ABU DHABI // Quite A Show lived up to his name with a scintillating run to win the biggest prize of his career, the Group 1 Liwa Oasis.
Tadhg O'Shea found a way through a pack of horses and made a strong run in the final 200 metres to win by a length-and-a-half from Musharab at the Abu Dhabi Equestrian Club last night. AF Alghabra was a further two-and-a-quarter lengths back in third place.
"He is a progressive horse and this was his best distance, and all his victories have come on this track," said O'Shea, who has ridden Quite A Show to three of his four wins in the UAE since the horse arrived in the country from the United States where he had three first-place finishes in as many starts.
"He stumbled when out of the gate and lost some ground, but recovered quickly," O'Shea said.
"Luckily the race was run at a good pace and the field was spread. He is a very tough horse and likes a challenge."
Manisha, a local-bred filly, took the Group 3 Arabian Triple Crown Round 3, the main supporting contest on the seven-race card. The daughter of Darike extended her unbeaten run to three with an impressive performance over the 2,400-metre distance under Royston Ffrench, who took his tally to 31, four behind O'Shea, the UAE jockeys' championship leader.
Manisha completed a double on the night for Ernst Oertel, the trainer, who had sent Shadan to claim the opener, a maiden, under Silvestre De Sousa.
Manisha was receiving 5kgs from her stable companion Daffagh Al Asayl, the Round-2 winner of the three-race series for four year olds.
Al Ashram under Richard Mullen set the early pace with Daffagh Al Asayl (De Sousa) in second and this order was maintained until the field approached the final bend.
Ffrench got to work on Manisha and came with a late run to lead in the final 100 metres and win by a length from Al Ashram with Daffagh Al Asayl hanging on to take third by a head. "She was stepping up in class and won very well from some highly rated opposition," said Ffrench.
"She is a lovely young filly. She travelled well and quickened well when I asked for an effort. I would like to think she will be better next season."
Wayne Smith rode a double, winning the second race on Bigg N Rich for Julio Peromingo and AF Sanadek for Eric Lemartinel, who also completed a double when Gerald Avranche got up in the last few strides on Ibn Battuta Monlau to win the sixth race, a handicap over 2, 200 metres in a photo-finish from Raheq and Maymoun W'Rsan.
