Watson wins record 7th UAE trainer's championship, Harrab lands Al Ain Cup

Having staged the very first meeting of the season back in October, Al Ain also hosted the very final race of the UAE season highlighted by the inaugural running of the Al Ain Cup, ultimately won comfortably by Harrab

AL AIN

American trainer Doug Watson clinched his record seventh UAE champion trainer title on Friday evening at Al Ain Racecourse, holding off three-time champion Ernst Oertel in a thrilling to-the-line standings battle.

Winding up with 40 victories, Watson claimed the championship for the seventh time, breaking the tie at six he had with Satish Seemar. Oertel ended up with 39 victories.

“We have such a great team at home, both the owners and the staff,” Watson said. “They have been fantastic and everyone works seven days a week and we went through the COVID situation and thankfully everyone’s okay from that and things have gone well (since). It was tough right down to the wire.”

Oertel needed three winners to overtake Watson after the Red Stables trainer saddled a double at Meydan to take his tally to 40, with more second-place finishes.

However, the South African, a four-time winner of the trainers’ title, managed just one winner on the six-race card of the season-ending meet.

Watson had two runners in the only thoroughbred prize in the seven-race card on Friday. They were both unplaced but it didn’t mater as the American had the title in the bag after the fifth race.