It took more than two decades for Tadhg O'Shea to win the Dubai World Cup.
And having realised that dream with the Bhupat Seemer-trained Laurel River in the silks of the Saudi owners Juddmonte Farms last year, the Irishman is hoping that he does not have to wait that long for another, come April 5.
With Laurel River out of the race after a training setback, the UAE-based jockey has a tough decision to make in choosing the right horse of the two Zabeel Stables entries in the $12 million race run over the 2,000-metre dirt track at Meydan.
O'Shea must decide between Walk Of Stars and Imperial Emperor, on whom he won the Group 2 Al Maktoum Classic on Super Saturday to claim a direct spot in the Dubai World Cup.
Before that, he steered Walk Of Stars to win the Group 1 Al Maktoum – ahead of Imperial Emperor.
However, Walk Of Stars was subsequently unplaced behind Japan’s Forever Young in the $20 million Saudi Cup last month even though he was an impressive winner over Imperial Emperor before that over the 1,900m distance at Meydan.
“I’ll have to decide which horse to ride of the two after a final spin close to the Dubai World Cup. Hopefully, I’ll be atop the right horse on the day,” O’Shea told The National.
“The Dubai World Cup is a prize that I always dreamt of since I made my base in Dubai. Firstly, just be in the race, and finally to win was an absolutely proud moment.
“It has opened my eyes to wanting to win another one because I know how long it took me to finally win it. So hopefully I don’t have to wait long for the next.”
O’Shea is a true legend of the turf in the UAE with records that will be hard to beat. He already has 12 UAE jockey’s titles and is the all-time leading rider in the country with 826 winners.
He also has the honour of being only the second jockey after Richard Hills to win both the Dubai World Cup and the Dubai Kahayla Classic, the unofficial Dubai World Cup for the Purebred Arabians.
O’Shea rode Eric Lemartinel’s Mizzna in the silks of Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed to win the Kahayla in 2008, which incidentally was his first Group 1 career success.
He won the prize again on Ernst Oertel’s AF Maher for Emirati owner breeder Khalid Khalifa Al Naboodah in 2019.
“The first time I won on Mizzna, I was led into the winner’s enclosure by the late Sheikh Hamdan bin Rashid, although it was owned by Sheikh Mansour,” he said.
“It was he who provided me with the opportunity to come and ride in the UAE as part of a scholarship award for the Irish champion apprentice in 2001. So, I’m forever indebted to him for what I have achieved.”
After a memorable Dubai World Cup last year, winning two Group 1 prizes with Laurel River and Tuz in the Dubai Golden Shaheen, O’Shea has six rides this time around.
He kicks off with Oertel’s AF Maqam in the silks of Al Naboodah in the opening Arabian showpiece followed by the first of five rides for Seemar, Trafalgar Square, in the Dubai Gold Cup.
Of the two Zabeel Stables runners in the Godolphin Mile, O'Shea is likely to ride Mufasa oover Galactic Star in the UAE Derby, and Tuz in the Golden Shaheen.
“Tuz is an amazing horse. He’s been a great horse for the whole stable and beautifully prepared every time by Bhupat and the team,” O’Shea said of the eight-year-old Oxbow gelding.
“It looks a very good race with the Breeders' Cup and Saudi Cup winner Straight No Chaser in there. Tuz may to have to put on his extra-fast shoes. So, we're looking forward to it. He's probably better this year than he's ever been, so long may it continue.”
For O’Shea, who is completing his 24th season in the UAE, it has been an incredible journey.
In the jockey’s championship race, he is currently four winners behind Silvestre De Sousa. He has the Dubai World Cup meeting followed by Al Ain and Abu Dhabi in April 10 and 12 respectively to overtake the Brazilian and win a record-extending 13th UAE title.
De Sousa rides for Emirati trainer Musabah Al Muhairi as well as for Yas Racing, which is the Purebred Arabian powerhouse of Sheikh Mansour.
“He's got a lot of rides to choose from and very good horses, so makes my life hard,” O’Shea said.
