When Tadhg O’Shea finally calls it a day, he will have a couple of records in the UAE that will be very hard to surpass.
The Irishman has already won 10 UAE jockey’s championship titles since beating the record of seven of the now retired Ted Durcan.
O’Shea, 40, is also out on his own as the all-time leading jockey with 699 winners in the UAE. His closest challenger Richard Mullen, 46, the longest- serving jockey in the UAE, is on 563.
The champion jockey has three meetings at the weekend to achieve the milestone either at the opening meeting of the Dubai World Cup Carnival on Friday, Sharjah’s fixture on Saturday and a regular meeting at Meydan again on Sunday.
“Success breeds success,” O’Shea told The National of his achievements during his 22 years riding in the UAE.
“I’m very fit and enjoying it better than I've ever done. That happens with confidence. When your confidence is up, the gaps seem to come easier.
“Things just happen more naturally unlike when you are chasing something, or if you are a bit under pressure or you are not handling pressure, well these things don’t happen.”
O’Shea has four rides in the opening night of the Dubai World Cup Carnival at Meydan on Friday.
He rides AF Alajaj for Ernst Oertel in the Group 1 Al Maktoum Challenge Round-1 for Purebred Arabians and three thoroughbreds – Law Of The Sea, Switzerland, and Secret Ambition – for Bhupat Seemar.
“The carnival is very competitive, and if I could achieve that milestone on the night would be a dream,” O’Shea said when asked if he could reach the target.
He rides two of his favourite thoroughbreds at the carnival – Switzerland, on whom he won the $2 million Dubai Golden Shaheen for his first Group 1 win on the Dubai World Cup night.
And Secret Ambition, winner of the Group 2 Godolphin Mile, also on the Dubai World Cup meeting in 2021.
“They are possibly my two best rides and they are also the two oldest horses in their respective races,” he said of Switzerland, 9, and Secret Ambition, 10, entered in the Group 3 Dubawi Stakes and the Group 1 Al Maktoum Challenge, respectively.
“They are both showing all the signs at home that they are training well. Obviously the races are very competitive and they are both having their first runs in the season.
“There are lots of good horses out there coming with race fitness. It’s not very easy but they are very good horses.”
Another champion jockey’s title also appears to be well within O’Shea’s reach as he heads the season with 29 winners, 10 more than his closest challenger Antonio Fresu.
“We certainly hope so,” he said of an 11th championship crown. “We’ll be trying very hard. The main thing is to stay healthy and obviously you need the horses.
“I’m fortunate to ride for two very good stables, Zabeel with the thoroughbreds, and Khalid Khalifa Al Naboodah with the Arabians.
“We have had a great start to the season. I never really think of the championship until around February but of course I know I’m in front and it’s time to kick on now.”
O’Shea began the second half of the season on New Year’s Day with a treble with a winner for Al Naboodah and two for the Zabeel Stables trainer Seemar, that took his overall tally to 699.
“It’s always nice to start the New Year with some good results,” he said of his first meeting for the year at Jebel Ali.
“I had seven rides and came off with three winners and a third, and more importantly the winners were for my main patrons.
“It’s important for me and it’s important for them, and it’s important for the stables that I get the results for them to have that faith in me.”
Tearful appearance
Chancellor Rachel Reeves set markets on edge as she appeared visibly distraught in parliament on Wednesday.
Legislative setbacks for the government have blown a new hole in the budgetary calculations at a time when the deficit is stubbornly large and the economy is struggling to grow.
She appeared with Keir Starmer on Thursday and the pair embraced, but he had failed to give her his backing as she cried a day earlier.
A spokesman said her upset demeanour was due to a personal matter.
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4,872 matches
1,942 teams
116 pitches
76 nations
26 UAE teams
15 Lebanese teams
2 Kuwaiti teams
Dubai works towards better air quality by 2021
Dubai is on a mission to record good air quality for 90 per cent of the year – up from 86 per cent annually today – by 2021.
The municipality plans to have seven mobile air-monitoring stations by 2020 to capture more accurate data in hourly and daily trends of pollution.
These will be on the Palm Jumeirah, Al Qusais, Muhaisnah, Rashidiyah, Al Wasl, Al Quoz and Dubai Investment Park.
“It will allow real-time responding for emergency cases,” said Khaldoon Al Daraji, first environment safety officer at the municipality.
“We’re in a good position except for the cases that are out of our hands, such as sandstorms.
“Sandstorms are our main concern because the UAE is just a receiver.
“The hotspots are Iran, Saudi Arabia and southern Iraq, but we’re working hard with the region to reduce the cycle of sandstorm generation.”
Mr Al Daraji said monitoring as it stood covered 47 per cent of Dubai.
There are 12 fixed stations in the emirate, but Dubai also receives information from monitors belonging to other entities.
“There are 25 stations in total,” Mr Al Daraji said.
“We added new technology and equipment used for the first time for the detection of heavy metals.
