'This is the best sale so far' - Tadhg O'Shea among the buyers at busy Arqana

Multiple UAE champion jockey Tadhg O'Shea was among the buyers on a hectic day at the rearranged Arqana Breeze-Up Sale at the Goffs UK complex, a day on which he had plenty of orders from Dubai-based owners.

O'Shea, who hails from Dromahane in County Cork and was champion apprentice when with Michael Halford, struck the winning bid at Doncaster on the M.C Thoroughbreds-consigned Kingman filly at £40,000.

"I'm based in Dubai all of the time and there's plenty of demand from owners over there," said O'Shea, who last month notched his 600th winner in the UAE since his arrival there 20 years ago. "The Kingman came well recommended and she's for a client in Dubai."

Reflecting on the day's trade, he added: "There's a couple more but we mightn't have enough money!"

He continued: "The breeze-ups have been lucky sales for owners in Dubai so hopefully we'll get one more today and a couple more next week at Goresbridge.

"This is the best sale so far this season in terms of quality, there are some gorgeous horses and some hefty price tags as well. The nice horses will sell well."

The current social distancing restrictions as a result of Covid-19 have not posed a problem for the jockey, who received his vaccination early on as part of the Dubai government's vaccination programme.

He said: "I've been back from Dubai a month now, but we're very lucky to have vaccinated from an early stage there. Obviously we had to do the whole ten-day house quarantine but it's good to be up and about and at the sales again."

O'Shea clinched his ninth championship title in the UAE when the season ended last month, and holds the record there, ahead of Ted Durcan on seven titles, while he also holds the record for the number of winners, having surpassed Michael Hills' 504 some time ago.

He hit arguably a career-high in the saddle when successful in the Group 2 Godolphin Mile aboard the Satish Seemar-trained Secret Ambition in March on the Dubai World Cup card.

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