THIS year’s event saw more than 80 apprentices and amateur riders from around the world getting the opportunity to participate in some practical training workshops delivered by jockey coaches from the various schools.

Simulator training, fitness and conditioning, nutritional education and a media training workshop were all provided in a series of professional development sessions to offer some support and encouragement to the visiting riders.

Among the participating coaches were our own Barry Walsh, former Derby-winning jockey John Reid and champion Scandinavian jockey Freddy Johansson.

Events concluded on Sunday at the Abu Dhabi race track where the Irish influence was much in evidence.

Pat Buckley has been a key official in Emirates racing for more than 30 years and he oversaw proceedings as racing secretary and clerk of the course, Davy Condon acted as paddock steward while Tadhg O’Shea, Marc Monaghan and Pat Dobbs were all in action during the evening.

Ireland didn’t have a representative in the apprentice race, a ‘world championship’ final which was the culmination of a six-race series over the past six months at various tracks ranging from Lingfield Park to Rome to Copenhagen. The race was won by promising Australian apprentice Dylan Dunn.

The ladies race was also the final of a series and featured some Irish interest with Nora Looby representing her country well by finishing fifth in a contest won by the experienced British rider Catherine Walton.

Other Irish apprentices who participated in the series and were present in Abu Dhabi included Dylan Hogan, Andrew Breslin and Keith Moriarty, while Rob Fitzpatrick came from Britain along with Nora Looby, and Evanna McCutcheon was there as part of the lady riders’ series.