Eight fixtures have now passed in the 2022/23 UAE racing season, comprising of 53 races, and the championship tables are starting to take shape, mostly predictably so.
O'SHEA WELL CLEAR
Multiple Champion Jockey Tadhg O’Shea has moved onto nine winners already after adding four last week and has opened up a lead of three at this early juncture with Pat Dobbs on six and Dane O’Neill five his closest pursuers. The owners’ table sees reigning champion Khalid Khalifa Al Nabooda on six, one behind early leader Al Rashid Stables.
WATSON STAYS TOP
Former Champion Trainer Doug Watson maintained his perch atop the trainers’ table and has saddled eight winners to date. Ernst Oertel, another former title holder leads the chase on six, one more than reigning champion Bhupat Seemar. Another three meetings await this weekend with 19 races scheduled, just eight for the Thoroughbreds so 11 opportunities for their smaller Purebred Arabian cousins. O'Shea, Oertel and Al Nabooda in particular will be hoping to take full advabtage of that with cards in the capital and Al Ain both Purebred Arabian heavy.
