Discovery Island lands feature prize for Seemar at Jebel Ali’s final meeting

Tadhg O’Shea rides the winner to consolidate his lead in the UAE jockeys title

Tadhg O’Shea on Discovery Island winning the Jebel Ali Classic at Jebel Ali’s final meeting of the season on Saturday, March 19, 2022. - DHRIC

Bhupat Seemar remains on track for a maiden UAE trainer’s championship after saddling a double including the feature prize of the seven-race card at Jebel Ali’s final meeting on Saturday.

His stable jockey Tadhg O’Shea landed the Jebel Ali Classic on board Discovery Island and Bernardo Pinheiro grabbed the concluding handicap on Ghost Of The Mambo.

The double took Seemar’s tally to 45 winners, six more than his closest challenger Doug Watson with four race days left, including the Dubai World Cup meeting.

Discovery Island led close home to win from stable mate Rodaini by half-a-length. On The Warpath took third ahead of another Seemar runner Bochart in the conditions race over 1,400 metres.

“We have always liked this horse who was a maiden when we bought him,” the Zabeel Stables trainer said of the five-year-old Dubawi gelding.

“We are delighted to have won three times with him. Hopefully there is more to come,” Seemar added.

Pinheiro completed the double when he produced a strong run up the hill to win on Ghost Of The Mambo from Tolmount and Dubalin Parade for Seemar to regain the six-winner lead after Watson had also saddled two winners.

The Red Stables trainer took the second and third races with Pat Dobbs producing a strong late run on Winners Club.

Sam Hitchcock on Watson’s Raneen got up on the line to win from stable mate Minwah by a length to deny Dobbs also completing a double half an hour later.

“We gave this filly plenty of time and I was impressed with that,” Watson said of Raneen.

“I imagine she will go back to England now, as will Minwah who has also run very well.”

Pinheiro also celebrated a double at the meeting having steered Rashed Bouresly’s Balletomane to victory in the fifth race.

The Brazilian made all on the seven-year-old son of Exceed And Excel to win from Lake Causeway under O’Shea by a length.

Lake Causeway has now finished runner up on five times, and either third or fourth in the remaining three starts for the season. The five-year-old Creative Cause gelding remains winless after 17 starts.

Results

2.30pm: Commercial Bank Of Dubai – Maiden (TB) Dh60,000 (Dirt) 1,400m

Winner: Street Mood, Antonio Fresu (jockey), Musabah Al Muhairi (trainer)

3pm: Al Shafar Investment – Handicap (TB) Dh76,000 (D) 1,400m

Winner: Winners Club, Pat Dobbs, Doug Watson

3.30pm: Shadwell – Conditions (TB) Dh200,000 (D) 1,400m

Winner: Raneen, Sam Hitchcock, Doug Watson

4pm: Jebel Ali Classic (Silver Jubilee) – Conditions (TB) Dh250,000 (D) 1,400m

Winner: Discovery Island, Tadhg O’Shea, Bhupat Seemar

4.30pm: Al Firdous – Handicap (TB) Dh68,000 (D) 1,000m

Winner: Balletoman, Bernardo Pinheiro, Rashed Bouresly

5pm: Dubai Creek Tower – Handicap (TB) Dh84,000 (D) 1,950m

Winner: Quip, Xavier Ziani, Salem bin Ghadayer

5.30pm: Jebel Ali Racecourse – Handicap (TB) Dh72,000 (D) 1,800m

Winner: Ghost Of The Mambo, Bernardo Pinheiro, Bhupat Seemar