Tadhg O’Shea rode a treble at Al Ain to move four wins clear of his closest challenger Antonio Fresu in the UAE jockey’s championship race.
The Irishman, bidding for an unprecedented 10th title, took the opening and concluding prizes on Ernst Oertel’s AF Mukhrej and AF Hukooma, and in between, rode Ibrahim Al Hadhrami’s Asif to victory to take his tally to 49.
The UAE jockey’s title race has turned into a two-way battle between O’Shea and Fresu, and every time the the Italian gets close, the Irishman has managed to hit back with more winners.
Ridden clear leaving the home turn, Asif galloped on resolutely all the way to the line and was always holding off Farasah and then a very late challenge from Oxford, who had raced in last throughout the first half of the contest, before staying on strongly but too late.
Al Hadhrami’s charge has now won half of his 10 career starts, with this a fourth success at Al Ain Racecourse.
Thirty minutes earlier, Fresu produced a late run with Jood for the first of Al Hadhrami’s two winners in the seven-race card for Purebred Arabians.
The feature was the Al Ain Derby, a Prestige contest over 1,800 metres for four-year-old local bred Arabians that drew only five runners and was won by Khalifa Al Neyadi’s Yas Xmnsor.
The Big Easy colt partnered by Omani apprentice Saif Al Balushi came home eight lengths clear of Majed Al Jahoori’s Wadheha.
That was Yas Xmnsor’s third success after claiming the Emirates Colts Classic, also a Prestige race, on the Abu Dhabi turf last Monday.
Results:
5pm: Aud Al Touba – Handicap (PA) Dh70,000 (Dirt) 1,800m
Winner: AF Mulhrej, Tadhg O’Shea (jockey), Ernst Oertel (trainer)
5.30pm: Al Ain Derby – Prestige (PA) Dh100,000 (D) 1,800m
Winner: Yas Xmnsor, Saif Al Balushi, Khalifa Al Neyadi
6pm: Al Hili – Maiden (PA) Dh70,000 (D) 1,600m
Winner: Megtah Albahar, Abdulaziz Al Balushi, Helal Al Alawi
6.30pm: Al Jahili – Handicap (PA) Dh70,000 (D) 1,600m
Winner: Jood, Antonio Fresu, Ibrahim Al Hadhrami
7pm: Al Sarooj – Handicap (PA) Dh80,000 (D) 1,600m
Winner: Asif, Tadhg O’Shea, Ibrahim Al Hadhrami
7.30pm: Al Masoudi – Maiden (PA) Dh70,000 (D) 1,400m
Winner: AF Al Sana, Sandro Paiva, Hamza Al Hamida
8pm: Mezied – Maiden (PA) Dh70,000 (D) 1,400m
Winner: AF Hukooma, Tadhg O’Shea, Ernst Oertel
Types of policy
Term life insurance: this is the cheapest and most-popular form of life cover. You pay a regular monthly premium for a pre-agreed period, typically anything between five and 25 years, or possibly longer. If you die within that time, the policy will pay a cash lump sum, which is typically tax-free even outside the UAE. If you die after the policy ends, you do not get anything in return. There is no cash-in value at any time. Once you stop paying premiums, cover stops.
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Ms Yang's top tips for parents new to the UAE
- Join parent networks
- Look beyond school fees
- Keep an open mind
Other acts on the Jazz Garden bill
Sharrie Williams
The American singer is hugely respected in blues circles due to her passionate vocals and songwriting. Born and raised in Michigan, Williams began recording and touring as a teenage gospel singer. Her career took off with the blues band The Wiseguys. Such was the acclaim of their live shows that they toured throughout Europe and in Africa. As a solo artist, Williams has also collaborated with the likes of the late Dizzy Gillespie, Van Morrison and Mavis Staples.
Lin Rountree
An accomplished smooth jazz artist who blends his chilled approach with R‘n’B. Trained at the Duke Ellington School of the Arts in Washington, DC, Rountree formed his own band in 2004. He has also recorded with the likes of Kem, Dwele and Conya Doss. He comes to Dubai on the back of his new single Pass The Groove, from his forthcoming 2018 album Stronger Still, which may follow his five previous solo albums in cracking the top 10 of the US jazz charts.
Anita Williams
Dubai-based singer Anita Williams will open the night with a set of covers and swing, jazz and blues standards that made her an in-demand singer across the emirate. The Irish singer has been performing in Dubai since 2008 at venues such as MusicHall and Voda Bar. Her Jazz Garden appearance is career highlight as she will use the event to perform the original song Big Blue Eyes, the single from her debut solo album, due for release soon.
