Atzeni ends Qatar Racing job for Sheikh Obaid role
ANDREA ATZENI will leave his role as first jockey to Qatar Racing at the end of the season to rejoin forces with Sheikh Mohammed Obaid.
Atzeni, 24, signed a two-year contract last year to replace Jamie Spencer as top jockey for Qatar Racing, the vehicle for Sheikh Fahad Al Thani and his brothers.
However, the relationship will come to an end with Atzeni rejoining Sheikh Mohammed Obaid, who had retained the rider until he left last season with Adam Kirby taking up the role as his retained rider for 2015.
As part of his decision to join Sheikh Mohammed Obaid, Atzeni will ride much more for trainer Roger Varian, who recently received 35 horses from the sheikh including King George VI & Queen Elizabeth Stakes winner Postponed.
'Delighted'
In a statement released on Varian's website, Atzeni said: "I am delighted to be formally renewing my association with both Sheikh Mohammed Obaid and Roger from next season.
"I have been lucky enough to enjoy some of my best days on horses like Postponed and Kingston Hill and so I am really excited at the prospect of the two joining forces.
"Roger has played an important part in my career and Sheikh Obaid has also been very supportive of me and I hope we will enjoy a lot of winners together in the future."
The Ladbrokes St Leger overturned
Andrea Atzeni (second left) with the Qatar Racing team after Simple Verse's successful St Leger appeal last moth
Along with thanking Qatar Racing, Atzeni said he had been particularly pleased Simple Verse had been reinstated as winner of the Ladbrokes St Leger an appeal.
"It was far from an easy decision to make [to join Sheikh Mohammed Obaid] as it means leaving my existing job with Qatar Racing.
"I would like to thank Sheikh Fahad personally, both for his support and for agreeing to release me from my contract with Qatar Racing.
"I am so pleased and proud that Simple Verse was rightly reinstated as the winner of the St Leger and that I can say I rode Qatar Racing's first British Classic winner."
Time to think
David Redvers, racing manager for Qatar Racing, said it was disappointing that Atzeni had decided to leave, but that the jockey would continue to ride for them for the rest of the year.
He said: "We are very disappointed as we get on so well with Andrea and he has ridden so well for us. He is a serious talent.
"For the rest of this season we still have the services of Andrea and Oisin Murphy. We now have time to think about what we do next."
With Atzeni leaving, the role of first jockey to Qatar Racing is vacant with Oisin Murphy contracted to ride as second jockey for the organisation at the moment.
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