Sport | Horse Racing

Sweet dreams are made of this: Ajtebi victory

Ajtebi rekindles Godolphin's hopes of winning the Kentucky Derby

  • By Leslie Wilson Jr, Sports Editor, Gulf News
  • Published: 00:00 November 9, 2009
  • Gulf News
  • Reader comments (1)

  • Ahmed Ajtebi, riding Vale of York, holds the United Arab Emirates flag after winning the Grey Goose Breeders' Cup Juvenile horse race at Santa Anita Park.
  • Image Credit: AP

Dubai: Emirati jockey Ahmad Ajtebi continued his ascent up the lofty ranks of world racing when he delivered another virtuoso performance aboard Vale of York to bag the $2 million Breeders' Cup Juvenile at Santa Anita, California, on Saturday.

The 27-year-old former camel jockey, who took the racing world by storm in March by winning two $5 million races on Dubai World Cup night, was at his best when upstaging American top dog Garret Gomez, riding the 11/5 favourite Lookin At Lucky.

Vale of York won by a head with Noble's Promise half a length back in third.

An Irish-bred trained by Saeed Bin Surour in Newmarket, and owned by Godolphin, the international stable championed by His Highness Shaikh Mohammad Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice-President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, Vale of York was winning for the third time in six starts.

It was a wild finish to a race that is recognised as an early pointer to the Kentucky Derby and Vale of York is already being seen as a legitimate Godolphin candidate.

Cautious

But while enjoying his moment, Ajtebi was cautious. "This is beyond my wildest dreams," he told Gulf News from Santa Anita on Sunday. "I am absolutely over the moon — to win a race at the World Championships is unbelievable. It still has not sunk in.

"I also can't thank His Highness Shaikh Mohammad enough for giving me the opportunity to ride for his stable at such an important race meet. He has been my greatest supporter.

"Vale of York is a great horse… But I think we will have to wait and see how he handles the dirt before thinking of the Kentucky Derby. If you ask me, personally I would like to see him first run in the UAE Derby next year. The final decision will be made by Shaikh Mohammad," Ajtebi said.

Godolphin have sent six horses to Kentucky Derby but the best they have managed is a seventh place.

Racing manager Simon Crisford was also guarded.

"We need to make it through the next stage first before we can make any firm commitments," he said on ESPN's website. "But of all the two-year-olds we have right now, he would be the one we're looking at Churchill Downs.

"But handling the synthetic surfaces and racing on the dirt surface are two different things. But he certainly booked his ticket to be given the respect to try to get there anyway."

Will this act as a catalyst to encourage Emiratis to become jockeys? Will this establish the UAE as a major player in horse racing? Post your comments by clicking on the link below.

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  1. Added 05:26 November 10, 2009

    Congratulations Ahmed, what a thrill to see you win for Godolphin. It is so nice to see an Emirati in the mix of international jockeys to go with the international owners, trainers and horses. Hope to see you ride again in the US soon.

    Chloe Petterson, San Francsco, California, United States

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