“A hundred parameters can be detected but we want to expand it to make sure that the data captured can allow a baseline study in some areas to ensure they are well positioned.”
List of alleged parties
May 15 2020: PM and Carrie attend 'work meeting' with at
least 17 staff members
May 20 2020: PM and Carrie attend 'bring your own booze'
party
Nov 27 2020: PM gives speech at leaving do for his staff
Dec 10 2020: Staff party held by then-education secretary
Gavin Williamson
Dec 13 2020: PM and Carrie throw a flat party
Dec 14 2020: London mayor candidate Shaun Bailey holds staff party at Conservative
Party headquarters
Dec 15 2020: PM takes part in a staff quiz
Dec 18 2020: Downing Street Christmas party
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
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COMPANY%20PROFILE
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UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
Playing records of the top 10 in 2017
How many games the top 10 have undertaken in the 2017 ATP season
1. Rafael Nadal 58 (49-9)
2. Andy Murray 35 (25-10)
3. Roger Federer 38 (35-3)
4. Stan Wawrinka 37 (26-11)
5. Novak Djokovic 40 (32-8)
6. Alexander Zverev 60 (46-14)
7. Marin Cilic 43 (29-14)
8. Dominic Thiem 60 (41-19)
9. Grigor Dimitrov 48 (34-14)
10. Kei Nishikori 43 (30-13)
Huroob Ezterari
Director: Ahmed Moussa
Starring: Ahmed El Sakka, Amir Karara, Ghada Adel and Moustafa Mohammed
Three stars
How to apply for a drone permit
- Individuals must register on UAE Drone app or website using their UAE Pass
- Add all their personal details, including name, nationality, passport number, Emiratis ID, email and phone number
- Upload the training certificate from a centre accredited by the GCAA
- Submit their request
What are the regulations?
- Fly it within visual line of sight
- Never over populated areas
- Ensure maximum flying height of 400 feet (122 metres) above ground level is not crossed
- Users must avoid flying over restricted areas listed on the UAE Drone app
- Only fly the drone during the day, and never at night
- Should have a live feed of the drone flight
- Drones must weigh 5 kg or less
Company%20Profile
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3ECompany%20name%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3ENamara%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EStarted%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EJune%202022%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EFounder%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EMohammed%20Alnamara%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EBased%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EDubai%20%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ESector%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EMicrofinance%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ECurrent%20number%20of%20staff%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E16%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EInvestment%20stage%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3ESeries%20A%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EInvestors%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EFamily%20offices%0D%3Cbr%3E%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
Ukraine
Capital: Kiev
Population: 44.13 million
Armed conflict in Donbass
Russia-backed fighters control territory
SERIES INFO
Afghanistan v Zimbabwe, Abu Dhabi Sunshine Series
All matches at the Zayed Cricket Stadium, Abu Dhabi
Test series
1st Test: Zimbabwe beat Afghanistan by 10 wickets
2nd Test: Wednesday, 10 March – Sunday, 14 March
Play starts at 9.30am
T20 series
1st T20I: Wednesday, 17 March
2nd T20I: Friday, 19 March
3rd T20I: Saturday, 20 March
TV
Supporters in the UAE can watch the matches on the Rabbithole channel on YouTube
Read more about the coronavirus
The%20specs
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Without Remorse
Directed by: Stefano Sollima
Starring: Michael B Jordan
4/5
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
Know before you go
- Jebel Akhdar is a two-hour drive from Muscat airport or a six-hour drive from Dubai. It’s impossible to visit by car unless you have a 4x4. Phone ahead to the hotel to arrange a transfer.
- If you’re driving, make sure your insurance covers Oman.
- By air: Budget airlines Air Arabia, Flydubai and SalamAir offer direct routes to Muscat from the UAE.
- Tourists from the Emirates (UAE nationals not included) must apply for an Omani visa online before arrival at evisa.rop.gov.om. The process typically takes several days.
- Flash floods are probable due to the terrain and a lack of drainage. Always check the weather before venturing into any canyons or other remote areas and identify a plan of escape that includes high ground, shelter and parking where your car won’t be overtaken by sudden downpours.
Key facilities
- Olympic-size swimming pool with a split bulkhead for multi-use configurations, including water polo and 50m/25m training lanes
- Premier League-standard football pitch
- 400m Olympic running track
- NBA-spec basketball court with auditorium
- 600-seat auditorium
- Spaces for historical and cultural exploration
- An elevated football field that doubles as a helipad
- Specialist robotics and science laboratories
- AR and VR-enabled learning centres
- Disruption Lab and Research Centre for developing entrepreneurial skills
Benefits of first-time home buyers' scheme
- Priority access to new homes from participating developers
- Discounts on sales price of off-plan units
- Flexible payment plans from developers
- Mortgages with better interest rates, faster approval times and reduced fees
- DLD registration fee can be paid through banks or credit cards at zero interest rates
