Dubai: Tadhg O'Shea led the tributes to retiring jockey Richard Hills, who was in action for the last time at Jebel Ali Racecourse yesterday, and then went on to grab a meet double as the curtain came down at the venue.
O'Shea said that the sport would be all that much poorer with Hills' departure from the scene, but also provided a glimpse into what it might be with a pair of smart wins.
The talented Irishman rode a tidy race aboard Jutland to win the 200m Emirates Handicap for trainer Doug Watson and followed it up 30 minutes later when driving the Ali Rashid Al Raihe-trained Mujaazef in the concluding Al Shafar Group Conditions event over 1200m.
Al Raihe, who was not present at Jebel Ali as he has been advised by doctors to have some home rest after taking ill at Meydan racecourse last week, saw his Grandstand Stable post a double at the Jebel Ali Racecourse's grand finale.
Win for Al Raihe stable
Al Raihe's Stable jockey Royston Ffrench won the opening race, the Commercial Bank of Dubai handicap, over 2000m aboard Glen Nevis, who was a comfortable one and three quarter length winner over Satish Seemar's Ibn Al Nafis.
"It's great to win two races for the boss who will be watching the races at home," assistant trainer Jillani Seddiqi said. "He's been in touch with us, giving us last minute instructions. And we're happy to give him good results.
"It's been a very satisfactory season for us. The whole team has worked hard all the year though, so we could not be happier to have achieved the kind of results that we have since the season started in November."
Al Raihe took his tally of wins for the season to 46, well clear of Doug Watson, who saddled his 32nd winner of the season when Jutland won the last by one race yesterday. O'Shea stayed on course to win the UAE jockey's championship, with yesterday's double taking him to 35 wins for the season. He is now three wins clear of Ffrench, ahead of Saturday's Dubai World Cup meeting.
Wayne Smith, who finished runner-up to O'Shea during the 2007-08 season at Jebel Ali, clinched the title with 12 wins. James Doyle finished second with nine wins and O'Shea third with eight.
Rousing send-off
Earlier in the afternoon, Hills was given a rousing send-off by his fans, fellow jockeys and the Jebel Ali management.
"I just want to thank you for all the support you have given me all these years," he told race-goers. "And I hope you've just as much pleasure picking winners as I have had riding winners all these years."
Shareef Al Halawani, manager, Jebel Ali Racecourse, was joined by trainer Dhruba Selvaratnam to present Hills with a farewell gift.
Hills was accompanied by his wife Jacqui at Jebel Ali yesterday.
