ABU DHABI // Tadhg O’Shea and Richard Mullen resume from where they left off at the capital’s track seven days ago.
The two have been involved in a ding-dong battle for the lead in the UAE jockey’s championship title race and both are booked in all six races in Sunday’s card at Abu Dhabi Equestrian Club.
O’Shea, the UAE champion jockey, is on 33 winners, one more than his challenger Mullen, and they arrive in Abu Dhabi on the back of riding three and two winners respectively in Al Ain on Friday.
O’Shea has ridden six winners in his last two visits to the capital’s track and is booked on some fancied runners, particularly for Al Asayl Stables and trainer Eric Lemartinel.
The combination looks to hold strong claims, with Deyaar in the concluding 1,600-metre Purebred Arabian handicap.
A winner seven days ago when running over 2,200m, this drop in distance looks certain to be in her favour.
“She won through class rather than stamina last week,” O’Shea said. “She was brave to land that race and, hopefully, can at least go very close again.”
AF Al Jahed, trained by Ernst Oertel and the mount of Mullen, could be the main danger for another trainer enjoying an excellent season.
O’Shea rides Lemartinel’s debutant Zahee in the opener but he really would fancy his chances in the races that follow on Molahen El Alhan and RB Rich Surprise from the same stables.
He rides Elise Jeanne’s MH Tawag in the fifth race, the Wathba Cup for private owners and stables, and Mundahesh for his Grandstand Stables trainer Ali Rashid Al Raihe in the solitary race for the thoroughbreds.
Mullen will be on-board his Zabeel Stables trainer Satish Seemar’s Maysoor for the first time in his four local starts.
The Fastnet Rock gelding was well beaten in all the local starts but has a win under his belt at his native Australia.
However, Ahmad bin Harmash’s pair — Snow Squall and Georgetown — seem to have strong claims in the Dh100,000 handicap, the most valuable prize across the six-race card.
Snow Squall is a winner on the track in February 2015 but has not been seen in competitive action since last March, while Georgetown has yet to win in the UAE and has just one career win to his name, in 2013.
apassela@thenational.ae
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