The sky is the limit

Debbie Burt reports from Zabeel Stables in Dubai where the busy and ambitious trainer Bhupat Seemar is enjoying life at the helm

ZABEEL STABLES is an equine oasis right in the bustling heart of Dubai city. Since racing was formalised in the UAE in 1992, the stables have been a constant source of winners – Satish Seemar training at the yard very successfully for some years.

Bhupat Seemar took over the licence from Satish, who is his uncl, in the early part of the 2021-2022 season, so it was a remarkable achievement for Seemar Jnr to secure a first UAE trainers’ title on his debut and beating previous champions Ernst Oertel and Doug Watson.

Originally from India where his parents had a small stud farm, 46-year-old Seemar has been based in Dubai for 20 years.

In India he rode while at school and college. On finishing his formal education he headed to the US, first to Kentucky to Taylor Made Farms before moving to California to work for Bob Baffert.

By the time he arrived in Dubai, Uncle Satish, consistently a top ten trainer and the winner of the six trainers’ titles, had already won the first of those trainers’ championships.

Seemar took over the reins in a temporary capacity in November 2021 after his uncle was suspended by the Emirates Racing Authority (ERA) following his placement on the US sanctions’ list due to his association with Chechen leader Ramzan Kadyrov, for whom Satish had trained when he was based in North America.

In July 2022, when Seemar Jnr was officially appointed by Dubai Racing Club as the new trainer at Zabeel, Dr Mohammed Essa Al Adhab, Dubai Racing Club’s general manager noted: “Seemar has a blend of local and global experience that makes a perfect fit for maintaining the record of the stable and taking it to new heights.”

Reflecting on his appointment and that first trainers’ title, Seemar says: “I’m very grateful to a lot of people to be in this position. I’ve been here for 20 years; I know this racing inside out.”

Wanting to “keep the winning formula”, he admits that little has changed since taking over.

“Our form is always a bit lukewarm at the beginning of the season, but we start hitting form from January onwards,” he reflects. “We want to peak in March, not in November – so far, things are going to plan.”

Given his early grounding with Baffert, Seemar was always going to lean towards training his horses by the clock as he explains: “It’s what I know from being in America. There’s Dirt racing here, so that style of training suits, but I did have to modify it a bit, so there’s a little mix of Europe in there too, but it works for us. The horses either go out on their own, or in pairs.”

Watching his horses work on Zabeel’s 1800m Dirt track, with markers every 200m, Seemar communicates instructions by radio to each of the riders, which include his wife Caroline, and stable jockey Tadgh O’Shea, who headed to Dubai after winning the Irish apprentices’ championship.

Dylan Browne McMonagle, the 2021 apprentice champion, has also been riding out for Seemar, while also enjoying a winter at Zabeel is Georgia King, daughter of the UK’s dual-purpose trainer Alan King. She is in Dubai on a mission to expand her knowledge of training and pace.

O’Shea has made Dubai his own, and of the jockey’s talents Seemar observes: “The reason he’s a ten-time UAE champion jockey is because he’s such a hard worker. I don’t think he ever rests! He’s always thinking about horses. It’s hard work that’s paying off, as a person he’s a great guy, and we have a great partnership.”

O’Shea, who in January recorded his 700th UAE win on the stable’s Group 1 Golden Shaheen winner Switzerland, returns the compliment: “I’ve been very, very lucky. Obviously I ride for some great people and I can’t do it without the horses, the trainers, or the owners. I’m very fortunate to be riding for Bhupat with the thoroughbreds and for Khalid Khalifa Al Nabooda and Ernst Oertel with the Arabians. If you asked me in 2001 when I first came to the country how many winners I would ride, I would have taken any amount!”

He continues: “I started at Zabeel five seasons ago and this is my second as first jockey. I’m in here five mornings a week, the other two I’m with Ernst at Al Quoz, so I’m pretty busy!

“It definitely meant more to get the 700 up on Switzerland, my only thoroughbred Group 1 winner to date.

