E-Paper
Sign In
iPhone | iPad
Android
Sun, Dec 15, 2024 | Jumada al-Aakhirah 13, 1446 | DXB
0°C
O'Shea proves he is a true champion with stunning comeback
The seven-time UAE champion jockey steals the spotlight
- By
- Leslie Wilson Jr
Law Of Peace, ridden by champion jockey Tadhg O’Shea, wins the Graduate Stakes on Thursday evening. (Supplied photo)
Tadhg O’Shea won a double at Meydan racecourse on Thursday as the seven-time UAE champion jockey returned from a bout of Covid-19 to steal the spotlight on a thrilling evening’s racing.
O’Shea missed last week’s Dubai World Cup Carnival meeting due to the illness but proved his incredible toughness and resilience upon his return to the saddle as he steered home Law Of Peace and Zero To A Hundred for trainer Bhupat Seemar.
In both cases O’Shea needed to dig deep into his reserves to achieve victory, with the one aboard Law Of Peace in the featured Graduate Stakes, being particularly special.
The Irish talent needed to really take care of his mount who was making his second appearance on the track in less than a week. And he did it like the pro that he is – coming from the back of the field aboard the son of Shamardal to run out a strong a length and a half winner over First Winter and Ray Dawson.
“I’m always positive going forward. There are lots of bad things going on in the world at the moment so I was very grateful to get back on a horse,” said O’Shea.
“You never like being on the sidelines but at least it wasn’t through injury, could have been worse, could have been longer.
“The yard continues in great form. He was well in his revised mark (he was) coming back in six days. These horses don’t have easy races on the dirt. He’s a horse that has just tried and tried all season,” he added.
O’Shea himself has worked assiduously all season pedaling his ware at all the five racecourses in the UAE and this commitment was very much in evidence when he rode Zero To A Hundred to a three-quarter length victory in the concluding The Palm Tower handicap.
“He’s ultra-consistent on turf and dirt that’s a rarity.,” said O’Shea of the winner. “He’s a very good pedigree normally they are better on one or the other, but this fella is good on both.
“You love to own horses like that because he never runs a bad race.”
Meanwhile, elsewhere on the seven-race card Bahraini trainer/owner Fawzi Nass saddled the American-bred Madkhal to an emphatic win in the Palm Fountain Handicap.
The meeting opened with a pair of turf contests, the first of which, The Pointe, fell to the impressive Monaadah, who was ridden by former British champion Jim Crowley in the Shadwell silks
The winner was trained by Godolphin’s Saeed bin Suroor who also trained Al Mutawakel to win the Dubai World Cup for Shadwell’s late owner, Sheikh Hamdan bin Rashid Al Maktoum, the former Deputy Ruler of Dubai and Minister of Finance.
“When I saw Saeed in the paddock (before the race) he said he liked him,” Crowley said.
“He was running a bit short in trip, seven furlongs and he was drawn 10. But he felt very well running three-wide the whole way. He picked up well and I’d say there is plenty of improvement in him,” he added.
“He galloped out past the line extremely well and probably be a better horse if he steps up in distance.”
Thursday’s meeting was the last domestic card of the season with the iconic racetrack set to host Super Saturday on March 5 and the Dubai World Cup on March 26.
Sign Up For Breaking News Alerts
Be in the know. Get the latest breaking news delivered straight to your inbox.
