The spotlight continues to land on Tadhg O'Shea as he bids to become the most successful jockey in the UAE.
O'Shea is booked in six of the seven races at Meydan Racecourse on Thursday in the final meeting on the track before the Dubai World Cup commences on March 30.
The 37-year-old Irishman equalled the all-time record of Richard Hills with his 503rd winner on-board the Ernst Oertel-trained Purebred Arabian AF Al Moreeb in Abu Dhabi last Sunday.
It might be a matter of 'when, not if' that O'Shea celebrates the milestone: if he does not win at Meydan on Thursday, he can do it in Abu Dhabi on Friday, or at Al Ain on Saturday.
“I’m always riding to win, and will celebrate the occasion as and when it happens,” the six-time UAE champion jockey said.
O'Shea is also chasing another record-equalling seventh UAE jockey’s championship title held by Ted Durcan but has to battle it out with Richard Mullen, his stable companion at Satish Seemar’s Zabeel Stables.
Mullen himself is a two-time UAE champion jockey. He is also the long-serving first jockey for Seemar, and obviously gets first choice on which horses to ride.
However, O'Shea has struck an excellent partnership with Oertel and Khalid Khalifa Al Naboodah, the leading owner for the season, in riding their Purebred Arabians.
At Meydan on Thursday, he rides debutant Zalmi Star in the opener. In the next two races, he runs atop First Down and Mazeed - both of who arrive at the race with a win each in their most recent and second last starts, respectively.
His other runs are on Mister Parma, Speedy Move and River Gold, all for the Zabeel Stables trainer.
O'Shea is on 40 winners this season, leading Mullen by two, which means the duo are likely to take the jockey’s title race to the wire.
The Meydan card is highlighted by a couple of valuable handicaps, including a 1,600-metre fixture in which the weights are headed by the Doug Watson-trained Thegreatcollection and Pillar of Society.
“Both are in very good form and should run well,” said the UAE champion trainer, who celebrated a Super Saturday double with Drafted and Muntazah. "They both have good draws and we know conditions suit them, so they should be thereabouts in a competitive race.”
Abu Dhabi offers a top card headlined by the Dh1million Group 1 Emirates Championship. It includes the Group 3 Arabian Triple Crown Round 3, the UAE Arabian Derby and the Group 3 Abu Dhabi Championship for the thoroughbreds.
Timeline
2012-2015
The company offers payments/bribes to win key contracts in the Middle East
May 2017
The UK SFO officially opens investigation into Petrofac’s use of agents, corruption, and potential bribery to secure contracts
September 2021
Petrofac pleads guilty to seven counts of failing to prevent bribery under the UK Bribery Act
October 2021
Court fines Petrofac £77 million for bribery. Former executive receives a two-year suspended sentence
December 2024
Petrofac enters into comprehensive restructuring to strengthen the financial position of the group
May 2025
The High Court of England and Wales approves the company’s restructuring plan
July 2025
The Court of Appeal issues a judgment challenging parts of the restructuring plan
August 2025
Petrofac issues a business update to execute the restructuring and confirms it will appeal the Court of Appeal decision
October 2025
Petrofac loses a major TenneT offshore wind contract worth €13 billion. Holding company files for administration in the UK. Petrofac delisted from the London Stock Exchange
November 2025
180 Petrofac employees laid off in the UAE
Groom and Two Brides
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Rating: 3/5
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FANS WILL LOVE
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The biog
First Job: Abu Dhabi Department of Petroleum in 1974
Current role: Chairperson of Al Maskari Holding since 2008
Career high: Regularly cited on Forbes list of 100 most powerful Arab Businesswomen
Achievement: Helped establish Al Maskari Medical Centre in 1969 in Abu Dhabi’s Western Region
Future plan: Will now concentrate on her charitable work
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Engine: 1.6-litre turbocharged four-cylinder
Transmission: Six-speed automatic
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- Founder of the Muslim Brotherhood, Hassan al Banna, "accepted the political utility of violence"
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SHAITTAN
Key facilities
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- 400m Olympic running track
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