Antonio Fresu celebrates 100th winner in UAE on board Conclusion at Jebel Ali

Italian crosses milestone in style as he wins by more than 10 lengths

Antonio Fresu guides Conclusion to victory at the Jebel Ali Racecourse in Dubai. This is his 100th win in the UAE. Pawan Singh / The National

Antonio Fresu celebrated his hundredth winner in the UAE on board the Musabah Al Muhairi-trained Conclusion at the Jebel Ali racecourse on Friday.

The Italian crossed the milestone in style, breaking away from the pack from the 200-metre mark to record the win by more than 10 lengths in the featured handicap in the seven-race card meeting.

“I won my first race in the UAE at Jebel Ali and to reach hundred winners on the same track felt so good and so happy,” Fresu, who also took his tally to 24 for the season, said.

“This was Conclusion’s first time at Jebel Ali and I was a little bit surprised the way he did it for his first local success. He’s been working well at home and been a bit unlucky in his last three turf starts at Meydan.

“Perhaps he needs a little more time to adapt. He won very well on the sand today and hopefully he can get another one or two before the season ends.”

Tadhg O’Shea completed a double for trainer Satish Seemar. The UAE champion jockey took the opener on Majestic Thunder and the fifth race atop Pilgrim’s Treasure to take his tally to 30 at the top of the championship leaderboard.

Seemar’s stable jockey Richard Mullen on Sanad Libya made it four for the Zabeel Stables trainer.

Salem bin Ghadayer’s Tailor’s Row finally had his head in front after thrice being runner up on his last three visits to Jebel Ali.

Royston Ffrench had him in front from widest draw Gate 13 and the six-year-old Street Cry gelding stayed on strongly until the end to reverse the result of the last with Hello and deny O’Shea from completing a quick double.

“He’s been running well but failing by short margins but finally he got his head in front today,” Ffrench said.

“He got a bit tired towards the end in his last few runs and got caught close home. I don’t know whether it worked or not to leave him alone with the whip and he did his job.”

Adam McLean celebrated his first winner of the season on Doug Watson’s Native Appeal in the third race.

“It’s been a long time but it’s always nice to get off the mark for the season,” he said.

“He’s (Native Appeal) done nothing wrong at home and I think the change of scenery and he just like to finish up the hill.