Abu Dhabi doubles for Mullen and Al Nabooda
abu dhabi — Racing returned to Abu Dhabi Racecourse on Sunday evening and it was jockey Richard Mullen who returned triumphant in the feature, sporting the colours of Shaikh Hamdan bin Mansour Al Nahyan.
Mullen made all aboard the Majed Al Jahouri-trained Shateh in the featured 1600m Shaikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan Cup Prepo. Shateh was continuing a trend established on Sunday evening which saw horses that raced prominently landing the spoils and he found plenty for pressure with Mullen forced to get serious in the closing stages to repel the challenge of AF Maqayes.
Winner of Abu Dhabi’s Group 3 Al Ruwais over 1000m last year, Shateh also chased home subsequent Kahayla Classic winner, AF Mathmoon, in both the 1400m Group 2 Bani Yas on the Meydan dirt and then, back at Abu Dhabi, in the 1400m Group 1 Liwa Oasis.
It was a gutsy performance from the winner who was completing a double for his jockey.
“We knew coming here he had some very good form in the book,” said Mullen. “He likes to be ridden positively so that was always the plan and he ran on strongly in the closing stages when the second horse threatened a challenge late on.”
The jockey initiated his double with a similarly hard-fought success aboard AF Ashras who won a 1400m conditions race for Ernst Oertel and Khalid Khalifa Al Nabooda. Winner of a 1200m maiden on the Sharjah dirt in December of last year, this was a second career victory for Oertel’s charge who saw out the trip well and is clearly versatile with regards to both trip and underfoot conditions.
The powerful trio of The President, His Highness Shaikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan, his Al Asayl Stables-based trainer Eric Lemartinel and Champion Jockey, Tadhg O’Shea, rarely leave Abu Dhabi empty handed and combined with RB Dixie Burning, who victorious in a 2200m handicap. “This was my first ride for Al Asayl tonight so it is great to get an early winner on the board,” said O’Shea. “She found plenty for pressure and has seen out this longer trip well.”