“On the first night of this year’s Carnival, I rode my two favourite thoroughbreds, Switzerland and Secret Ambition, they are a combined age of 19 between them. Bhupat deserves a lot of credit for Secret Ambition, he’s 10 now but he ran well and will come forward for the race.”

CLEARLY O’SHEA enjoys being part of the team that operates in a very relaxed environment.

“It’s an amazing facility here. We’re blessed that it’s a private track and we can take our time with the horses, we can do our own thing.

"They really enjoy their routine and it’s not rush, rush, rush, which unfortunately a lot of trainers have to do with time slots on shared tracks. I believe it’s the oldest stable, designed by Sheikh Mohammed. It’s a little bit of paradise.”

Its location poses one ever-present problem, as Seemar explains: “It covers around 200 acres and this real estate is so valuable. I think it’s one of the most beautiful stables in the world, but one day we may have to leave. It is what it is, but hopefully we’ll get something similar, probably at Meydan.”

Reviewing his present set up he says: “We’ve 135 stables and we’re full. We’ve got more than we could ask for with a treadmill, a horsewalker, a 100m straight pool, paddocks, equine spa and one of the first equine cryotherapy chambers in the world.

“If you can’t train winners here, you couldn’t train them anywhere!

“When our season ends, the European season starts, so jockeys leave and some of the horses leave, I think it works for horses as well, so they get time off.

“It’s a busy five-to-six-month period for them, especially those racing on Dirt, for the Turf horses the recovery is probably easier. The short season works perfectly for us.”

In the summer most of the horses stay at Zabeel. They get turned out, but are not completely let down, and though he understands that they need a mental holiday, Seemar’s team keeps them ticking over with the pool and the treadmill.

“They get a nice spot of R and R,” he says smiling. “That’s how we have ten-year-old and nine-year-old horses still successfully racing at the top level.”

The summer break also ensures that he has time to replenish stock for his owners through the major sales in Europe and America, and, as yet, Seemar has had no need to buy on spec.

He says of last year’s purchasing trip: “I did six countries in five weeks, it was quite intense, but we hope that it will now be a regular thing. Two-year-old racing is improving here, so that obviously requires more investment.

“Years ago, there was less of a race programme for juveniles, but the authorities at DRC and the ERA are doing a great job encouraging more two-year-old racing and people are catching on to it. There’s also more three-year-old races than ever before, and we could probably do with more!

“We’re mostly looking for a Dirt pedigree or a Dirt physical. We do look for some American-bred horses, even in Europe, but we also have Turf racing here, so we would like a bit of both.”

Last year’s buying spree started at home with the inaugural Goffs Meydan Breeze-Up Sale, held as part of Dubai World Cup week.

“We bought four or five there, I think the consignors and the sale company brought some good pedigrees over.

“It was a great initiative to have the first Middle Eastern two-year-old sale, it was quite a forward-thinking move, and as it continues it can only improve.

“We also bought about 20 horses in the Godolphin Horse in Training Sale here, there’s plenty of owners locally who want to be in racing. To be honest, it’s a great position to be in – I’ve got more owners than I can fill! More people want to get involved and they all have different budgets, but a horse doesn’t know his price, does he?

“Royal Dubai, I think he was 35,000gns from the Tattersalls Guineas Breeze Up, and Morning, who we have running in the Guineas Trial, was about $80,000 from the Ocala Breeze Ups.

“Then there were others who cost a lot more, it was a big range. When they come to Dubai, they get some time off and turned out in the paddock. With two-year-olds, some are going to need time, you can’t rush everything, so some will be good three-yearolds instead, but I’m very happy with the way it’s going.”

Of his owners, he adds: “We have the most variety owners of any of the stables here. It’s a very good mix of ex-pats and locals, as well

O’Shea, who rode his 700th UAE winner in January, appreciates the relaxed atmosphere at Zabeel’s private training facility as from the wider GCC area, such as Saudi and also America, which tells you racing is in a very healthy state in this country.

