Drew’s Gold: Olascoaga’s Hope for the Dubai World Cup Night
- Turf Diario
- Mar 31
- 3 min read
The Uruguayan, Antonio Cintra’s right-hand man, will saddle the sprinter in the G1 Dubai Golden Shaheen at Meydan, where he will face Tuz and Straight No Chaser
DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (DWC Media Team).- Being universally liked is rare, but no one has a bad word to say about Julio Olascoaga.
The young Uruguayan trainer has achieved remarkable results during his three seasons with a license in the United Arab Emirates, but now he has the chance to make headlines as Drew’s Gold takes on Tuz (Oxbow) and Straight No Chaser (Speightster) in the G1 Dubai Golden Shaheen, sponsored by Nakheel.
A runner-up in the G1 Woody Stephens Stakes when trained by James Chapman in the United States, the RRR Racing-owned 5-year-old made a solid local debut for Olascoaga, finishing third behind Tuz in the G3 Al Shindagha Sprint in January before missing the break and ending up ninth in the G3 Mahab Al Shimaal last time out.
“Gelson [Ribeiro], one of our work riders, has been with him at the gates, so I’m confident that won’t happen again,” says Olascoaga. “We were very pleased with his first run here, and if he can repeat or improve on that performance, he’ll be very tough to beat.”
Reaching Dubai World Cup night is a significant milestone for the 33-year-old trainer, who started as a veterinarian before becoming a traveling groom. That role brought him into contact with Antonio Cintra, a multiple champion in Brazil and Uruguay, who remains his mentor and heads the Grandstand Stables operation in Dubai.
“I worked with Antonio when he came here in 2019 with three horses,” Olascoaga recalls. “I was supposed to stay for a week, then a month… and now it’s been almost five years.”
“We have 30 boxes at Meydan and tremendous support from owners and the team in Uruguay, so the operation has continued to improve every year.”
“Anyone with a good horse at home eventually considers racing abroad, so there’s always the option to come here with us. The prize money and exposure are also crucial.”
“We could have brought more horses this year, but there wasn’t enough space. If the conditions allow, we’ll expand.”
Olascoaga’s success includes multiple Listed victories, such as this season’s National Day Cup in Abu Dhabi with Daramethos (Sea The Stars). But one win stands above the rest for him.
“The highlight for me was Quality Boone’s (Daniel Boone) victory in the Al Bastakiya (L) in 2022,” he says. “That was a turning point for us, as it changed how local owners perceived our operation.”
“Another special moment was Atlético El Culano’s (Alcorano) win in The Entisar (L) because of his story [as the 2021 Gran Premio José Pedro Ramírez (G1) winner, Uruguay’s most prestigious race] and the support from fans back home, as he was Uruguay-bred.”
Olascoaga has built a reputation for revitalizing horses with past issues, a challenge he embraces.
“We’ve had great results with horses coming from other trainers, like Desert Peace (Curlin) and Mount Kosciuszko(National Defense),” he notes. “It’s a challenge, but I enjoy it. Maybe they won’t win major races, but seeing a troubled horse back on track and being competitive brings me a lot of joy.”
While others his age might be enjoying Dubai’s vibrant nightlife, Olascoaga’s dedication is such that he lives on-site and moves between training tracks on an electric scooter.
“I believe you have to give 120% in this business,” he says. “Competition is fierce, so I’m at the barn 24/7, always looking for that small edge that makes the difference between winning and losing. I love being competitive, and I love winning. My main motivation when I go to bed is to be the best I can be the next day.”
“This is how I live, and this is how I like it.”
Laura King
Comments