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Gulf Review Ernst Oertel at Desert One Stables
Three days before the Dubai World Cup, standing in his office surrounded by trophies, it might seem hard to agree with leading UAE trainer Ernst Oertel that the season had been only ‘ok’. However, for most trainers to eventually finish second, having visited the winners enclosure 41 times, just seven wins away from a fourth championship title, it would be a pretty good season. “It’s not been the easiest, with AF Alwajel getting injured.” Oertel explains, speaking of his flagship horse who finished the 20/21 term a neck shy of giving his trainer, jockey Tadhg O’Shea and the stable’s principal owner, Khalid Khalifa Al
Nabooda a second Dubai Kahayla Classic. In December, the handsome chestnut had reappeared in the UAE’s most valuable race, the Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nayhan Jewel Crown and finished seventh, having looked to be in with every chance 300m from the line. “It’s not a major problem, but I’d rather be safe as he’s a very good horse. If you run them and they’re not 100 per cent you’re wasting your time, he deserves better than that and if I can’t get him a 100 per cent ready, I’d wait with him. He needed the rest, so he’s getting it and he’ll be fine next year.”
THE ARABIAN RACEHORSE