“Looking back, to win the jockey’s title was always the dream when I was sitting seventh or eighth and ninth and 10th in the standings in those early days. My goal was to be in top spot one day, so to win 12 now, it's pinch yourself stuff.”
Despite the success, O’Shea remains one of the busiest riders and is as hungry as ever.
“Look, I have a great will to win,” he said. “You need a very good work ethic. You need to be very, very dedicated. And you need to be very hungry for success. So all of those contributions are still intact.
“So, yeah, as I said, it's been an amazing journey. It's been an amazing city. And let's hope we can get a few more World Cup winners on the CV and a few more jockey’s championships.”
O’Shea is aware how difficult it is to reach the career highs that he has – and then stay there.
I've been very lucky ... my wife and kids are fully committed to me and the sacrifices I have to make from time to time
Tadhg O’Shea
“I suppose it's like the alpha male in any pack in the wild,” he added. “If they get the top spot they don't like to let it go to another alpha. So it makes me get up in the morning and remain hungry and remain motivated.
“I ride for great people and you know their horses are turned out impeccably well and I try to steer them around and have as little mistakes as possible.
“It's been a great journey and I've met some lovely people over the years and I seem to have a great following, especially when I'm winning.
“So we're very grateful for all the support and I really do think with support like this it does motivate me going forward.
“I've been very lucky; my wife Debbie and two kids Darragh and Aaron are fully committed to me and fully committed to the job I have and the sacrifices I have to make from time to time. And without a good family behind you, it's not possible either.
“I don't know if my kids, now 12 and 14, will become jockeys, but they're super interested in it. They really get behind me now, and they're very knowledgeable in all the horses I'm riding, which makes it great, because we've always something to talk about in the O'Shea household.”
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Mohammed bin Zayed Majlis
Jetour T1 specs
Engine: 2-litre turbocharged
Power: 254hp
Torque: 390Nm
Price: From Dh126,000
Available: Now
The specs
AT4 Ultimate, as tested
Engine: 6.2-litre V8
Power: 420hp
Torque: 623Nm
Transmission: 10-speed automatic
Price: From Dh330,800 (Elevation: Dh236,400; AT4: Dh286,800; Denali: Dh345,800)
On sale: Now
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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
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Specs
Engine: 51.5kW electric motor
Range: 400km
Power: 134bhp
Torque: 175Nm
Price: From Dh98,800
Available: Now
If you go...
Fly from Dubai or Abu Dhabi to Chiang Mai in Thailand, via Bangkok, before taking a five-hour bus ride across the Laos border to Huay Xai. The land border crossing at Huay Xai is a well-trodden route, meaning entry is swift, though travellers should be aware of visa requirements for both countries.
Flights from Dubai start at Dh4,000 return with Emirates, while Etihad flights from Abu Dhabi start at Dh2,000. Local buses can be booked in Chiang Mai from around Dh50
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Global state-owned investor ranking by size
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United States
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China
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UAE
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Japan
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The White Lotus: Season three
Creator: Mike White
Starring: Walton Goggins, Jason Isaacs, Natasha Rothwell
Rating: 4.5/5
Tuesday's fixtures
Kyrgyzstan v Qatar, 5.45pm
UK-EU trade at a glance
EU fishing vessels guaranteed access to UK waters for 12 years
Co-operation on security initiatives and procurement of defence products
Youth experience scheme to work, study or volunteer in UK and EU countries
Smoother border management with use of e-gates
Cutting red tape on import and export of food
The candidates
Dr Ayham Ammora, scientist and business executive
Ali Azeem, business leader
Tony Booth, professor of education
Lord Browne, former BP chief executive
Dr Mohamed El-Erian, economist
Professor Wyn Evans, astrophysicist
Dr Mark Mann, scientist
Gina MIller, anti-Brexit campaigner
Lord Smith, former Cabinet minister
Sandi Toksvig, broadcaster
Volvo ES90 Specs
Engine: Electric single motor (96kW), twin motor (106kW) and twin motor performance (106kW)
Power: 333hp, 449hp, 680hp
Torque: 480Nm, 670Nm, 870Nm
On sale: Later in 2025 or early 2026, depending on region
Price: Exact regional pricing TBA
The smuggler
Eldarir had arrived at JFK in January 2020 with three suitcases, containing goods he valued at $300, when he was directed to a search area.
