Veteran UAE Trainer, Doug Watson Celebrates 600th Win
UAE's leading trainer Doug Watson won his 600th race in the UAE when Cool Silk Partnership’s Midnight Sands won the inaugural Mina Handicap, in the final yards by a short head over Gr.1 Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile alumnus Ambassadorial.
The milestone comes 10 weeks after Watson made history by sweeping an entire card of six races the first trainer to either sweep a card or win six races on one card in the UAE on Nov. 7. Midnight Sands, admittedly one of Watson’s favourite horses, won his fourth race from five UAE starts and appears a star on the rise.
Watson is a native of Centerville, Ohio, USA, and began his career at Chicago’s Arlington Park cleaning stalls and grooming horses. A 26-year resident of Dubai, he became a long-time assistant trainer to Kiaran McLaughlin. When McLaughlin relocated back to the USA, Watson took the reins of Red Stables in 2004. In just his third season as head trainer, he won the first of six UAE championships. He has also been second six times.
His other major feats include finishing in the 2016 Godolphin Mile led by One Man Band on Dubai World Cup night and then winning the same race one year later with Second Summer.
Curated from press release by DRC