had a chance to win  because he wanted to race more and it was exciting to win over Mentor Rach, who  is a horse who has won two races this year and has a lot of potential.”
			      			        Trainer Oberdan Pereira said: “Since he arrived I told  Almir (Owner) that he is a distinguished horse with the potential to win. He is  in excellent condition and has shown that he has a pedigree to win the races.”
			      “At first I didn't want Clapton  AJR to run because he is still so young, only two months of training and he will have a  strong opponents, horses with victories and much  more experience, but after the insistence of Mr. Oberdan who said he was ready for  the challenge, he ran and won. I believe we have a future champion and the most  important thing is that it was the debut of Mared Al Sahra’s son as stallion in Brazil  in an International Racing that is part of an World Racing Calendar and wins on  his debut”, declared Almir José Ribeiro, owner of Clapton AJR.
			      
			      RG Kodak ridden  by R. Mendonça
			      WATCH THE RACE
			       In the second race, the Grand Prix  Wathba Stallions Cup for Fillies, held at 1,000m on turf for 3 years & older  up to two victories, which had seven fillies, including last year's winner Osiris  Rach (Eksort Rach x Olympia Rach by *Aicyng AHRA) who takes the lead and keeps it  until the final 150 meters when she is overtaken, on the outside, by RG Kodak ridden  by R. Mendonça, who crosses the finish with a length of advantage.
			       RG Kodak, owned and bred by Claudio  Roberto Ribas, is trained by Estanislau Petrochinski who said: “RG Kodak had  an excellent race and won in a battle with Osiris Rach, champion of the race in  December last year. I believed that she would win because she is in excellent condition  and I am sure that she will improve a lot when the distances increase.”
			      “She started easily and I followed the competitors to know  the exact moment to define and in the final meters she did her part, because she  was very willing to run. I am very happy because I won my first race with her and  I hope to win the next ones. She is a mare with a great future and will certainly  be a champion”, said apprentice jockey R. Mendonça.
			       The races and awards were attended by HE Mr. Ibrahim Salem  Alalawi, Consul General of the United Arab Emirates in the State of São Paulo.
			      “The Purebred Arabian Horse Races, which were held at Hippodrome  of Cidade Jardim, are sponsored by HH Sheikh Mansour Bin Zayed Al Nahyan Racing  Festival and are organised and supervised by the Brazilian Arabian Horse Breeders Association. 
			       On this occasion, I would like to thank His Highness Sheikh  Mansour bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Presidential  Affairs, for his unlimited support for sport in general and equestrian sport in  particular, which has had a major impact on the current status and in the future  of Arabian horses around the world. 
			       We are proud when we see the flag of the United Arab Emirates  flying in the fields of Brazil and also the important sponsors with the success  that the Festival has achieved here and in various parts of the world. 
			       Finally, I would like to thank Ms. Lara Sawaya, CEO of  the festival, and also the team for their continued efforts to make this festival  a local and international success”, said HE Mr. Ibrahim Salem Alalawi.
			      
			                          “The most important fact of these two races is that we  have a new generation of horses arriving, with new pedigrees, different stallions,  which means stepping forward in our races and always placing our breeding on the  Arabian horse racing itinerary in the world.
			      It is important to note that these two Grand Prix that  is played at the Jockey Club of São Paulo is part of the world calendar of the Wathba  Stallions Cup that is held on 5 continents, which puts Brazil and our breeding of  Arabian horses on the international stage of Arabian horse racing.
			      We want to thank HH Sheikh Mansoor Bin Zayed Al Nahyan,  Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Presidential Affairs, who is also Chairman  of Emirates Racing Authority (ERA) and Emirates Arabian Horse Society (EAHS), for  their sponsorship, to Lara Sawaya, Director General of Festival, to the Jockey Club  of São Paulo for the partnership and the board of the Brazilian Arabian Horse Breeders  Association for the commitment and dedication to the Arabian Sport Horse and the  passion and enthusiasm of our breeders for our Arabian Horse ”, said Almir José Ribeiro, Racing Director at ABCCA.
			       The Wathba Stallions Cup for Colt and Fillies are organized  by the Brazilian Arabian Horse Breeders Association in partnership with the Jockey  Club de São Paulo.                    
			      
