Muarrab continues his winning ways with victory in Jebel Ali Sprint

'He absolutely loves it here,' Hanagan says after victory

JEBEL ALI // Muarrab was the victor in Friday’s Jebel Ali Sprint, the highlight of the penultimate meeting of the season at the Jebel Ali course.

Owned by Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed and ridden by retained jockey Paul Hanagan, the horse has won seven of his eight Jebel Ali starts, three over this 1,000-metre distance.

For trainer Musabah Al Muhairi, it was a fourth win in the race and third in the past four years.

Hanagan always had Muarrab near the front of the six runners, before easing his mount to the lead 600m from home.

“There is just something about this place and this horse – he absolutely loves it here,” Hanagan said. “Halfway up the straight he just pricked his ears – he knows exactly where he is.

“He was hardly blowing after the race and I was always happy. With luck this will be enough to get him considered for one of the two sprints on Dubai World Cup night. If that is the case, the whole team will need to sit down and decide whether to stick at 1,000m and switch to turf, or stay on dirt and step up to 1,200m.

“If he is invited I would imagine we will take the ­opportunity.”

State City, in 2003, won this Jebel Ali Sprint before going to Nad Al Sheba to land the Golden Shaheen for Paddy Rudkin.

Al Muhairi promptly completed a course and distance double with Conform With Fact, ridden to victory by Silvestre De Sousa in a conditions race.

De Sousa was denied on the Al Muhairi-trained Art Wave in the concluding 1,400m handicap by stable companion Kanaf, a third winner for the trainer and a second for Hanagan.

The 1,800m conditions race featured a clash between Jutland and Interpret, the two most recent winners of the 1,950m Listed Jebel Ali Stakes. It was the former, winner of the feature last January, who prevailed under Pat Dobbs, riding for Doug Watson.

“Pat has given him a great ride again and this horse, once in front, hated to be headed and just battles,” Watson said. “He is not the biggest in stature, but there is no doubting his toughness.”

Apprentice Saeed Al Mazrooei won the other two races, taking the opening 1,600m conditions race on Lanark for Ali Rashid Al Raihe and a 1,200m maiden on the Andulla bin Huzaim-trained Copperbelt.

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