Chdia Dominates at Hamburg to Claim the UAE President’s Cup for Purebred Arabian Horses Title in Germany
• The Wathnan Racing mare delivers her 9th win from 10 career starts — guided by top international jockey James Doyle.
• Wathnan Racing completes a dominant 1-2 finish as Haseef claims second place.
• Over 30,000 spectators witness the Group 2 race at Horner Rennbahn during the 157th German Derby.
The Germany leg has once again confirmed the value and standing of the Prestigious Cup at the world’s most prominent international festivals and racetracks.”
— HE Matar Suhail Al Yabhouni Al Dhaheri, Chairman, Higher Organizing Committee
The UAE President’s Cup for Purebred Arabian Horses continued its brilliant run through Europe’s finest racecourses as Chdia claimed the title of the sixth leg, held on Sunday, 5 July, at the Horner Rennbahn in Hamburg, Germany — as part of the historic 157th German Derby, one of European racing’s most celebrated annual occasions.
The Cup races are held under the support of HH Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Vice President, Deputy Prime Minister and Chairman of the Presidential Court, whose commitment to developing Arabian horse racing and elevating the breed’s global standing has driven the 33rd edition to its most expansive and richest calendar in history.
The race was run over 1,600 metres on turf in the Group 2 category, open to Purebred Arabian horses aged four years and above. A crowd exceeding 30,000 spectators filled the Hamburg-Horn track, bringing exceptional energy to what proved to be an exceptional afternoon for Arabian racing in Europe.
THE CHAMPION
Chdia (by Al Mourtajez out of Rkaya), representing Wathnan Racing, delivered one of the performances of this Cup season. Trained by Alban de Mieulle and ridden by James Doyle — Wathnan Racing’s retained first jockey and one of Britain’s most decorated riders — the mare produced a controlled front-running display, surging clear in the final straight and holding off a sustained challenge from stablemate Haseef to win in a time of 1:54.66.
The victory was Chdia’s ninth win from just ten career starts — a record that places her among the elite of Purebred Arabian racing in Europe. Her trophy cabinet already includes the Qatar International Cup and the Qatar Golden Sword, both Group 1 honours. Hamburg adds a Group 2 Germany title to a career of remarkable consistency and quality.
The result also delivered a commanding 1-2 finish for Wathnan Racing, as Haseef (by Al Mourtajez out of Ghazwa), trained by Damien de Watrigant and ridden by Faleh Bughanaim, finished second. It was a statement of strength from one of Europe’s most prominent Arabian racing operations, whose colours crossed the line first and second at one of the continent’s most prestigious racing weekends.
RACE RESULT
| Place | Horse | Pedigree | Owner | Trainer | Jockey |
| 1st | Chdia | Al Mourtajez × Rkaya | Wathnan Racing | Alban de Mieulle | James Doyle |
| 2nd | Haseef | Al Mourtajez × Ghazwa | Wathnan Racing | Damien de Watrigant | Faleh Bughanaim |
| 3rd | HM Majdallah | Izz Al Khail × Ankaa Karim | Mohammed Alhuzami | Thomas Fourcy | Alexandre Gavilan |
| 4th | Papillion T | Al Mourtajez × Pippa T | Gerard Th. Zoetelief | Gerard Th. Zoetelief | Kobe Vanderbeke |
| 5th | Ammas | Mister Ginoux × Farlet de Pine | Mateusz Wisniewski | Janusz Kozlowski | Wladimir Panov |
THE OCCASION
The race and the crowning of winners were attended by HE Ahmed Al Attar, UAE Ambassador to the Federal Republic of Germany, and Dr. Peter Tschentscher, First Mayor of the City of Hamburg — alongside HE Faisal Al Rahmani, Secretary-General of the Higher Organizing Committee of the UAE President’s Cup for Purebred Arabian Horses, and Ahmed Al-Samarrai, President of the German Arabian Horse Federation. The trophy was received by Mohammed Al Suwaidi, representative of Wathnan Racing, in a festive atmosphere that reflected the standing this Cup has built within Germany’s racing calendar.
GERMANY LEG — ROLL OF CHAMPIONS
With this victory, Chdia joins a distinguished roll of Germany leg champions:
2019: Mashhour Al Khalediah
2020: Freddy Py
2021: Lamat Shamal
2022: Queenshala
2023: Jabala
2024: El Paso T
2025: HM Al Shaheen
2026: Chdia
IN THEIR WORDS
HE Matar Suhail Al Yabhouni Al Dhaheri, Chairman of the Higher Organizing Committee of the UAE President’s Cup for Purebred Arabian Horses, said:
“We take pride in the great success and distinguished resonance of the Germany leg, and the remarkable public turnout and wide engagement we witnessed in Hamburg — embodying the global standing the Prestigious Cup has reached thanks to the support of HH Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed Al Nahyan and his continuous commitment to developing Arabian horse racing and elevating it to the highest international levels.”
He added:
“The Germany leg has once again confirmed the value and standing of the Prestigious Cup at the world’s most prominent international festivals and racetracks — with elite horses, studs, owners, trainers and jockeys participating, and with competitive levels that reflect the growth of Arabian horse racing and its expanding presence on the global stage. We also value the outstanding cooperation with our partners in Germany and their distinguished role in delivering an event worthy of the name and standing of the Prestigious Cup.”
About the UAE President’s Cup for Purebred Arabian Horses
The UAE President’s Cup for Purebred Arabian Horses was founded in 1994 by the late Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan as a global platform to honour the Arabian horse — a symbol of UAE identity, culture, and heritage. Over 33 years, and under the continuous support of HH Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Vice President, Deputy Prime Minister and Chairman of the Presidential Court, the Cup has become the world’s most prestigious and most valuable event of its kind — connecting owners, breeders and racing communities across four continents under the UAE’s enduring commitment to this noble sport.
