Abu Dhabi: Winning the UAE Arabian Derby aboard Tenor Des Vialettes at the Abu Dhabi Equestrian Club on Sunday night must have been sweet music to the ears of jockey Richard Hills who was providing his principal employer, Shaikh Hamdan Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Deputy Ruler of Dubai and Minister of Finance, with yet another major success.
Tenor Des Vialettes, who is trained by current UAE championship leader Musabah Al Muhairi at the Oasis 1 Stables in Nad Al Sheba, romped home a clear-cut winner by a length and a half from the Philippe Barbe-trained Burkan Al Asayl, ridden by French ace Olivier Peslier.
The winner has made a very impressive start to his career having won two out of three starts, including round one of the prestigious Arabian Triple Crown series last month. Hills, who replaced Willie Carson as first jockey to Shaikh Hamdan back in 1997, was all praise for Tenor Des Vialette, who is a son of Dormane.
"He has only had those two previous starts and is still learning; when I asked him to go for home he was rather green and took a while to respond so hopefully he can get better with experience as he strengthens up," said the jockey who scored the biggest win of his career in 1999 when he rode Almutawakel to victory in the Dubai World Cup (Gr 1).
Tenor Des Vilatte's victory on Sunday consolidated Al Muhairi's position at the top of the 2010-2011 Trainer's Championship with 25 winners including five Purebred Arabian successes. His closest rival is fellow Emirati trainer Ali Rashid Al Raihe, the reigning UAE champion, with 20 wins, a position that he shares with former champion trainer Satish Seemar.
Al Muhairi completed a meet double when he sent out Penthouse Reader to win the concluding thoroughbred maiden under stable jockey Wayne Smith, who prevailed by 3/4 length from Fiereness, ridden by apprentice Harry Bentley for Zabeel Stables boss Seemar. The jockey said: "The horses have been in good form and we hoped this horse would cope with the switch to turf. He has improved with his racing and can hopefully pick up a small handicap."
Gill Duffield, who lies fifth in the championship, notched her 15th win of the season when Al Alriaah won the Emirates Fillies Classic over 1,600m with Tadhg O'Shea.
O'Shea said: "She is certainly improving judged on that effort and Gill has her horses in great form. It was a decent little contest and a good performance."
RESULTS
Race 1. TC Tomohawk (PA Maiden) 1000M Turf: 1. Swyft (S Al Ketbi) C Taylor.
Race 2. Emirates Fillies Classic (PA 4yo, UAE bred) 1600M Turf: 1. AF Alriaah (G Duffield) T O'Shea.
Race 3. Akbar (PA Handicap 5yo+ rated 0-90) 2200M Turf: 1. Baher (E Lemartinel) W Walter.
Race 4. UAE Arabian Derby (Prestige, PA 4yo only) 2200M Turf: 1. Tenor Des Vialettes.
Race 5. Wathba Stud Farm Cup (PA 5yo+) 1200M Turf: 1. Motsho Bello (B Al Ketbi) R Cleary.
Race 6. Rajai (Thoroughbreds, Maiden 3yo+) 1600M Turf: 1. Penthouse Reader (M Al Muhairi) W Smith.
