Dubai Jockey Tadhg O’Shea applauded his mount Daily Bulletin after the colt’s runaway victory in the Derrinstown Stud Conditions Stakes at Jebel Ali Racecourse on Friday and declared him as a horse with a ‘big future.’
A two-time winner on the all-weather when formerly trained by John Gosden for Godolphin, the four-year-old son of Medaglia d’Oro was making his UAE debut for new trainer Ali Rashid Al Rayhi and new owner Mohammad Khalifa Al Basti.
Breaking well, the winner tracked the leader and stable companion, Mushaakis, before taking over the running at the two furlong post and put the race to bed within a few strides. So impressive was he that the closest any horse could come to him was Gobooll, who finished five-and-a-quarter lengths behind under Paolo Sirigu.
O’Shea, a five-time UAE champion, who is now stable jockey to Al Rayhi’s Grandstand Stables, was full of praise for Daily Bulletin.
“He is a horse I have really liked from the moment he joined us,” said O’Shea. “He works well on dirt at home and had the pedigree to suggest it would suit him which it has.
“He is a big, powerful horse who hopefully has a bright future. He will stay further but first time we thought this race was ideal for him.”
“This is a horse I really liked from the moment he joined us, but you can never know until they come to Jebel Ali,” he said. “But he’s been working very well at home.
“He’s a big powerful horse with plenty of dirt winners in the pedigree so hopefully he’s got a big future.
“He’s a bit fresh at home and he likes to please you in the mornings, so I said to the boss lets start him up over seven (furlongs), which I thought was the perfect place to start him,” he added.
“He’ll get a mile standing on his head no problem. I just didn’t want to run him in a mile first time up as he might get a little bit gassy and not get home.
‘But he’s got a big temperament.”
Al Rayhi went home with the feature race trophy for the second successive time following Kasb’s victory in the Shadwell Handicap a fortnight ago.
Meanwhile trainer Helel Al Alawi continued his strong start to the season when saddling the Purebred Arabian, Gafel, to win the HH Shaikh Hamdan Bin Rashid Al Maktoum UAE Breeders Society Challenge
“They went very quickly up front and I knew they would come back to me,” said jockey Pat Cosgrave, who would complete a meet double. “I actually ended up in front sooner than I would have liked but he kept going for me.
“His best previous form was at Al Ain and he definitely seems to relish these dirt surfaces.”
Al Alawi picked up his fifth winner of the season when Sea Skimmer 1,200m maiden with Sea Skimmer landed the AscanaTakaful Arabian Maiden.
Formerly trained by Saeed Bin Surour for Godolphin and Saeed Bin Surour, Sea Skimmer looked impressive, encouraging Cosgrave to say: “The yard said he had been working well and were very hopeful. His form in England and pedigree suggest he will be better over further.
“This was a good win but it will be a lot tougher now in handicaps but he can surely only improve, especially stepped up in distance.”
Earlier, County Durham jockey Connor Beasley teamed up aboard the Ahmad Bin Harmash — trained Fear The Fury to narrowly edge First Down in a tight photo-finish.
Beasley said: “Studying his form in England he was at his best when allowed to take his time to get in the race so that was the plan.
“The hill helped as he was finding plenty and the others were tiring. That should do his confidence the power of good and he could be capable of better as he is only a three-year-old.”
Royston Ffrench, the ever-smiling jockey who is based at Salem Bin Ghadayer’s Fazza Stables, partnered Galles to victory in the Orient Irrigation Services Handicap.
Ffrench said: “Mickael Barzalona rode this horse three times in France and told me he had a lot of ability and was a nice type.
“He has loved the dirt surface and with luck looks the type to progress from this. The yard have started really well this season and long may it continue!”
Pat Dobbs and Doug Watson teamed up to win the final race on the card,
a 1,800m contest, aboard Tradesman.
Watson said: “He is a half-brother to our good horse Storm Belt but had a little injury at the beginning of last season so missed the start of that campaign.
“He was a good third here two weeks ago but we knew he had improved as he is a big, heavy horse. He was a maiden before this so hopefully he will go on from here and if he can do anywhere near as well as Storm Belt, we will be delighted.”
