Seemar racks up four as Fresu scores a ton

Dubai - Seemar partnered O'Shea to win the CBD Maiden and the Emirates NBD Handicap with Majestic Thunder and Pilgrim's Treasure

Dubai-based Indian trainer Satish Seemar racked up four wins and jockeys Tadhg O'Shea and Richard Mullen landed doubles, while Antonio Fresu scripted his 100th winner in fine fashion in the UAE's horse racing season's domestic meeting at the Jebel Ali Racecourse on Friday night.
Seemar partnered O'Shea to win the CBD Maiden and the Emirates NBD Handicap with Majestic Thunder and Pilgrim's Treasure respectively and then combined with stable jockey Mullen to land the Emirates NBD Maiden and Al Sahel Contracting Handicap with Sanad Libya and Midlander respectively.
Meanwhile, Fresu returned to the venue where it all started by bringing up his 100th win in the UAE when landing the Derrinstown Stud, the highlight on the seven-race card, with Conclusion.
Fresu had won his first race in the country at the Jebel Ali Racecourse and the Italian couldn't have asked for a more appropriate venue to reach the landmark.
"I'm particularly happy because this was my 100th win. And it was very good to have done it in the feature race," Fresu said after the feature race.
Fresu had headed into the race with a bit of apprehension because Conclusion hadn't particularly done well on dirt. But the Japanese horse, the five-year-old son of Deep Impact, poured water over those doubts.
"Today (Friday) was a big surprise because I was a bit afraid because, as I said, he didn't perform well on the dirt. And it was his first time in Jebel Ali but he seems to like it so, we will see next time," revealed Fresu.
Franz Schubert was second behind the Musabbeh Al Mheiri-trained Conclusion, while Woodditton came in third.
Racing had begun with Seemar' saddling the first winner of the day. Majestic Thunder did well under O'Shea to win the CBD Maiden. Dilmun Dynasty was second followed by Leadership.
Salem bin Ghadayer's Tailor's Row won the Al Shafar Investment Handicap with the six-year-old from Street Cry, ridden by Royston Ffrench.
Multiple UAE Champion Trainer Doug Watson saddled Native Appeal to victory in the Ascana Handicap, third race on the card.
Pilgrim's Treasure brought up Seemar and O'Shea's second winner and Sanaya Libya gave the Indian the third, along with Mullen.
And Midlander capped a fantastic evening for Seemar, with the eight-year-old from Shamardal, landing the fourth winner, in the final race of the evening.
"He had small little problems but we sorted that out," Seemar said of Pilgrim's Treasure.
"Normal problems horses have, sometimes they get sick. Tadhg gave him a very good ride and we are very happy with it," he added.
The four victories at Jebel Ali increased Seemar's tally to 32 winners from 262 runs at the top of the UAE Trainers' Championship. Watson is second with 26 followed by Musabbeh Al Mheiri with 18.
Meanwhile, seven-time UAE Champion Jockey O'Shea added a bit of cushion between him and Mullen with the twin wins bringing up his 27th from 215 runs at the top of the UAE Jockeys' Championship. Mullen has 24 victories, with him tied along with Fresu.
james@khaleejtimes.com