Jockeys from 72 different countries will take part in the biggest HH Sheikh Mansoor bin Zayed Al Nahyan Global Arabian Horse Flat Racing Festival to date.

The fifth edition of the world’s richest Arabian horse racing competition was announced in Abu Dhabi on Monday.

And Wieger Joost de Ruiter, Chairman of the DARC and Treasurer of the world Arabian Horse Racing, said: “We are grateful to HH Sheikh Mansoor bin Zayed Al Nahyan who has improved the quality of the Arabian horses by providing races from the grassroots.

“He has inherited the legacy of his late father Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan to promote the Arabian horse.”

Adnan Sultan Al Nuaimi, director general of the Abu Dhabi Equestrian Club introduced Lara Sawaya, director of the HH Sheikh Mansoor bin Zayed Al Nahyan Global Arabian Horse Flat Racing Festival and Chairman of Ladies Racing Committee in IFAHR to make the announcement.

“The fifth edition of the festival kick-starts from Al Flaij racecourse in Muscat, Oman on January 17 with the opening round of the HH Sheikha Fatima bint Mubarak Ladies World Championship (IFAHR),” Sawaya said.

“This season’s championship will be run in 13 rounds and culminates with the final round on November 9, at the Abu Dhabi Equestrian Club, in the world’s capital of Arabian horse racing.”