US $100,000 Sheikha Fatima Darley Award Stakes at Santa Anita next April

The HH Sheikh Mansour Bin Zayed Al Nahyan Global Arabian Horse Flat Racing Festival’s 8th edition in 2016 will see the popular HH Sheikha Fatima Bint Mubarak Darley Awards Hollywood become a three-day affair with the addition of a US $ 100,000 HH Sheikha Fatima Bint Mubarak Darley Award Stakes at Santa Anita.

"We thank HH Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Deputy Prime Minister of the UAE and Minister of Presidential Affairs, for initiating the Festival’s activities since 2009. It will be the fourth edition of the glittering Awards ceremony in Hollywood and will be held on April 1, 2 & 3, 2016 with a new race in the name of Her Highness Sheikha Fatima Bint Mubarak, Chairwoman of the General Women's Union, Supreme President of the Family Development Foundation (FDF) and Head of the Supreme Council for Motherhood and Childhood," stated Ms Lara Sawaya, Lara Sawaya, Executive Director of HH Sheikh Mansour Bin Zayed Al Nahyan Global Arabian Horse Flat Racing Festival, Chairperson of the Int'l Federation of Horse Racing Academies (IFHRA), Chairperson of Ladies & Apprentice Racing Committees in the International Federation of Arabian Horse Racing Authorities (IFAHR).

Dr. Abdulla Elreyes, Director General of the National Archives, Sultan Aouda, Managing Director of National Feed & Flour Production & Marketing Company (LLC), Nadim Lahad, Emirates Airline , Ahmad Al Qubaisi representing Abu Dhabi Sports Council, Denise Gault, Chief Steward of the Arabian Racing Cup and Jean Claude Allies of Paris Turf also attended the press conference held on the sidelines of Abu Dhabi International Hunting and Equestrian Exhibition (ADIHEX) 2015 when the announcement was made today.

"The HH Sheikha Fatima Bint Mubarak Darley Award Stakes (PA) at Santa Anita carries a total purse of US $100,000 plus US $70.000 for the jockeys’ fund," Ms Sawaya added.

"The other events and top race fixtures for 2016 include the Euros 1.2 million Sheikh Zayed Bin Sultan Al Nahyan Jewel Crown, Sheikh Zayed Bin Sultan Al Nahyan Cup Triple Jewel in USA and Triple Crown in Europe, the HH Sheikha Fatima Bint Mubarak Ladies World Championship (IFAHR) race series, the HH Sheikha Fatima Bint Mubarak Apprentice World Championship (IFAHR) race series, the Wathba Stud Farm Cup race series, the World Arabian Horse Racing Conference in Italy 2016, the HH Sheikha Fatima Bint Mubarak Conference for Education and Training (IFAHR) in Abu Dhabi, the HH Sheikh Mansour Bin Zayed Al Nahyan Endurance Cup and the HH Sheikha Fatima Bint Mubarak Ladies World Endurance Championship.

The Festival has also concluded a partnership with Paris Turf to publish the news of all its Purebred Arabian races.

Commenting on the HH Sheikha Fatima Bint Mubarak Darley Awards Hollywood Denise Gault said, "The Darley Awards have developed tremendously during the last four years after the partnership with the HH Sheikh Mansour Festival and HH Sheikha Fatima Bint Mubarak."

"The scope of the award is now global instead of being restricted to the USA alone and this became only possible after the Festival has stepped in to support the event," she said.