                    
                      THE FESTIVAL
                    
			        
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			          Since 2015 Brazil has been part of the HH Sheikh Mansoor  Bin Zayed Al Nahyan Racing Festival calendar when organized, in October, the first  race of the HH Sheikha Fatima Bint Mubarak Apprentice World Championship (IFAHR)  in South America, which had the participation of ten apprentice jockeys. 
HH Sheikh Mansoor bin Zayed Al Nahyan Racing Festival was  launched for the first time in 2009, as directed by His Highness Sheikh Mansoor  bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Deputy Prime Minister, Minister of Presidential Affairs and  Chairman for the Emirates Arabian Horse Society. It is an important factor in the  increased diversity of the activities of pure-bred Arabian racing. The Festival  aims to continue the considerable efforts made by the late Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan  Al Nahyan, in the context of the preservation of heritage and traditions. 
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. | 
		            
                  
			      
			        Text: Cidinha Franzão. Photos: Porfírio  Menezes
			        
                    GP WATHBA STALLIONS CUP FOR COLTS 
                    1: CLAPTON AJR (Mared Al Sahra x *Cowboys Gal by Wiking)
                    J: W. Ariel  Ap2
                    T: O. S.  Pereira
                    B/O: Almir  José Ribeiro
                      
                    2: MENTOR  RACH (*Sarmata x Musa Rach by *Polonez)
                    J: I. Silva  Ap2
                    T: L. Quintana
                    O: Ricardo  Jamil Saliba
                    B: Rach  Stud Agropecuária Ltda.
			        
			        3: RG EL  BAK (RG Karat x *Endora by Wojslaw)
			        J: J. Severo
			        T: E. Petrochinski
			        B/O: Claudio  Roberto Guimarães Ribas
                      
                    4: GUNTHER RACH (Eksort Rach x Geneve AJR by Second Chall)
                    J: V. Souza
                    T: L. Quintana
                    O: Paulo  Jamil Saliba
                    B: Rach  Stud Agropecuária Ltda.
                      
                    5: RG KEMIR  (*Zapal x Campanha CSM  by *Eksport)
                    J: Jeane  Alves
                    T: E. Petrochinski
                    B/O: Claudio  Roberto Guimarães Ribas
                      
                    6: RG KANSAS (*Zapal x RG Kasja by Cáceres CSM)
                    J: R. Mendonça  Ap2
                    T: E. Petrochinski
                    O: Stud  Horn
                    B: Claudio  Roberto Guimarães Ribas
                      
                    7: GRACCUS RACH (Veracious Rach x Gracyara HCF by *LD Halston)
                    J: P. Jesus  Ap1
                    T: L. Quintana
                    O: Ricardo  Jamil Saliba
                    B: Rach  Stud Agropecuária Ltda.
                      
                    8: FAROUK  AJR (Feitizzo Rach x Fascinacion by *Adventure Aladin)
                    J: F. Larroque
                    T: O. S.  Pereira
                    B/O: Almir José Ribeiro
                      
                    GP WATHBA STALLIONS CUP FOR FILLIES 
                    1: RG KODAK (Cáceres CSM x Caldas CSM by Pavel Rach)
                    J: R. Mendonça  Ap2
                    T: E. Petrochinski
                    B/O: Claudio  Roberto Guimarães Ribas
			        
			        2: OSIRIS RACH (Eksort Rach x Olympia Rach by *Aicyng AHRA)
			        J: I. Silva  Ap2
			        T: L. Quintana
			        O: Paulo  Jamil Saliba
			        B: Rach  Stud Agropecuária Ltda.
			        
			        3 REVELATION  RACH (*Eksport x Rapunzel Rach by Voltaire Rach)
			        J: P. Jesus  Ap1
			        T: L. Quintana
			        O: Ricardo  Jamil Saliba
			        B: Rach Stud Agropecuária Ltda.
			        
			        4: MAISA DO BAGDA (*Magic Shadeedeh x Katyusha LM by *Shahllenger)
			        J: O. Pereira  Filho
			        T: O. S.  Pereira
			        O: Almir  José Ribeiro
			        B: Manoel  Leandro Filho
			        
			        5: HOLLY POL RACH (All Pol Rach x Hinode ELS by Power World  JQ)
			        J: V. Souza
			        T: L. Quintana
			        O: Agropecuária  Ilha da Chapada Ltda.
			        B: Rach  Stud Agropecuária Ltda.
			        
			        ZARMACJA  RACH (*Sarmata x Zahara Rach by *Eksport)
			        J: A. R.  Oliveira
			        T: L. Quintana
			        O: Paulo  Jamil Saliba
			        B: Rach Stud Agropecuária Ltda.