Global stars among nominees for His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Horse Racing Excellence Awards

Winners in two categories will be decided by public votes - the People’s Choice Award and a new category, Best Local Jockey

Public invited to vote for their favourites; voting open until 6 February

Award winners to be revealed on Saturday, 5 March

Global stars Lord Glitters and Aero Trem are among the nominees for the fifth edition of the His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Horse Racing Excellence Awards, which will be announced during ‘Super Saturday’ at Meydan Racecourse on 5 March.

Inaugurated in 2017, the awards seek to honour the best horse, jockey, trainer, and owner through an independent data driven process. In addition, there are also two public vote awards - the People’s Choice Award and a new category, Best Local Jockey, which seeks to honour riders who have had outstanding careers in Dubai.

Commenting on the awards, Sheikh Rashid Dalmook Al Maktoum, Chairman of Dubai Racing Club, said: “We are proud of the evolution of the awards. Since their inception in 2017, we have seen some of the greats of the sport being honoured.

“The awards are an embodiment of the value of excellence that Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, HH Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, has sought to instill in all spheres of life in the nation. We encourage racing fans to support their favorites and cast their votes.”

The nominees for the 2022 People’s Choice Award are:

AERO TREM
From serious illness to multiple Grade I winner.
A six-year-old son of Shanghai Bobby, Aero Trem suffered a serious bout of colic in 2019, losing 150kg in body weight. Brought back to fitness by Uruguay Champion Trainer Antonio Cintra and his team, he went on to win three Group 1s at Maronas, culminating in a stunning victory over the best horses in South America in the G1 Longines Gran Premio Latinoamericano. Currently in Dubai, the Old Friends-owned colt will be aimed at the Saudi Cup and Dubai World Cup meetings.

BOCHART
From near-death to Carnival winner
A nine-year-old gelding owned by Al Bait Mutawahed team, Bochart suffered a serious injury in the horsebox on the way to the races in 2018. Nursed back to health by the team at Zabeel Racing Stables, the son of Dubawi went on to win twice at the 2020 Dubai World Cup Carnival and his career tally currently stands at eight wins from 44 starts.

LORD GLITTERS
From French reject to Group 1 winner
Something of a tearaway in the mornings, Lord Glitters’ career has scaled great heights since moving to trainer David O’Meara in 2017. Owned by Elwick Stud, the now nine-year-old enjoyed a brilliant 2021, winning twice at Meydan Racecourse, including the G1 Emirates Jebel Hatta on Super Saturday. He rounded out the year with a win in the Group 3 Bahrain International Trophy and has now returned to Dubai for the World Cup Carnival.

SARAH ALQAHTANI
First lady of Saudi racing
Sarah Alqahtani is considered the first lady of racing in Saudi Arabia and acts as an ambassador for the sport there, including recently speaking at the Sheikh Mansour Festival Forum in Abu Dhabi. Alqahtani served as assistant trainer to her father, an established trainer in Saudi Arabia, Mohammed Khalid Alqhatani, and also an assistant to another trainer, Fawaz Alghraban. After acquiring her trainer license and becoming the first Saudi woman to do so, she campaigns a team of horses from her base at Al Janadriyah, close to King Abdulaziz Racecourse.

The 2022 edition of the awards also invites fans to vote for their choice for Best Local Jockey.

The nominees are the top four in the 2020/21 season of the UAE Jockeys’ Championship:

TADHG O’SHEA
Nine-time UAE Champion
Champion Jockey in the UAE on a record nine occasions, Irish-born O’Shea has ridden more than 600 winners since first arriving in the Emirates in 2001. Currently retained by Champion Owner Khalid Khalifa Al Nabooda, O’Shea also rides as first jockey to Bhupat Seemar at Zabeel Stables. Twice Champion Apprentice in Ireland, O’Shea’s other career highlights include riding a Royal Ascot winner on Ouqba in 2009 and partnering AF Maher to victory in the 2019 Group 1 Dubai Kahayla Classic.

ANTONIO FRESU    
Landmark season for Sardinian star
One of several top jockeys to hail from Sardinia, Antonio Fresu was an instant success when arriving in the UAE in 2016, originally to ride for trainer Erwan Charpy. Now first jockey to former UAE Champion Trainer Musabbeh Al Mheiri, the 30-year-old had a landmark season in 2020-21, finishing second in the Jockeys’ Championship with 32 winners and celebrating his first Group 1 success on Zenden in the Dubai Golden Shaheen.

FABRICE VERON
Best UAE season for French ace
France-born Fabrice Veron enjoyed his best season in the UAE in 2020-21, finishing third in the Jockeys’ Championship with 28 winners. The majority of those came for trainer Eric Lemartinel, with whom he was based at Al Asayl Stables in Abu Dhabi. Now back riding in France, the highlight of Veron’s UAE career to date is his victory onboard RB Money To Burn in the 2020 G1 Maktoum Challenge Round I.

RICHARD MULLEN
Another solid season for former champion
One of the more experienced members of the weighing room, Richard Mullen has been a fixture in the UAE since the early 2000s. Currently riding as first jockey to HH Sheikh Ahmed bin Rashid Al Maktoum at Jebel Ali Stables, Mullen also rides for the powerful Arabian Al Asayl operation. A father of four, Mullen’s biggest career success came in 2013 when he partnered Reynaldothewizard to success in the G1 Dubai Golden Shaheen at Meydan and he has also tasted Group 1 success on North America in the Maktoum Challenge Round 3 in 2018.

Public voting, which opened on 18 January, will close on 6 February.

Fans can vote for their favourites via the website of the HH Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Horse Racing Excellence Awards.