Irish jockey Ted Durcan quickly reacted to some precious lost time in the race for the Emirates Jockey's Championship when resuming from suspension to ride a winning double at last Sunday evening's meeting at Abu Dhabi.
Durcan was suspended at the Abu Dhabi meeting on December 22nd and missed the first two meetings of 2000, those containing the Dhs200,000 Al Shindagha Sprint at Nad Al Sheba, where he would have ridden Abreeze, and the Dhs350,000 Jebel Ali Stakes where he would have had the choice between Spindrift and Redbridge.
The fact that all of those horses were beaten didn't make the suspension as costly as what it was though prior to the New Year however he did miss the winning ride on the Purebred Arabian Ezil in the Dhs140,000 ERA Stakes at Nad Al Sheba.
But while Neal Pollard was quick to gain the advantage during Durcan's absence the Irishman was back in form immediately riding a winning double aboard the Purebred Arabians Dorkhan, for Sheikh Rashid bin Mohammed Al Maktoum, and Al Anter for The President.
Dane O?Neill was also back into his winning ways over the weekend and that continued when he rode the Erwan Charpy-trained Mashab to victory in the second thoroughbred event of the evening, a 00-60 handicap over 1,600m.
Mashab?s success was the second of a winning double for Charpy, Richard Hills had earlier ridden the Sheikh Hamdan bin Rashid Al Maktoum-owned Faydo to success in the event restricted to local-bred Arabians.
Wayne Smith summed up the only other thoroughbred event perfectly when making a decisive move aboard Steve?s Hot at the 600m to steal the 2,400m handicap for horses rated 00-45.
