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Abu Dhabi: Julian Smart must have revived old memories when he visited the winner's enclosure on Sunday after Zoumir won the UAE Arabian Derby to give his Omani connections their first taste of success in a feature event here.
Previously based here in Abu Dhabi, Smart is now in Oman where he trains horses for the Royal Oman Cavalry.
The Smart trained 4-year-old son of Dormane came up with a second run under Tadhg O'Shea to win the 11-furlong Sorouh ADSC UAE Arabian Derby (Prestige) race here on Sunday. O'Shea went on to complete a double, a feat which trainer Gillian Duffield also achieved as the Abu Dhabi Race Course saw off its 12th meeting of the season.
Home stretch
After Abu Alemarat pulled out the Arabian Derby wore an open look with Bareq and La Tarmes along with the highly-rated Zoumir being the main contenders.
Zoumir has finished fourth in his last attempt here a fortnight ago and led the pack on the home stretch before he was headed by Bareq.
But O'Shea produced a second run on the bay colt and Zoumir managed to put his nose in front, a photo being called to decide the new Arabian Derby winner.
"Zoumir was bought with the future in mind.
"He was rated as the third best among three-year-olds then but had not won on his two starts in Oman. However he ran a good race here against older horses," said Smart, after the win.
"Today after being headed he came back and stayed on which shows his character.
"Probably we will now take him to Europe for the summer break if the connections agree," said Smart after registering his first win for the season here. O'Shea later completed his double when partnering Eric Lemartinel's Wadya and in the bargain deprived Gillian Duffield of a third win for the night. Wadya came up with a strong finish to beat the Duffield-trained Sharakka under Richard Hills.
Double
Duffield scored her double when she picked up the second and third race of the night.
After Ted Durcan helped AF Izdihar score his third successive win here, Hills partnered Shohrah in the very next race to complete a double for last season's top Arabian trainer.
Dhruba Selvaratnam's Mandobi won the only Thoroughbred race on the card, a 1300m handicap with Johnny Murtagh in the saddle.
John Egan kept his 100 per cent record in tact with an Arabian horse when he won the opening race on his very first start here in Abu Dhabi.
He won on Anthony Manuel's GRP Mondial Ghantoot and he had done so earlier about four seasons ago riding an Arabian in New Market.
Lisa Jones continued her fine run of form here when winning the concluding 1600m maiden on Musabah Al Muhairi's UAE debutant Elizan.
Results
1. The Mafraq Conditions race, Purebred Arabians, UAE-bred, Dh 30,000, 11F:
1. GRP Mondial Ghantoot (Anthony Manuel) John Eagan;
2. AS Muheeb (Saifaldin Deeb) Keagan Latham;
3.Cavalry (Jaber Bittar) Martin O'Callaghan.
Time: 2:34.40; Distance: 1.50L, 0.50L, 1.25L
2. The Al Samha Handicap, Purebred Arabians, 00-70, Dh 35,000, 11F:
1. AF Izdihar (Gillian Duffield) Ted Durcan;
2. Sam,I Lotois (Jaber Bittar) David Badel;
3. Silverrado (Jaber Bittar) Jesus Rosales.
Time: 2:30.86; Distance: Nose, 2.25L, 0.50L
3.The Al Khatim Handicap, Purebred Arabians,0-51, Dh 30,000, 7F:
1. Shohrah (Gillian Duffield) Richard Hills;
2. Rahaf (Musabah Al Muhairi) Wayne Smith;
3. Habaib (Eric Lemartinel) David Badel.
Time: 1:34.47; Distance: Head, 5.25L, 1.25L
4.The Sorouh ADSC UAE Arabian Derby, Purebred Arabians, Prestige, Dh 150,000, 11F:
1. Zoumir (Julian Smart) Tadhg O'Shea;
2. Bareq (Musabah Al Muhairi) Wayne Smith;
3. MS Sujaa (Bakhit Al Ketbi) Martin Dwyer.
Time: 2:34.09; Distance: Nose, 4.50L, 1L.
5.The Sorouh Abu Dhabi International Book Fair Handicap, 65+, Thoroughbreds, Dh 65,000, 6.5F:
1. Mandobi (Drubha Selvaratnam) John Murtagh;
2. Montpellier (Ali Rashid Al Rahie) Royston Ffrench;
3. Sendalam (Anthony Manuel) John Eagan.
Time: 1:15.66; Distance: 1.25L, 3.25L, 0.75L
6.The Al Nahdah Handicap, Purebred Arabians,0-70, Dh 35,000, 11F:
1. Wadya (Eric Lemartinel) Tadhjg O''Shea; 2. Sharakka (Gillian Duffield) Martin Dwyer;
3. Remal (Eric Lemartinel) David Badel.
Time: 2:33.68; Distance: 3.25L, 2.75L, 0.25L
7. The Sheilalah Maiden race, Purebred Arabians, Dh 30,000, 8F:
1. Elizan (Musabah Al Muhairi) Lisa Jones; 2. Dareb (Mohammad Ramadan) Ahmad Ajtebi; 3. Bashara (Eric Lemartinel) Tadhg O'Shea
Time: 1:48.38; Distance: 1.75L, 7.5L, 1.75L.
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