São Paulo – The 2019 Arab Brazilian Chamber Grand Prix is taking place Saturday (30) at the São Paulo Jockey Club. In its 6th edition, the event will mark the 48th anniversary of the United Arab Emirates with two Arabian horse races on grass tracks. Gates open at noon. Pictured above, the 2018 edition.
The main 1,300-meter race takes place at 1:10 pm featuring the nine horses that have won the thirteen races held so far this year. “These are the top tier animals. They’re three to six years old and belong to seven owners and five different keepers,” explained the vice president for Races at the Brazilian Association of Arabian Horse Breeders, Almir José Ribeiro. The event is sponsored by the Arab Brazilian Chamber of Commerce.
The top six riders in the main race will share a BRL 15,000 prize (roughly USD 3,5000 at current rates). The owners of the top five horses will get BRL 6,700 (1st), BRL 2,010 (2nd), BRL 1,340 (3rd), BRL 670 (4th) and BRL 335 (5th) – owner and rider prizes are in keeping with the National Racing Code. Major contenders include the female Gaea, with four wins in 2019, and Mahatma, Oneida, Egito, and Velozter, with two wins each.
The Grand Prix opens at 12:45 pm with the Sheikh Sultan Bin Zayed Al Nahyan Special Prize, featuring nine rookie horses on a 1,000-meter track. “They’re three- to four-year old animals which started racing this year and haven’t won any races yet,” said Ribeiro. Winners will also share a BRL 15,000 prize. The race is sponsored by Abu Dhabi’s Heritage Arabian Racing Club (HARC).
The race is named after sheikh Sultan Bin Zayed, deceased last November 18. He was the brother of the UAE’s president Khalifa Bin Zayed Al Nahyan – whom he’d represent – and of Abu Dhabi’s heir prince Mohammed Bin Zayed Al Nahyan.
All animals in both races are Arabian thoroughbreds born and raised in Brazil, hailing from states like Minas Gerais, São Paulo and Mato Grosso.
Admission is free and racegoers can bet and eat lunch at the Jockey Club restaurants. For additional information please refer to the São Paulo Jockey Club and the official race schedule.
Quick facts
2019 Arab Brazilian Chamber Grand Prix
November, at noon
São Paulo Jockey Club
Avenida Lineu de Paula Machado, 1263
+55 11 2161-8300
Translated by Gabriel Pomerancblum