Sheikh Mohammed Obaid Al Maktoum has stressed that Adam Kirby remains an integral part of his operation and will continue to be his retained jockey.
Kirby missed out on the winning ride aboard Postponed in Saturday’s King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Stakes at Ascot.
Andrea Atzeni rode Postponed on Saturday, and was in the saddle when the son of Dubawi last won in the Great Voltigeur Stakes at York in August.
Since then Atzeni has taken up a contract with Qatar Racing, and Kirby has ridden Postponed to second in the Gordon Richards Stakes and third in the Tattersalls Gold Cup.
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He also rode Postponed to third in the controversial Hardwicke Stakes at Royal Ascot last month, where he entered into a duel with Frankie Dettori on Eagle Top that resulted in neither horse being shown to their best effect.
It was a ride that drew criticism from some quarters, but Sheikh Mohammed Obaid insists that Kirby will ride for him at the Qatar Goodwood Festival this week.
“I still have Adam,” he said. “But sometimes you don’t have luck with a horse. It is like Frankie [Dettori] when he lost his ride on Treve for Sheikh Joaan [bin Hamad of Qatar].
“Adam rode Postponed three times, Group 3, Group 2, Group 1 and he wasn’t lucky. But this time he won well and God said, ‘this is luck’.
“I have nothing against Adam.”
The matter could rumble on. Sheikh Mohammed Obaid’s Lady Of Dubai is entered in the Group 1 Nassau Stakes at Goodwood on Saturday.
She is set to carry 56.2kgs), which is the lowest weight that Kirby has ridden at in the past 12 months. For a ride at the highest level any jockey worth their salt would sweat down to take the ride, but Kirby may not be required to do so.
“Sometimes you will see him not riding Lady Of Dubai and that is because he doesn’t do the weight, not because I have taken him off,” Sheikh Mohammed Obaid added.
Atzeni’s lowest riding weight in the past year has been 8st 2lbs (51.7kgs).
What could compound the matter further is that there are rumours that Lady Of Dubai could well be assimilated in to the Godolphin fold, which would result in one of William Buick or James Doyle riding the daughter of Dubawi.
Kirby has ridden 36 times for Sheikh Mohammed Obaid in Britain this season for seven winners at a decent strike-rate of 19 per cent, the same strike-rate achieved by Atzeni last season when he was retained.
Trainer Luca Cumani, who was winning his first King George after three near-misses, expressed sympathy for Kirby at having missed out on winning the British mid-summer showpiece.
“It’s very tough on Adam and I’m very sorry for him,” he said. “I’m sure he would have won on the horse, too, but that’s the way the owner wanted to play it.
“Credit to Adam, he’s looked after the horse in his prep races and he’s always done an excellent job by the horse.”
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