O’Shea joins Durcan with record-equalling 7 titles
dubai — Tadhg O’Shea clinched a record-equalling UAE Champion Jockey title after his friend turned championship foe Richard Mullen failed to close in on the Irishman in the final race meeting of the season at the Meydan Racecourse on Friday night.
Mullen had been five wins behind his Zabeel stablemate and both had been booked for rides in all seven of the races. But the Englishman couldn’t get those wins and challenge his mate. It was an uphill task anyway as Mullen failed to take advantage of O’Shea’s one-day suspension for excessive use of the whip on AF Maher in the Kahayla Classic at the Dubai World Cup.
Mullen had all seven rides in Al Ain as O’Shea served the suspension but the former could get only one winner on Ahmed Al Mehairbi’s Somoud.
And with Mullen drawing a blank at Meydan, O’Shea went on to wrap it up and join Ted Durcan with seven titles. O’Shea’s previous titles were in 2010, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2016 and 2018.
O’Shea ended the season with 48 wins from 336 runs, while Mullen finished up with 43 victories from 359 runs.
Earlier, after running them off their hooves last Friday, Ajwad staved off the challenge from Majestic Mambo to clinch the inaugural running of the Nad Al Sheba Classic.
The six-year-old son of Rock Of Gibraltar faced a fight as they headed for home in the 10-furlong affair on turf but managed to nick the win by a neck over Majestic Mambo.
Ajwad, saddled by Rashed Bouresly and ridden by Bernardo Pinheiro, had left his 15 rivals in his wake to win the Zabeel Trophy, a 1600 metres conditions race, last time out at Meydan.
But this Friday night, in the final furlong he came under pressure from Mike de Kock’s Majestic Mambo, the ride of Adrie de Vries, but went on to prevail for his fifth victory in 29 starts.
Ajwad broke well and led throughout the 2000 metres race with the rest of the pack jostling for position. But with 400 metres left to play out, Majestic Mambo, the four-year-old from Mambo In Seattle, had a look in and went for broke before it ended in a dramatic finish.
Six-time UAE Champion Trainer Doug Watson’s Thegreatcollection won the Meydan Mile, a 1600 metres conditions race by 2.25 lengths over Galvanize, to hand a double for jockey Adrie de Vries.
Earlier, the Racecourse swung into action with Jaarim surging in the final few metres to clinch his maiden win in only his third start. Trained by Fawzi Nass and the mount of Adrie de Vries, Jaarim won the Al Tayer Motors Maiden.
The three-year-old colt from Distorted Humor showed a fine turn of foot to land the seven-furlong affair on turf, by half a length over Dark Thunder, the charge of Watson. Then, Chess Master made the right moves to be victorious in the Azizi Mina Handicap for trainer Musabeh Al Mheiri. The six-yearold from the blue blood Shamardal, led from start to finish over the 1200 metres on dirt, to win by a comfortable 4.5 lengths over Leading Spirit.
The mount of Antonio Fresu, it was Chess Master’s third victory in 16 starts.
Mullen who was trying to close the gap on O’Shea, could only come in second for trainer Satish Seemar. Watson’s Lytham St Annes, ridden by Patrick Dobbs, finished third, 1.25 lengths behind Leading Spirit.
Meanwhile, Manahir, trained by Salem bin Ghadayer and the mount of Royston Ffrench, won Race 3, a 1400 metres Handicap. The fiveyear-old from Naaqoos, Manahir won the turf contest by two lengths over Pillar Of Society, the charge of Watson and the ride of Dobbs.