O'Shea, who rode his 700th UAE winner this winter, appreciates the relaxed environment at Zabeel Stables

“I think the hardest part is communication, my phone doesn’t stop ringing until 10pm – its constant. It’s one area that we as a stable need to figure out how can improve. It’s great that owners are coming to us, and there’s always room for one more! We’ve got a great team, so we’re in a very privileged place.”

He feels that racing for young horses is on the upgrade, and uses the Fawzi Nass- trained filly Shahama as an example.

“After Dubai she went to America and won well, winning a Grade 3 and she was also placed in a Grade 2, so I think we’re getting some quality young horses over here,” he explains.

“This year there are three or four fillies who have been bought for half a million, or close to it, so it’s improving, we’re getting better horses.”

He believes the ERA has been very proactive with the programme adapting to the type of horses arriving.

“The authorities have been very good at listening to the trainers and the owners, wanting to make it better which is great.”

ACROSS THE GULF RACING NATIONS, he feels more could be done to co-ordinate and strengthen the region’s appeal.

“I think the region has the potential to be one of the best racing areas. With Dubai, Saudi, Bahrain and Qatar there is so much prize-money and enthusiasm to do well, in such a short time those other countries have come on leaps and bounds, and international owners and trainers want to go and compete.

“Dubai has been doing it for a long time and now the others are following suit, I think we’ve set a great example, Dubai was the pioneer. The infrastructure here is so good, you get used to that standard and you don’t want to go backwards.”

He also sees the potential to race further afield outside of the UAE season, though considers the prize-money in Europe a bit low in comparison to Dubai.

“Europe is amazing, the only thing is, you come here and think why should you go anywhere else?

The only problem with Royal Ascot for us is that it’s the wrong time of year, as it’s getting too warm here to prepare. I think you’ve probably got to travel a month earlier, and train over there.

“Satish took a couple of thoroughbreds and Arabians to Europe, staying in Newmarket for three months and Chantilly for two months. I think we will do it as well.

“I just need to establish myself and my routine first and have some good people around me so that we can travel.”

Closer to home, he has already been to the Saudi Cup meeting with Switzerland and Secret Ambition, noting: “If you want to be running an international stable you’ve got to go and raid all these good races in the Middle East, it’s the plan to continue, with the prizemoney so good, you’ve got to go.”

Fulfilling a childhood dream, Seemar has also been to the Kentucky Derby with Summer Is Tomorrow, who was the first UAE-trained horse to run in the race.

“It was just unbelievable. We have some very sporting owners as it’s expensive to go to America, they don’t give you much financial assistance for the Kentucky Derby, so they were brave to fork out all that money. It cost them a lot to have that experience.”

Seemar cites the lack of training facilities in quarantine as a major obstacle to preparing for the race, saying: “You land in Chicago and, of course, Arlington Park’s closed, so your horse just walks for seven days, you can’t even come out of the barn.

“But there’s only one Kentucky Derby and the owners loved it, having a runner in front of 165,000 people and we got plenty of attention. Of course, I’ve been there before with Bob Baffert, but to go through it in my own name was incredible.”

By the time you read this Seemar may have won the Saudi Cup with last year’s Dubai World Cup sixth-placed Remorse (Dubawi).

Victory in the Dubai World Cup is an obvious aim, as he says, “This is my home ground, I’ve seen the race for 20 years, I’d love to win it one day – once you do that, then the world is your oyster.”

Importantly, he feels the business is heading in the right direction to try and achieve that goal: “Everybody always follows success, you’ve got be successful for them to be with you and hopefully we’ll maintain that.”

Seemar won’t be giving up Dubai anytime soon concluding: “Dubai is one of those places that’s just very hard to leave.

“We’ve got some great prize-money, the lifestyle is good, you just can’t fault it, it’s probably one of the best places in the world to live and train.”