The UAE jockey’s championship titles now appears to be firmly in favour of Tadhg O’Shea as he bids to become the champion for an unprecedented 10th time.
The Irishman is on 61 winners, eight ahead of closest challenger Antonio Fresu with six race meetings left for the season, including the Dubai World Cup night.
O’Shea is riding in all 20 races across the weekend’s three meetings at Al Ain on Friday, Jebel Ali’s final meeting on Saturday and Sunday’s second last meeting in Abu Dhabi.
The Al Ain Sprint, a 1,000-metre dash with prestige status is the highlight of Al Ain’s seven-race card.
O’Shea is on board Ernst Oertel’s AF Thayer in the race. The five year old by AF Al Salaam has won four of his eight starts, and will be the one to beat in the five-runner field.
O’Shea can consolidate his lead in the jockey’s title race by adding a winner or two to his tally in Al Ain before moving on to Jebel Ali and Abu Dhabi.
He is booked to ride in all seven races at Jebel Ali and all six races in Abu Dhabi, that also include the Dh1million Emirates Championship for Purebred Arabians, the UAE Arabian Derby and Listed Abu Dhabi Championship for thoroughbreds.
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Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid at the presentation ceremony of the 1996 Dubai World Cup at Nad Al Sheba on March 27. Allsport -
Allen Paulson with the Dubai World Cup Trophy after his horse Cigar won the 1996 $4 million Dubai World Cup. Allsport -
Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid looks at the Dubai World Cup trophy on March 28, 1999. Allsport -
Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid at the 1999 Dubai World Cup at the Nad Al Sheba racecourse. Allsport -
Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid with Electrocutionist, ridden by jockey Frankie Dettori, that won the Dubai World Cup on March 25, 2006. That was the eleventh running of the world's richest horse race with a prize purse of $6million. Getty -
Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid, Vice President and Ruler of Dubai, during the presentation ceremony of the Dubai World Cup at Nad Al Sheba Racecourse on March 29, 2008. Paulo Vecina / The National -
Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid at the Dubai World Cup on March 28, 2009. Pawan Singh / The National -
Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid and victorious owner Bill Casner who won the 2009 Dubai World Cup with Well Armed. Amy Leang / The National -
Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid with Sheikh Hamdan at the 2009 Dubai World Cup. Amy Leang / The National -
Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid, Vice President and Ruler of Dubai, with jockey Ahmad Ajtebi who won the Godolphin Mile with Calming Influence at the 2010 Dubai World Cup. Pawan Singh / The National -
Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid at the Meydan Racecourse during the 2012 Dubai World Cup. Jeffrey E Biteng / The National -
Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid with, from left, trainer Graham Motion, jockey Joel Rosario and owner John Messara after Animal Kingdom's 2013 Dubai World Cup triumph. -
Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid with the team of Animal Kingdom, ridden by Joel Rosario, that won the Dubai World Cup at Meydan on March 30, 2013. Razan Alzayani / The National -
Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid reads a racecard at the Dubai World Cup on March 30 2013. Razan Alzayani / The National -
Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid lifts the Dubai World Cup after African Story won at Meydan on March 29, 2014. Getty -
Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid, Vice President and Ruler of Dubai, celebrates with Sheikh Hamdan after Godolphin's African Story won the 2014 Dubai World Cup. Getty -
Sheikh Mohammed celebrates after African Story won the Dubai World Cup on March 29 , 2014. Pawan Singh / The National -
Jockey Silvestre De Sousa after wining the 2014 Dubai World Cup with Godolphin's African Story. Pawan Singh / The National -
Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid after Godolphin's African Story won the $10 million Dubai World Cup. Satish Kumar / The National -
Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid after Godolphin's African Story won the 2014 Dubai World Cup. Pawan Singh / The National -
Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid in a jubilant mood after African Story won the Dubai World Cup. Pawan Singh / The National -
Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed, the Crown Prince of Dubai, is presented with the 2015 Dubai World Cup trophy after Prince Bishop won the showpiece race. Pawan Singh / The National -
Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed saw Prince Bishop, ridden by William Buick, win the 2015 Dubai World Cup. Pawan Singh / The National -
Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid, Vice President and Ruler of Dubai, during Dubai World Cup at Meydan Racecourse on March 28, 2015. Sarah Dea / The National -
Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid at the 2017 Dubai World Cup. Christopher Pike / The National -
Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid with jockey William Buick, left, and horse Jack Hobbs after the Dubai Sheema Classic at the 2017 Dubai World Cup weekend at Meydan. AFP -
Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid at the 2017 Dubai World Cup. Reem Mohammed / The National -
Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid at the 2017 Dubai World Cup. Christopher Pike / The National -
Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed, Crown Prince of Dubai, with the 2018 Dubai World Cup trophy after Thunder Show won the main race. Pawan Singh / The National -
Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid at the 2018 Dubai World Cup. Pawan Singh / The National -
Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid and Sheikh Hamdan present Christophe Soumillon the 2018 Dubai World Cup trophy after Thunder Snow won the main race. Pawan Singh / The National -
Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed at the 2018 Dubai World Cup ceremony. Chris Whiteoak / The National -
Christophe Soumillion with Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed after Thunder Snow won the 2018 Dubai World. Chris Whiteoak / The National -
Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed with Benbatl, ridden by Oisin Murphy, after the Dubai Turf at the 2018 Dubai World Cup weekend. Pawan Singh / The National -
Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid at the 2019 Dubai World Cup. Reuters -
Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid and Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed with the Dubai World Cup trophy after Thunder Snow, ridden by Christophe Soumillon, defended the title on March 30, 2019 at Meydan. Chris Whiteoak / The National -
William Buick speaks with Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid and Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed after Blue Point won the Al Quoz Sprint during the 2019 Dubai World Cup weekend. Chris Whiteoak / The National
Jean de Roualle’s Somoud in the silks of Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed’s Yas Racing is bidding for a hat-trick of the Emirates Championship.
The eight-year-old son of Munjiz bounced back from three disappointing runs to win the Dh2.5million President’s Cup for the Arabians over the track and trip five weeks ago.
Adrie de Vries, who has been in the saddle in three of the four starts this season, including the victory in his last start, retains the ride.
The UAE Arabian Derby has drawn 13 runners with O’Shea booked on Abubakar Daud’s AF Mualami, a winner of his last start under Fresu who is now atop Ibrahim Al Hadhrami’s Haroon.
Haroon was fourth on his racecourse debut and was third Magtah Albahar in his last start at Al Ain.
Irish Freedom is O’Shea’s choice from the five entries from Seemar’s stables, for whom he’s the first jockey.
The Pioneer of The Nile gelding won the prize 12 months ago under Fresu, who is on board another Seemar runner Law Of Peace, winner of three races from the last four starts.
Irish Freedom hasn’t won since then but arrives having placed third and second in his last two starts.
