(MENAFN- Khaleej Times) Trainer Watson completes a treble in the third meeting at Meydan; double for Dane ONeill.
Shaishee ridden by dane o’neill wins the 1600m third race at the meydan on Thursday. — KT photo by Mukesh Kamal
Dubai — Shaishee ridden by Dane O’Neill held on gamely to land the 1600m Longines Conquest Classic Gents TB Rated Conditions race the highlight of the third meeting at Meydan on Thursday.
“Shaishee made my job very easy” said O’Neill later. “He was always going well and responded keenly when attacked by Stables’ companion Marching Time and Zain Shamardal in the concluding stages of the race” he said.
Modern History (Musabah Al Mahuairi/Silvestre De Sousa) challenged the early lead immediately after the seven runners left the machines but he was relegated to the back of the field as the pack turned for home.
At this stage Sam Hitchcott pushed bottom weight Marching Time forward to settle on the heels of the leader and put Sainshee under heavy pressure while Zain Shamardal powered under Royston Ffrench to increase the pressure on the leading pair but Shaishee refused to surrender and prevailed by half-length on the line.
“O’Neill rode him with confidence” said the Oasis-1 handler Musabah Al Muhairi who’s looking after the winner on behalf of the leading international horse owner and breeder Shaikh Hamdan bin Rashid Al Maktoum Deputy Ruler of Dubai and UAE Minister of Finance.
“Zain Shamardal gave me a scare when I saw Ffrench putting him on top gear because he’s a middle distance performer and better when it comes to stamina” said Al Muhairi a previous trainer of Zain Shamardal before he was moved to Ali Rashid Al Raihe yard. “This is the first time for Shaishee to race over a mile and I know this is his limit and can’t do well beyond that. We will continue to race him in the seven and eight furlongs during the Carnival and probably his eventual target is the Godolphin Mile (Gr-2) on the Dubai World Cup night” he said. Dane O’Neill completed a double for his boss Shaikh Hamdan bin Rashid Al Maktoum after the retained jockey partnered The Taj to emerge the easiest of winners in the 1200 Longines Master Collection TB Handicap the fourth race on the card.
The Taj broke the track record set by Price Is Truth of 1.12.88 seconds by 1.45 seconds to set a new time for the 1200m sprint of 1.11.43 seconds. “He travelled well” said trainer Doug Watson pointing out that he may go for a Conditions event in a couple of weeks over course and distance.
It was also a double for the American man who has saddled One Man Band to win the 1900m Longines Prima Luna TB Maiden the second race of the night.
Trainer Doug Watson completed a treble after Patrick Dobbs rode his second winner bringing Henry Clay home ahead of Tahaamah in an exciting finish to win the fifth race a ten furlong TB Handicap in the colours of the Shaikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Crown Prince of Dubai and Chairman of the Dubai Executive Council.
The opening race Mazrat Al Ruwayah Prep Longines Conquest Classic a PA event contested over a mile was won by top weight Bigg N Rich ridden by Wayne Smith and trained by Eric Lemartinel.
The final race was won by Filfil ridden by Tadhg O’Shea for trainer Satish Seemar in the colours of Shaikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum.
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