Watson hits a 'six' at magnificent Meydan

Dubai - Watson, a seven-time UAE Champion Trainer, illuminated the Meydan Racecourse by winning all six races on the card in the second meeting at the venue

It is what every horse trainer dreams of - winning all the races on a day's card. But the vagaries of nature means it is a pretty rare occurrence.
But American Doug Watson managed to achieve the rare feat to waltz into the record books. Watson, a seven-time UAE Champion Trainer, illuminated the Meydan Racecourse by winning all six races on the card in the second meeting at the venue and the seventh of the UAE racing season.
It was an unprecedented achievement as Watson became the first trainer to make a clean sweep of an entire racecard. "It's just an unbelievable feeling," Watson said at the end of the night.
"We looked at it on paper this morning and we had a couple horses we knew were going to run really well. We have such a great team at home and a lot of these horses have been training well. The races just suited us and the horses have been training well. It's a sweet feeling and it's more for the yard and (jockey) Pat (Dobbs) did an amazing job, too," he added.
Accolades were also due for Pat Dobbs with the jockey playing a significant part in five of those wins. Dane O'Neill won one with Watson.
Watson won the Baby & Child Trophy with Rio Angie, Race 2, a 1600m Handicap, with Trenchard, Friday with Mulfit, Reach with Waady, Race 5, a 2000m Handicap with Tried and True and Inside Out with Midnight Sands. The triumphs rocketed Watson to top of the standings with eight wins as he guns an eighth UAE Champion Trainer trophy. He is three ahead of Satish Seemar and five up on Ernst Oertel.
Meanwhile Dobbs overtook Connor Beasley and has six wins to the latter's five, while Richard Mullen has four followed by record UAE Champion Jockey Tadhg O'Shea with three.
The next race evening at the Meydan Racecourse will take place on November 21.
james@khaleejtimes.com