Duffield moves into top gear with triple win

Abu Dhabi: Gillian Duffield, last year's top Purebred Arabian trainer with 23 wins, shifted her current season's campaign into top gear with a triple-winning effort while jockey Richard Hills snatched a double at the Abu Dhabi Equestrian Club last night.

Before the start of the six-race meeting, Duffield had just three winners to Eric Lemartinel's eight. The Frenchman got off to a great start by winning the first race with BH Fatan under French jockey Gerald Avranche.

But after that it was Duffield who saddled the next three winners, three different jockeys helping her to the winner's enclosure.

In the Sweihan Conditions race, the feature event for Purebred Arabians, last year's President's Cup Group 1 winner Jarnin was part of the classy field.

But Richard Hills on Nesnaas came up with a strong finish to win the first of his double as well as the first of Duffield's triple.

Top two picks

In the next race, a 11-furlong Handicap, the locally-bred Mooser trained by Lemartinel and Duffield's Sharaka were the top two picks by the fans but it was Adraaj under Tadhg O'Shea, the second runner from Duffield's yard, who won ahead of another Lemartinel runner Rakeel.

Ted Durcan completed Duffield's triple win when Jawhara Al Reef won a close battle from stablemate AF Mursid under Tadhg O'Shea for a 1-2 to the British trainer.

In the Abu Dhabi Championship Prep race, Hills on Aqmaar started poorly but then went on to finish strongly and pick up his second win of the night. The winner was trained by Musabah Al Muahiri while Duffield did not have a runner in this race.

The night's final race, the HH The President's Cup Prep race for Thoroughbreds, Satish Seemar's Escape Route made no mistake under Richard Mullen with Musabah Al Muhairi's Hopes And Fears finishing behind the winner.

RESULTS

Bahia Conditions, UAE-bred PA, Dh35,000, 7F: BH Fatan (Eric Lemartinel) Gerald Avranche; Sarim (Bakhit Al Ketbi) Wayne Smith; Etihad (Tony Manuel) Patrick Cosgrave.

Time: 1:36.40; Distances: 1.25L, 1.25L

Sweihan Conditions, PA, Dh80,000, 11F: Nesnaas (Gillian Duffield) Richard Hills; Time Out (Philippe Barb) Kieren Fallon; Ejaabi (Gillian Duffield) Tadhg O'Shea.

Time: 2:29.85; Distances: 0.75L, 2.25L

Al Jazeera Handicap, 00-60, Dh50,000, 11F: Adraaj (Gillian Duffield) Tadhg O'Shea; Rakeel (Eric Lemartinel) David Smith; Raneet (Eric Lemartinel)W. Walter.

Time: 2:34.31. Distances: 0.50L, Neck

Wathba Stud Farm Cup, PA, Handicap, Dh40,000, 8F: Jawhara Al Reef (Gillian Duffield) Ted Durcan; AF Mursid (Gillian Duffield) Tadhg O'Shea; AF Raad (Karim Aga) Patrick Cosgrave.

Time: 1:46.78. Distances: Shd, 3.25 L.

Abu Dhabi Prep race, Conditions, Dh50,000, 8F: Aqmaar (Musabah Al Muhairi) Richard Hills; Masharref (Ali Rashid Al Raihe) Tadhg O'Shea; Tahani (Ahmad Al Shamsi) Gerald Avranche.

Time: 1:47.58; Distances: 2L, 25L

HH The President's Cup Prep race, TB, Dh70,000, 7F:

1. Escape Route (Satish Seemar) Richard Mullen; 2. Hopes And Fears (Musabah Al Muhairi) Wayne Smith; 3. Yasoodd (D. Selvaratnam) William Buick.

Time: 1:23.46; Distances: 0.50L, 0.75L.