Follow O’Shea at Jebel Ali

Ed Marnane

Champion jockey Tadhg O’Shea’s hopes of a 13^th title were given a major boost in January following a quiet start to the season by his standards. A double at Meydan eight days ago put the Irish native on 26 wins, one behind Connor Beasley, the season’s leading rider.

O’Shea heads to Jebel Ali on Saturday with a full book of rides. In the feature, the Shadwell Stakes, he rides Arabian Tale for his main employer Bhupat Seemar. By Dubawi, Arabian Tale has progressed with racing this season and gained a first success for the campaign when winning at Jebel Ali two weeks ago.

Always handy, he stayed on well in the closing stages when defeating Mersaal and Fall Of Rome. He holds strong claims of following up off his revised rating of 91, a career-high mark.

Daramethos, winner of the Jebel Ali Stakes (Listed) last season, caused minor surprise earlier in the season when winning the National Day Cup (Listed) at the Abu Dhabi Turf Club on his first run for Julio Olascoaga. The son of Sea The Stars, who has to concede weight to his four rivals on his first start at the track since last March, is major player under Pat Dobbs.

Mount Kosciuszko, a winner at Meydan on his seasonal debut in November, gives Olascoaga a strong hand in the 1950m event. He arrives of the back of a respectable seventh in a competitive turf handicap at Meydan. He is likely to benefit switching to Jebel Ali, a venue he has enjoyed success and never run a poor race.

Local hopes rest with the lightly raced seven-year-old Saayedd, trained by the in-form Michael Costa who has his team in fine form. Owned by Sheikh Ahmad Al Maktoum, the US-bred gelding was outclassed in last week’s Al Maktoum Challenge, dropping away tamely to finish a remote last of 11. He’s a fragile horse and hard to make a case down in grade.

Racing concludes with a 1600m maiden and in a modest event, the 85-rated Bad Desire looks the one to beat. Trained by Bhupat Seemar, he ran well on his latest run in maiden company, finishing a close third behind Motriff here in December.

He returned to Jebel Ali for his next start and wasn’t disgraced behind the 100-rated Gaassid in a minor event. This looks his easiest task to date since arriving in the UAE and a good opportunity to finally open his account.

Elzaami, trained by Michael Costa, shaped nicely when unfancied in a conditions race, over the same course and distance, on his racecourse debut earlier in the season. He is entitled to come on for the experience and is one to consider.

Of the rest, Shepperton Lodge enters calculations on his Jebel Ali debut. Trained by Musabbeh Al Mheiri, he took a step forward on the back of a respectable debut behind Echo Point when finishing less than four lengths behind Folk Festival at Abu Dhabi Turf Club seven days ago. He’s very unexposed and is major player if handling the conditions.

Race 3, the opening maiden, has attracted a field of 15 and Ahmad bin Harmash’s Million D’Oro gets the vote back in maiden company after a solid effort when splitting Maputo and Chosen Mark in 16-runner handicap at Jebel Ali. He tried to make all but had no answer when the Bhupat Seemar-trained winner swept past in the closing stages. A reproduction of that performance might be good enough in a race that won’t take much winning.

Thirty minutes earlier, five face the starter in the 1400m conditions race for three-year-olds that have never won two races. British import Feeraas, now under the care of Salam Al Sabri, can boast winning form, unlike his four rivals. Winner of a nursery at Musselburgh for Archie Watson, he looks vulnerable on his UAE/dirt debut under a 2.5kg penalty off a 122-day break.

In a tricky race, On The Way makes most appeal for trainer Salem bin Ghadayer. He made an encouraging debut at Jebel Ali, keeping on nicely in the closing stages when second to the potentially exciting Galactic Star. The winner, trained by Bhupat Seemar, is one of the nicer three-year-olds in training in the Emirates and held in high regard.

Race 4, the 1000m handicap, is a competitive event and Flight Zone looks to follow up his recent win in a 1400m handicap, over the same course, for Doug Watson. Life is tougher off his revised rating of 78, while the step back to the minimum distance is an obvious concern for the War Front gelding.

Story Of Light, a winner over the course and distance 24 months ago, has tumbled in the ratings and hard to knock the form of his two runs this season, the most recent when beaten three lengths in a 15-runner handicap at Meydan. He can snap a ten-race losing streak and give Connor Beasley a welcome winner in his ongoing battle with Tadhg O’Shea for the jockeys’ championship.

Best Bet: 13 Million D’Oro [Race 3]

Best Value: 14 Ghost Of The Mambo [Race 7]

Best Swinger: 13 Million D’Oro and 7 Guarani [Race ]

Jackpot

[Races 4-7]

R72

Leg 1: 2, 4, 7

Leg 2: 1, 4

Leg 3: 1, 6, 12, 14

Leg 4: 2, 4, 5