Abu Dhabi: Quite A Show grabbed the Group 1 feature on offer while trainers Ernst Oertel and Eric Lemartinel and jockey Wayne Smith helped themselves to a double apiece at the Abu Dhabi Equestrian Club last night.
Quite A Show threw a few tantrums while entering the stalls and then stumbled when the gates opened, but leading jockey Tadhg O'Shea ensured the Doug Watson-trained horse lived up to its name to win the Group 1 Liwa Oasis over seven furlongs.
It was a huge win for the 6-year-old who had earlier finished third in the Group 2 Mazrat Al Ruwaya in Meydan but returning to his favourite course where he had already won over the distance thrice, Quite A Show scored an impressive win.
Ernst Oertel, who saddled the winner in the very first race when Shadan under Silvestre De Sousa won a Maiden for UAE-bred horses, completed his double in the Group 3 Triple Crown Round Three.
While Oertel's Dafagh Al Asayl, winner of the Second Round of the Triple Crown was one of the favourites, it was his other runner, the unbeaten filly Manisha which came good to swoop on the Group 3 race in only his third start.
Manisha, a four-year-old grey Darike filly, unbeaten in two starts including in the Emirates Fillies Classic, was given a great ride by Royston French to take the Group 3 race.
Wayne Smith rode two winners in comfortable style, the first on the Julio Peromingo-trained Bigg N Rich and the second on the Eric Lemartinel-trained AF Sanadek.
Lemartinel also completed his double and this time it was a superb effort by Gerald Avranche who got Ibn Battuta Monlau to charge down with a late run and just put his head in front on the line to win by a nose from Raheq.
In the final race of the night, Satish Seemar's Montmorency made it a start to finish affair under Harry Bentley to finish ahead of Doug Watson's Marching Time.
RESULTS
1.Al Reef Maiden, UAE-bred, Dh 30,000, 8F: 1.Shadan (Ernst Oertel) Silvestre De Sousa; 2. Kerkouan (Mohammad Al Ketbi) Patrick Cosgrave; 3. Shahla (M. Al Ketbi) Tadhg O'Shea. Time: 1:47.64; Distances:0.50L, 1.25L, 0.75
2. Al Samha Conditions, Dh 35,000, 7F: 1. Bigg N Rich (Julio Peromingo) Wayne Smith; 2. Bibi Basha (Mohammad Al Ketbi) Harry Bentley; 3. Waasel (Majid Al Jahouri) Jesus Rosales. Time: 1:31.85; Distances: 4.25L, 0.50L, 1.25L
3. Arabian Triple Crown Round 3(Group 3), Dh 200,000, 12F: 1. Manisha (Ernst Oertel) Royston Ffrench; 2. Al Ashram (Satish Seemar) Richard Mullen; 3. Daffagh Al Asayl (Ernst Oertel) Silvestre De Sousa. Time: 2:45.22; Distances: 0.75L, 0.75L, 1.25L
4. Liwa Oasis (Group 1) Dh 250,000, 7F: 1. Quite A Show (Doug Watson) Tadhg O'Shea; 2. Musharab (Majid Al Jahouri) Jesus Rosales; 3. AF Alghabra (Gillian Duffield) Gerald Avranche. Time: 1:30.64; Distances: 1.50L, 2.25L,0.75L
5. Wathba Stud Farm for Private Owners Only, Handicap 00-75, Dh 40,000, 7F: 1. AF Sanadek (Eric Lemartinel) Wayne Smith; 2. MH Wafi (Doug Watson) Tadhg O'Shea; 3. GRP Mudhish (Adnan Mohammad) Jesus Rosales. Time: 1:30.57; Distances: 3.25L, 2L, 0.50L
6. Sweihan Handicap, PAs 00-65, Dh 65,000, 11F: 1. Ibn Battuta Monlau (Eric Lemartinel) Gerald Avranche; 2. Raheq (Majid Al Jahouri) Jesus Rosales; 3. Maymoun Wrsan (Jaci Wickham) Patrick Cosgrave. Time: 2:28.93; Distances: nose, sh hd, 0.50L
7. Habshan Handicap, Thoroughbreds, 90+, Dh 80,000, 8F: 1. Montmorency (Satish Seemar) Harry Bentley; 2. Marching Time (Doug Watson) Patrick Dobbs; 3. Iguaza Falls (Mubarak Bin Shafya) Xavier Ziani. Time: 1:33.28; Distances: 0.75L, 0.75L, Head.
