The His Highness Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum Italy Endurance Festival will take place as part of the Toscana Endurance Lifestyle 2018 at San Rossore Racecourse in Pisa on Friday.

Meydan Group was the headline sponsor for the Toscana Endurance Lifestyle in 2016 and 2017 as well and this year they have announced a record-breaking prize pool of €1 million, doubling last year’s prize for the festival.

Azizi Developments, a major Dubai-based real estate developer, will also be sponsoring the festival as part of its partnership with Meydan that extends to international events.

Azizi Developments is a Pillar Partner of the Dubai World Cup, which includes its sponsorship of one of the world’s top thoroughbred flat sprint races, the Group 1 $1 million Al Quoz Sprint.

“We are honoured to be part of such a significant sporting event as the His Highness Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum Italy Endurance Festival,” said Mirwais Azizi, chairman of Azizi Group.

“Through our relationship with the Dubai World Cup and sponsoring the Al Quoz Sprint, we have experienced the beauty and brilliance of equine sport.

“We look forward to expanding on that by co-sponsoring at Toscana Endurance Lifestyle 2018 on what will surely be a historic affair of horsemanship and athletic excellence.”

The 2018 HH Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum Italy Endurance Festival consists of a series of prestigious endurance races, including a CEI2* 120km ride and a CEI1* 81km ride.

San Rossore Racecourse is considered one of the great endurance venues of the world. It is rich with racing tradition dating back to 1829 and hosts several world endurance events, making it the perfect setting to highlight the significance of the His Highness Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum Endurance Festival in Dubai, the most prominent ride on the UAE endurance calendar.

HH Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum Endurance Festival, held at Dubai International Endurance City, is one of Meydan Group’s two key endurance events organised annually by the Dubai Equestrian Club, with the other being the Dubai Crown Prince Endurance Festival.

Meydan Group has ensured that both festivals now have international editions held at premier endurance venues in Europe.

“San Rossore is a beautiful venue and we look forward to returning to Toscana Endurance Lifestyle 2018 and the His Highness Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum Italy Endurance Festival,” said Mohammed Essa, general manager of Dubai Equestrian Club.

“It is a very important event on the endurance calendar and showcases some of the top athletes of the sport.”