King Jock is on his way.....
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UAE press, no author listed...
Watson off to a flyer with four-timer
Former champion trainer Doug Watson savoured an incredible opening night to the 2007-08 season, taking four of the six races on the Emirates Airline-sponsored card.
And jockey Daragh O’Donohoe shared in the success, taking the three feature AED 70,000 races.
Watson, who won his inaugural title in the 2006-07 season, said: “We’ve changed our plans a bit for the start of this season, and got them here ready to go, whereas the last couple of seasons, we left them with quite a bit to work on.
“They’ve actually had a couple of decent pieces of work on the Nad Al Sheba track itself, rather than our training track, and it’s really paid off.
“There are some good prizes to be had at the start of the season, so why not get them fitter for the start of the season?”
The highlight of the four-timer looked to be the Fawzi Abdulla Nass-owned Jonquil, who used to be trained in Bahrain, and was having his first run on dirt in the Emirates Airline Stakes.
“I’m really pleased for the owner, who has sent a few horses to us, like one of our stars from last season, Boston Lodge. Jonquil looks like being a really nice horse, and I’m pretty excited about him.
“But, look I’ve just had four winners, and I’m just as thrilled about every one!”
Dubai Racing Club and Emirates Racing Authority Board member Malih Lahej Al Basti, owned the first two winners of the four-timer, courtesy of Daybreak Dancer in the AED70,000 Emirates SkyCargo Trophy, and then they followed up in the Skywards Plate with Dawn Piper.
Richard Mullen rode the fourth winner of Watson’s quartet, Ragad – but only just - edging out For Once by a nose in the concluding Emirates Holidays Handicap.
South African apprentice Keagan Latham collected on his very first ride in the UAE after Knight Of Dance took the Arabian Adventures Classic.
Latham was deputising for Wayne Smith, who suffered a minor injury in the morning, and said: “It was bad luck on Wayne, but it was a great thrill to win on my very first ride here.
“I came here to ride work and pick up some rides and it’s been a dream start.”
UAE jockey Ahmed Ajtebi continued his fine run of form, following his six wins from just 28 rides in the UK, after taking the opening race of the 2007-08 UAE season, the Emirates Hotels & Resorts Cup, courtesy of the Mohammed Ramadan-trained Purebred Arabian Raabob.
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