Tadhg O’Shea on cusp of 800 UAE winners at Meydan's New Year meet

Irishman rides Group 1 winner Tuz, the leading dirt sprinter in the country

Tadhg O’Shea eases Tuz across the finish line in the Listed Al Garhoud Sprint at Meydan on December 6, 2024. Photo: ERA

The New Year meeting at Meydan on Friday could turn out to be a momentous occasion for Tadhg O’Shea with the Irishman on the cusp of reaching a milestone 800 winners in the UAE.

The turf legend has won an unprecedented 12 jockey’s championship titles and is out on his own as the all-time leading rider in the UAE with 799 wins.

O’Shea is tied for the lead in this season's jockey’s table on 19 winners with Connor Beasley, his closest challenge last term.

The Zabeel Stables jockey is booked in seven of the eight races at the New Year meeting, but his best chance of reaching 800 wins should come aboard the Bhupat Seemar-trained Tuz.

The eight-year-old Oxbow gelding landed the Group 1 Dubai Golden Shaheen at the 2024 Dubai World Cup. It turned out to be a double celebration for both O'Shea and Seemar on the night as Laurel River's win in the main Dubai World Cup race saw Seemar become the first local trainer to win the big prize and O'Shea the biggest victory of his stellar career.

Returning for his first run of the season, Tuz was impressive in the Listed Al Garhoud Sprint on December 6. He is bidding for a hat-trick on the 1,200-metre track and trip on Friday.

“Tuz is one of the fastest horses in the world and is in good form. He’s his usual self so all is good with him,” Seemar, who also won the Golden Shaheen in 2023 with Switzerland, said.

Tuz is the leading dirt sprinter in the UAE, backing up his Group 1 Dubai Golden Shaheen success with another demolition job in the Listed Garhoud Sprint last month.

Challenging Tuz for are five rivals that include Desperate Hero, who makes his dirt debut for Salem bin Ghadayer after having been trained in the UK by Jack Channon, and Colour Up, second to Tuz in the Garhoud Sprint.

Strobe, who looked unlucky on his Meydan debut, also takes his chance for Simon and Ed Crisford.

“Desperate Hero has had just one gallop since he came,” Bin Ghadayer said of the five-year-old Captain Gerrard gelding.

“He performed well on soft and firm ground in Europe and I’m really happy about him – he’s a nice horse and he could develop to become one of the good sprinters here.

“This race is just a starting point for him, as it’s a tough field with a super champion [Tuz] in there. But he will be a very nice horse, especially over five furlongs.”

This race is just a starting point for him, as it’s a tough field with a super champion [Tuz] in there. But he will be a very nice horse, especially over five furlongs

Salem bin Ghadayer on Desperate Hero

The official feature of the New Year card is the Group 2 Zabeel Mile in which San Donato bids to emulate Safety Check, the only dual winner of the race to date.

Successful last year when trained by Doug Watson, the nine-year-old is now with Michael Costa and put in a promising yard debut when coming in second on his last outing in the Listed Business Bay Challenge.

“We’re really happy with him,” said the Jebel Ali Stables trainer. “We ran him first up thinking he would be too short [on fitness] but we wanted to give his coat a wriggle on.

“He has come on nicely and will keep getting better with the increase in distance. It looks a firmer race then last year, but the horse is a happy horse.”

The nine-strong field includes Godolphin pair Ottoman Fleet and Noble Dynasty, while Lucia Botti runs Royal Dubai, third in the Group 2 Al Rashidiya last time out.

“Both Ottoman Fleet and Noble Dynasty head into the Zabeel Mile in good order,” trainer Charlie Appleby said.

“If you look at the pick of Ottoman Fleet’s form in the United States, he looks the one to beat. He put up a very solid performance over this distance in the Fourstardave and we have been happy with his preparation.

“Noble Dynasty had the one run around Meydan last year, over seven furlongs, and produced a couple of strong efforts back in the UK.

“His work has gone well, and his form is pretty consistent. We feel we have two leading contenders, although Ottoman Fleet will be the horse they have to beat if he runs to his best.”