O'Shea pulls off a dramatic thriller with AF Maher to win Dubai Kahayla Classic

AF Maher (right) ridden by Tadhg O'Shea on way to winning the Dubai Kahayla Classic. - Photo by M. Sajjad

The year has been nothing short of remarkable for Tadhg O'Shea. The Irishman became the most successful jockey of all-time in the UAE by eclipsing Englishman Richard Hills' mark to shade.
He is also on the threshold of becoming the UAE Champion Jockey for a seventh time. And on Saturday, on the biggest day in the world of horse racing, O'Shea landed his second winner at the Dubai World Cup.
An expert of sorts when it comes to Purebred Arabians, the 37-year-old pulled off a dramatic and scintillating victory onboard AF Maher in the $1 million Group 1 Dubai Kahayla Classic.
Saddled by Ernst Oertel, who is leading the UAE Trainers' Championship with 47 winners this season, AF Maher tussled with Saudi Arabian contender Fazza Al Khalediah before edging the latter by a nose over the 10-furlong contest at the Meydan Racecourse.
It was O'Shea's second victory at the Dubai World Cup after he had won the Kahayla Classic on Mizzna in 2008. O'Shea was also second in the same race on Charh in 2007 and finished in the same position with Green Coast in the Godolphin Mile in 2010.
"He has finally put it together and he has done it on dirt," a jubilant O'Shea said after the race.
"As I said, he's a big, big act. Ninety-nine percent of the horses would have basically given up when they are second. I had the railing and a very willing partner with a big heart," he added.
O'Shea was also delighted for his trainer Oertel. "Ernst (Oertel) is a tremendous trainer and this fellow has plenty of experience. He's still a young horse but we ran him plenty. But better late than never on finally getting it right," said O'Shea, who was making his 30th run at the Cup.
And O'Shea couldn't stop raving about AF Maher, who is a versatile horse that can run on both turf and dirt.
"It has been 10 years since I won this race on the mighty Mizzna. To win races like this, on horses like this, you need to have courage, determination and a big heart and I think he showed all three there," felt O'Shea.
Meanwhile, Oertel said that knowing the character of his horse and the Purebred Arabians in general, he had expected AF Maher to fight back.
"It is brilliant," Oertel said .
"That what these Arabians do and we got a good one and they show what they are worth. I've seen him battle back in a couple of races like this and I'm so happy," added Oertel, who clinched his first win in 13 runs at the Dubai World Cup, after a second place finish previously.
Last year's winner Saudi Arabia's Tallaab Al Khalediah had kept pace with the leaders with 800 metres left but couldn't mount a challenge, heading for home, and finished fifth.
james@khaleejtimes.com