Shayea is one to watch

FRANKFURT // The Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed Al Nahyan-owned colt, Shayea is favourite for the 1,600m Zayed the First Cup for three-year-old Arabian flat-racers in Germany today. Running under French jockey Jiri Palik, the three-year-old will be competing alongside 14 other runners and riders for a share of the ?15,000 (Dh78,758) prize purse. British-bred Al Anqa, owned by Sheikh Abdullah bin Khalifa al Thani, will also be one to watch at Frankfurt's Niederrad Racecourse. Partnered by French jockey David Bouland, the filly has been running well under the schooling of Qatar-based Arabian horse trainer, Alban De Mieulle.

Competition for the winners' post will also come from the Franzisaca Aeschbacher-owned Nil Ishan Ibn Al Sakbe. The Swiss-bred chestnut colt is fresh from claiming first place in his last outing in Cologne, Germany earlier this year. Today's race is the third in a series of four meetings taking place across Europe this summer as part of the Festival of Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed for Arabian flat horse racing.

The festival has already visited Holland and France, aiming to encourage the popularity of Arabian racing across the continent. The final stop will return to France later this month. [e-mail]