Taken from Gulfnews
Dubai: Averroes, a horse perhaps best known for providing the European team with their only win at this year's Shergar Cup won by Ireland, supplied Abu Dhabi-based trainer Ernst Oertel with his first thoroughbred success in the UAE when winning at Meydan's New Year's Eve meeting yesterday.
Given a super-confident ride by Christian Demuro, Averroes outstayed his seven rivals to post an authoritative seven and a quarter length victory over Royaaty in the 2,800 metres Al Basti Equiworld Foran Cup, while favourite Achill Bay was a further six length in arrears.
Christian's brother Mirco Demuro famously landed the $10-million (Dh36.7 million) Dubai World Cup on the same All Weather surface in March aboard Japanese horse Victoire Pisa.
The Foran Cup is the longest race of the UAE season so far and the manner in which Averroes won the contest must make him a big favourite to win the top staying races that will run during the Dubai World Cup Carnival which starts next Thursday at Meydan.
South African Oertel replaced Frenchman Philippe Barbe at the Al Asayl Stables of President His Highness Shaikh Khalifa Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, where he has a full compliment of Purebred Arabian horses, including eight thoroughbreds who he described as being ‘competitive'.
‘Below par'
"I haven't had all that much luck at Meydan so far as the horses have run below par, so I was hopeful but not expecting him to win that well," said Oertel after Averroes' win. "Well I get my horses fit so I believe that worked in my favour, so I was quite pleased with the result, and Christian rode a nice race on him."
The South African went on to complete a meet double when saddling Capital Attraction to land the Al Basti Equiworld Hartog Cup over seven furlongs, this time with the assistance of talented British rider James Doyle, whose UAE season has been quite a revelation.
The four-year-old son of former Dubai World Cup winner Singspiel benefited from a strong ride from Doyle to score by a length and a quarter from Fervent Prince, the mount of Carlos Sandolva, while Ali Rashid Al Raihe's Expire was a length back in third. Doyle was gaining compensation for a frustrating defeat aboard favourite Mortbet in the Al Basti Equiworld Omega Alpha Cup, where he was beaten on the last stride by the Royston Ffrench-powered Hajoum.
Mortbet was doing the better work at the finish but was cruelly denied what appeared to be a sure victory. "We just couldn't get there in time," said Doyle. "The pace was far wide and we had to go around horses to get a run which was too late. It's very frustrating to lose in that fashion.
Deserving
"But all credit to the horse, he's run a cracker and deserves a win."
The Seemar-trained Radegund Abbey had the honour of winning the last race of 2012 when swooping late to win the closing Al Basti Equiworld Hygain Trophy Handicap over a mile and one furlong.
Earlier Al Ain-based trainer Anthony Manuel continued his successful streak with Purebred Arabians when Sarabella won the Al Basti Eqiworld Baileys Cup over a mile.
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Topic Author
....shot Ernst keep up the good work....(tu)