Jock takes Abu Dhabi honours

Ireland’s King Jock made history at Abu Dhabi when becoming the first European-trained winner of the Listed National Day Cup.

Second in the mile feature last year when trained locally by Erwan Charpy, the five-year-old skipped clear a furlong out under Pat Shanahan to supplement his Group Three win in Ireland over the summer and a win at last season’s Carnival.

He was chased home by the Satish Seemar-trained pair of National Captain and Ace but never looked in danger once Shanahan, having his first ride on the track, pressed the button.

Osborne said: “This race has been the target for some time and we flew him over fit and ready to go about a fortnight ago.

“We will probably be ruled out of Carnival handicaps now so the President’s Cup back here at Christmas looks likely to be his next race.

“We will then look at the Group Three Al Rashidiya at the Carnival in early February and take it from there.”

Ireland can already boast a President’s Cup winner as Kieren Fallon steered Joanna Morgan’s One Won One to victory in that race in 2001.