A double for Musabah Al Muhairi and a win for Richard Mullen saw the pair crowned UAE Champion Trainer and Jockey respectively after Jebel Ali’s final meeting of the season yesterday afternoon.
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Al Muhairi, winning the title for the first time, may have had an anxious half hour early on the card when closest challenger, Doug Watson’s Insaany landed the opening 1,950m handicap to close the gap to just two winners in the title race.
He was ridden by Paul Hanagan for his main employer, Champion Owner Sheikh Hamdan and, briefly, it looked as though the same connections would secure a rapid double in the following 1,800m conditions race with Etijaah.
Congrats to Musabah Al Muhairi and Richard Mullen, each taking their first UAE trainer and jockey titles.
— Pat Cummings (@DubaiRaceNight) March 20, 2015
However, he tired close home in a race won by the Ahmad bin Harmash-trained Ormindo, partnered by Al Muhairi’s stable jockey Silvestre De Sousa.
The Brazilian jockey then landed the feature, a second 1,800m conditions event riding Interpret for Al Muhairi, and virtually securing his boss the title.
Any doubts evaporated an hour later when Rafeej took a conditions race for Al Muhairi, completing doubles for himself, Hanagan and Sheikh Hamdan (winning the owners’ title for a 10th consecutive season).
Meanwhile, Mullen, who began the afternoon four ahead of Tadhg O’Shea, seeking a fourth consecutive jockeys’ title, and six clear of De Sousa, secured his position at the top of the jockeys’ table with a last-gasp victory of Al Razi in a 1,400m conditions contest.
Congratulations to the newly-crowned UAE champions: HH Sheikh Hamdan bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Musabah Al Muhairi and @rpmullen1 #welldone
— Dubai Racing Channel (@DubaiRacingTV) March 20, 2015
The winner is trained by Satish Seemar, the source of the majority of his stable jockey Mullen’s winners this season. O’Shea made all on the Salem Al Ketbi-trained Brazen in the concluding 1,200m conditions event to secure second position, one ahead of De Sousa.
Mullen, who finished level with Ted Durcan at the conclusion of the 2003/04 season but was declared runner-up in the championship having ridden fewer seconds, said: “Obviously it is brilliant to finish top of the table and it is testament to Satish and the whole team at Zabeel Stables.
“I have been ahead for so long now this season it is just a relief to get over the line.”
Reflecting on his trainers’ title, Al Muhairi said: “I have been second on too many occasions and am obviously delighted to finally come out on top. We have made a very strong finish to the season which has made the telling difference.
“I am just so grateful to the owners, my staff and the jockeys who have made this possible. It would be lovely to finish in real style with a winner on World Cup night; we have a couple of decent chances.”
