Six-week stint with Harty for globe-trotting Ajtebi

UAE: Ahmed Ajtebi is to spend six weeks in California for top US-based trainer Eoin Harty, theformer Godolphin trainer who saddled Well Armed to win last year's Dubai World Cup.

Ahmed Ajtebi: California-bound

  PICTURE: Edward Whitaker  

The former camel jockey, who rode Vale Of York to win the Breeders' Cup Juvenile, is flying the UAE flag in Mauritus at this weekend's jockeys' challenge, competing alongside the likes of Frankie Dettori and Johnny Murtagh.

Ajtebi was catapulted to prominence on World Cup night in March when he won both turf races for Godolphin, taking the Dubai Duty Free on Gladiatorus and the Sheema Classic on Eastern Anthem.

"It has been a great year and I am so grateful to everybody," said the rider. "Sheikh Mohammed has been so supportive and that backing has been a massive help.

"To fly the UAE flag around the world is a massive honour," he added. "Obviously World Cup night was special but so too was the Breeders' Cup. A stint in America can only help me progress and their style of training and racing against the clock will be very useful.

"Hopefully I will get some race experience and am really looking forward to it - but I plan to be back in Dubai for the Carnival at the end of January."