Tadhg O’Shea extends lead in UAE Jockey's Championship with two wins in Abu Dhabi

Irishman bagged the first two prizes for the Purebred Arabians at the capital’s track

Tadhg O’Shea rides AF Alajaj to victory in Abu Dhabi on Sunday. ERA

Tadhg O’Shea rounded off a busy week with a double for trainer Ernst Oertel and the Emirati owner-breeder Khalid Khalifa Al Naboodah in Abu Dhabi on Sunday.

The UAE champion jockey bagged the first two prizes for the Purebred Arabians at the capital’s track to replicate the thoroughbred double he rode for Satish Seemar the previous night at Meydan.

O’Shea took the opening prize aboard AF Mouthirah by a head short head from Ryan Curatolo under RB Dixie Honor after making every yard of the running over the mile trip.

AF Alajaj was an impressive winner of the second race. The four-year-old son of AF Albahar overcame a wide draw from Gate 13 to come home three lengths clear of Murooj under Clement Lecoeuvre.

“Smart colt he has been from day one,” O’Shea said of AF Alajaj. “The first time I did a gallop on him and he did nothing but improved. He’s a horse that keeps going forward. It was a very good performance from a bad stall.

“He travelled well and was very professional. He never even got tapped on the shoulder. He looks a horse with a huge future and touchwood it’s nice to come here on the grass. He’s equally good on the dirt. He’s an exciting horse.”

O’Shea’s two winners extended his lead in the jockey’s championship to 20, six more than Fabrice Veron, who took the fourth race on Eric Lemartinel’s Taif.

It also took Oertel’s tally to 18 to share the top spot with Salem bin Ghadayer in the trainer’s championship, and Al Naboodah’s record to 20 and 10 clear of the Al Abjan Stables in the owner’s championship.

The Sudanese trainer Abubakar Daud finally celebrated his first winner since receiving his trainer’s licence three years ago when Hawafez under Connor Beasley landed the Wathba Stallions Cup Handicap.

Wakeel W’Rsan completed back-to-back victories under Richard Mullen for trainer Jaci Wickham’s third success of the season.

“He’s a bit of a monkey and Richie on board really suits him,” Wickham said. “The plan was to drop him and then come late.

“He’s a bit of a revelation because he was a very difficult young horse. But him and Richie get on so well. I’m really delighted for his second win in the season and stepping up in trip as well.”

Fernando Jara atop Ahmad bin Harmash’s Son Of Normandy took the concluding handicap for the thoroughbreds.