An unlikely hero wins top honours

Ted Durcan will always remember November 22, 2000. So will the record books, as the Dubai-based English jockey became the inaugural recipient of the Steve Cauthen Award, instituted to recognise riding excellence in the UAE.

"I'm over the moon, this means so much to me, " Durcan said after receiving the award from Cauthen himself at the Emirates Racing Association Awards night on Wednesday. "But personally I don't want to take too much credit. There are so many people responsible for my success, particularly Sheikh Rashid bin Mohammed and Satish Seemar.

"It's a great honour to win this award, it's easily the best moment of my career. But I want to thank everybody who has contributed to my success over the last two years. Without them I could not have done it," he said modestly.

"I had the easiest of jobs - to sit on a well-prepared horse and point it in the right direction. The hard work had been done earlier by Satish and his excellent team at Zabeel Stables."

For a man who had previously done little of note, last season's exploits were an incredible achievement. Durcan upstaged top jockeys like Willie Supple and Richard Hills to capture the UAE championship with 58 wins. The crowing moment came on Dubai World Cup night when he scored two compelling wins astride Conflict in the Godolphin Mile and Rhythm Band in the Dubai Duty Free.

"It was an unforgettable season and those two wins on Dubai World Cup day were undoubtedly the highlight of the year," said Durcan. "Obviously it will be a hard act to follow, but I just want to go out, ride some good races and hopefully improve on my skills."

Did he say improve? "Yes, there's always room for improvement," Durcan explained. It is this attitude to his career and his recognition of good luck in having landed such a privileged job with Zabeel Stables that have brought Durcan success.

That alone distinguishes him from so many riders who tend to lose touch with reality and the values that they held before they got their lucky break.

The Steve Cauthen Award is named after the American Hall of Famer who at 18 became youngest jockey to win the Triple Crown with Affirmed in 1978. Cauthen also won a record $6.1 million in 1977 beside the Eclipse Award as the nation's top rider and the award for male athlete of the year.