Horizon Automobiles, exclusive agents of Aston Martin in Qatar, has come on board as a sponsor with the Qatar Racing and Equestrian Club, sponsoring today’s HH The Emir’s Shalfa and also the Qatari Apprentice Thoroughbred Handicap races. At a press conference, Horizon Automobiles chairman Salman Abdullah Abdulghani, said: “I am proud to sponsor this kind of event in Qatar and especially an event which has the name of His Highness. It is a promotion of the Aston Martin brand in the Qatari market. It is already there, but to sponsor such an event will give the already big name a further boost.”
The Emir’s Shalfa race is open to individual Qatari-owned Class 1 Thoroughbreds, who are three-year-old and older, and are rated 85 and above. Last year’s edition was won by Jassim Ghazali trained Go Dan Go. The Qatari Apprentice Thoroughbred Handicap event is open to Thoroughbreds rated 56-75.
Abdulghani added: “The contract is only for a year now. But I don’t plan to be only in Qatar. I am planning to associate with the Qatar Goodwood Festival and the Qatar Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe.”
QREC general manager Nasser Sherida al-Kaabi said: “It is important to have alliances with many sponsors because horse racing is a prestigious sport. Aston Martin is one of the biggest companies, and it is a very exotic car. For us to have them sponsor the Shalfa race tomorrow is very important for us.
“We are trying our best to have lot more sponsors. Hopefully in the years to come we will see more interest from the private sector,” he added.