Officers found 41 gold artefacts among the bags, including amulets from a funerary set which prepared the deceased for the afterlife.
Also found was a cartouche of a Ptolemaic king on a relief that was originally part of a royal building or temple.
The largest single group of items found in Eldarir’s cases were 400 shabtis, or figurines.
Khouli conviction
Khouli smuggled items into the US by making false declarations to customs about the country of origin and value of the items.
According to Immigration and Customs Enforcement, he provided “false provenances which stated that [two] Egyptian antiquities were part of a collection assembled by Khouli's father in Israel in the 1960s” when in fact “Khouli acquired the Egyptian antiquities from other dealers”.
He was sentenced to one year of probation, six months of home confinement and 200 hours of community service in 2012 after admitting buying and smuggling Egyptian antiquities, including coffins, funerary boats and limestone figures.
For sale
A number of other items said to come from the collection of Ezeldeen Taha Eldarir are currently or recently for sale.
Their provenance is described in near identical terms as the British Museum shabti: bought from Salahaddin Sirmali, "authenticated and appraised" by Hossen Rashed, then imported to the US in 1948.
- An Egyptian Mummy mask dating from 700BC-30BC, is on offer for £11,807 ($15,275) online by a seller in Mexico
- A coffin lid dating back to 664BC-332BC was offered for sale by a Colorado-based art dealer, with a starting price of $65,000
- A shabti that was on sale through a Chicago-based coin dealer, dating from 1567BC-1085BC, is up for $1,950
The specs
Engine: 2.0-litre 4cyl turbo
Power: 261hp at 5,500rpm
Torque: 405Nm at 1,750-3,500rpm
Transmission: 9-speed auto
Fuel consumption: 6.9L/100km
On sale: Now
Price: From Dh117,059
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UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
The specs
Engine: 4-litre twin-turbo V8
Transmission: eight-speed PDK
Power: 630bhp
Torque: 820Nm
Price: Dh683,200
On sale: now
The specs
Engine: 3.8-litre twin-turbo flat-six
Power: 650hp at 6,750rpm
Torque: 800Nm from 2,500-4,000rpm
Transmission: 8-speed dual-clutch auto
Fuel consumption: 11.12L/100km
Price: From Dh796,600
On sale: now
NEW ARRIVALS
Benjamin Mendy (Monaco) - £51.75m (Dh247.94m)
Kyle Walker (Tottenham Hotspur) - £45.9m
Bernardo Silva (Monaco) - £45m
Ederson Moraes (Benfica) - £36m
Danilo (Real Madrid) - £27m
Douglas Luiz (Vasco de Gama) - £10.8m
Who has been sanctioned?
Daniella Weiss and Nachala
Described as 'the grandmother of the settler movement', she has encouraged the expansion of settlements for decades. The 79 year old leads radical settler movement Nachala, whose aim is for Israel to annex Gaza and the occupied West Bank, where it helps settlers built outposts.
Harel Libi & Libi Construction and Infrastructure
Libi has been involved in threatening and perpetuating acts of aggression and violence against Palestinians. His firm has provided logistical and financial support for the establishment of illegal outposts.
Zohar Sabah
Runs a settler outpost named Zohar’s Farm and has previously faced charges of violence against Palestinians. He was indicted by Israel’s State Attorney’s Office in September for allegedly participating in a violent attack against Palestinians and activists in the West Bank village of Muarrajat.
Coco’s Farm and Neria’s Farm
These are illegal outposts in the West Bank, which are at the vanguard of the settler movement. According to the UK, they are associated with people who have been involved in enabling, inciting, promoting or providing support for activities that amount to “serious abuse”.
