Dubai: Talented rider Oisin Murphy is hoping to win many more races after opening his UAE account aboard Momaris in the Commercial Bank of Dubai Handicap at Jebel Ali Racecourse on Friday.
The Irish teenager ended a frustrating start to the season in emphatic fashion, getting the best out of the Dhruba Selvaratnam-trained six-year-old to post a four-and-a-quarter length victory over Mark To Market, the mount of champion jockey Tadhg O’Shea. Hacienda, ridden by Sam Hitchcott, was a further two-and-a-quarter lengths back in third.
Murphy had gone close on several occasions since making his debut at the opening meeting of the season at Jebel Ali last month and was delighted to get off the mark at his home base in the UAE.
“Obviously Shaikh Ahmad [Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Deputy Chief of Dubai Police and Public Security], and Dhruba have put a lot of faith in me and I would like to reward them in return,” he told Gulf News.
“We have a lot of nice horses in the stable, who perhaps may need a little time to get going, but I’m looking forward to riding them and getting more winners.
“But yes, it’s nice to get that ball rolling, and I couldn’t be happier with the way Momaris ran. He looks a nice horse who can obviously progress during the season.”
Prior to the race, Murphy had the good fortune of meeting the legendary Lester Piggott, the 11-time former British champion jockey, who was a guest at Jebel Ali.
“I’ve never met the man before and it was indeed an honour to finally meet him,” he added. “I hear that he’s going to be around for a while so I’m looking forward to talking to him again and hopefully picking up a few tips.”
Selvaratnam described the wait for a first stable winner as “frustrating” and said he was happy for his jockey.
“Most of the horses need a run or two to come on, but sometimes it can be quite frustrating,” the former champion handler said. “But we’re happy with the way Momaris has run today and the way that Oisin has ridden him.
“I was very impressed with his style and attitude when I saw him riding in Britian in the summer and it was easy to make a decision to book him for Jebel Ali.”
Meanwhile, Zabeel Stables maestro Satish Seemar continued his strong start to the season with a meet double, courtesy of the eight-year-old Spin Cycle and Mawhub, while Emirati handler Ali Rashid Al Raihe sent out the Royal Cavalry of Oman-owned Encipher to bag the feature race of the afternoon, the Derrinstown Stud rated conditions event.
A veteran of 41 races, Spin Cycle rolled back the years to when he won the Listed Jebel Ali Sprint in 2011 with a commanding front-running performance for a three-quarter length victory over Najm Suhail in the 1,200-metre Al Shafar Investment Handicap.
Earlier, Helal Al Alawi’s Shojaa’Algharbia claimed the opening race in the HH Shaikh Hamdan Bin Rashid Al Maktoum UAE Breeders Society Challenge series for Purebred Arabians.
