Horse racing: Five jockeys tipped to shine during a busy week’s racing in the UAE

It is no secret that some of the world’s best jockeys are based in the UAE during the winter racing season and Gulf News has been keeping an eye on their exploits through the years. Here we look at five riders who can score big during this weekend’s three race meetings at Al Ain, Jebel Ali and Abu Dhabi.

After scoring his first winner in 2000 Patrick Cosgrave has not looked back and has continued to forge a career that has seen some of the bet trainers seek out his services. A regular in the UAE Cosgrave has a promising book of rides this week including one aboard Goshawke for in-form handler Abdulla Hamadi in the featured conditions event at Al Ain on Thursday, the top weight in a 11-horse race.

Every time seven-time UAE champion jockey Tadhg O’Shea sits on a horse you can be sure that he will give 100 per cent and that’s what makes him the go-to jockey for most trainers. O’Shea has a typically strong book of rides at Al Ain, Jebel Ali and Abu Dhabi this weekend. An interesting one is aboard the Irish-bred Remorse for former champion trainer Satish Seemar in the Shadwell-handicap at Jebel Ali on Friday.

Richard Mullen who is one of only three jockeys to ride 500 winners in the UAE is a big favourite with local racing fans who follow his every move. Mullen lives in the UAE and is starting a new career as stable jockey at the Jebel Ali Stables this season where he rides the promising Laa Baas in the Jebel Ali Racecourse maiden on Friday. As always, he has a full book of rides this weekend and it will pay to keep your eyes on a man who knows the UAE race tracks better than most.

Royston Ffrench is another popular jockey in the UAE, not just among the fans but among stable staff, who absolutely love him. Very capable and hard working Ffrench is another of the top riders who has picked up a good-looking book of rides including Tenbury Wells for the Fazza Racing Stables and Emirati handler Salem bin Ghadayer in the Shadwell feature at Jebel Ali on Friday. He’s at his best at Jebel Ali and can be expected to deliver another top effort in a competitive looking ace.

Italian Antonio Fresu scored the biggest won of his career aboard the sprinter Zenden in the Dubai Golden Shaheen at this year’s Dubai World Cup meeting in March and has started the new season in rousing form. One of the most enthusiastic riders in Europe and the UAE, Fresu is slowly but steadily building a big fan base who follow his every ride. This week Fresu has bagged some interesting rides including a spare for Satish Seemar, Dubai Canal, who runs in the Commercial Bank of Dubai Handicap at Jebel Ali on Friday. Keep an eye on this rising talent and you won’t be disappointed,