O’Shea to get the ball rolling in Abu Dhabi

Ed Marnane

It has been a quiet start to the season for the multiple UAE Champion jockey Tadhg O’Shea.

The Irish-born rider, who secured his 11^th title in April, has ridden just three winners and is operating at strike-rate of 8%, and is five winners adrift of Conor Beasley, the season’s leading rider.

He heads to Abu Dhabi on Thursday, a venue he has found a happy hunting ground, with a full book of rides and has plenty of chances of getting among the winners.

O’Shea, the winningmost rider in the UAE, rides Unleashed in the Arabian conditions race, the 1600m event that should provide some clues for the National Day Cup at Abu Dhabi next month. He progressed nicely last season, winning twice including the Abu Dhabi Championship. Rated 97, he will need to raise his game taking on higher rated rivals in a strong race.

The European imports Haka du Soleil are Bahwan, rated 107 and 108 respectively, are interesting runners. The latter, now under the care of Adil Mouchahi, was unbeaten in Poland before finishing a respectable fifth in the Group 1 UAE President Cup at Doncaster in September. He will appreciate the drop in grade on his local debut and has the assistance of Pat Dobbs.

Haka du Soleil, winner of two of his six races, can boast a Group 3 win in France in the colours of Helal Alalawi, who now trains the four-year-old. He must concede weight to his 13 rivals but can’t be dismissed in the hands Adrie de Vries.

Nadia du Loup, who landed the HH Sheikh Mansoor Bin Zayed Al Nahyan Racing Festival Cup on her UAE debut 11 months ago, returns after her summer break. She failed to add to her local tally in two subsequent starts and has something to prove. Rated 104, she will need to bounce back to her best to play a leading role.

Race 6, the only thoroughbred race on the card, is a competitive event and luck in running will be critical with a full field of 14 declared for the mile contest. Tadhg O’Shea rides course winner Ranchero for Bhupat Seemar, one of two runners representing the Dubai-based trainer. The Kodiac gelding was entitled to need his comeback at the course two weeks and ago and if building on that solid effort behind surprise winner Count Rostov, he should go well.

Poster Paint, the mount of Pat Cosgrave, is closely matched with Ranchero on their running behind Count Rostov. He has slipped in the ratings and is one to consider.

The booking of Adrie de Vries for the progressive Chosen Mark on his seasonal reappearance catches the eye. He enjoyed a productive campaign last season, racking up wins at Jebel Ali and twice at Abu Dhabi. Trained by Ahmed Al Shemaili, he is unexposed on turf and over a course he is highly effective, he looks the one to beat.

Racing opens with an Arabian handicap over 1200m. In a wide-open looking event, South African Ernst Oertel’s French-bred AF Mathakeel gets the vote. She began her campaign with a bang, winning a 15-runner maiden at Jebel Ali when given a positive front-running ride by Adrie de Vries, who is replaced by Tadhg O’Shea. She won’t be inconvenienced switching to grass and drawn next to the rails in stall one will her aid her cause.

The UAE-bred Arabian three-year-old maiden, thirty minutes later, has drawn a maximum field of 14 and two are trained by Ernst Oertel for owner Khalid Al Nabooda. Riding arrangements suggest the unraced AF Alhasid, the mount of Tadhg O’Shea, is the main hope. He showed promise in a recent barrier trial at Jebel Ali.

Abu Dhabi-based Denis O’Brien has made bright start since being appointed trainer at Al Asayl Stables, winning the feature at Sharjah’s opening meeting last month. He has booked Sam Hitchcott to ride Alwasl and he can’t be ignored coming from a top Arabian yard.

Race 3, the 1400m maiden for Arabians, looks a good opportunity for Altiber to open his account at the third time of asking. He wasn’t beaten far in two runs last season, earning a rating of 86 which clearly sets the standard in this company. He lacks a recent run but I expect he can take advantage of his low draw and score under Conor Beasley.

Best Bet: 2 Altiber [Race 3]

Best Value: 8 Sincerely [Race 4]

Best Swinger: 12 AF Mathakeel and 4 AF Alfahem [Race 1]

JACKPOT

[Races 3-6]

R48

Leg 1: 2

Leg 2: 1, 8, 9, 11

Leg 3: 1, 5, 7, 8

Leg 4: 2, 5, 12