Almoonqith delivers at Nad Al Sheba for Sheikh Hamdan

Almoonqith, left, was one of four winners on Saturday night for jockey Paul Hanagan and owner Sheikh Hamdan at Meydan Racecourse in Dubai. Satish Kumar / The National

The Dubai Gold Cup on World Cup night is very much on the agenda for Saturday night's 2,810-metre Group 3 Nad Al Sheba Trophy winner Almoonqith, who capped a fine evening for his owner, Sheikh Hamdan, and his retained jockey, Paul Hanagan.

That owner-jockey pairing combined to win four of the seven races, for different trainers, with Almoonqith the jewel in the crown, winning at his first attempt at this kind of trip.

Hanagan was sitting pretty on the Mike de Kock-trained runner, whose handler was not present because he is at the horse sales in Australia.

The jockey was motionless, stalking the pace 600m from home before sending his mount to the front 200m later.

The horse quickened nicely and then powered all the way to the line, establishing a new track record in the process.

“What an amazing evening,” Hanagan said. “It is great to ride four winners for the boss on such a prestigious meeting and on the world stage.

“Stamina was never a concern for us coming into the race, as he has always suggested he would be better the further we went with him.

“He did it nicely and we will have to look at World Cup night now.”

The Musabah Al Muhairi-trained Nolohay initiated the quartet, making all in the 1,600m dirt handicap that opened last night’s racecard.

Trying the surface for the first time in a race, Hanagan’s mount won easily and clearly relished it.

“The plan was always to be positive and it worked well,” Hanagan said.

The jockey doubled the tally in the following 2,200m dirt handicap with Jeeraan recording a second consecutive Meydan victory for trainer Doug Watson.

“He is a progressive horse and one we have high hopes for,” Watson said.

“Hopefully he can develop into a good horse for us at next year’s Carnival, and he loves the dirt surface.”

It was to get better for owner and jockey with Ertijaal leading all the way in a 1,200m turf handicap for trainer Ali Rashid Al Raihe. The horse won the Listed HH The President’s Cup at Abu Dhabi on his previous start but showed plenty of dash here.

“He has shown real speed from the gates and then quickened well at halfway,” Hanagan said. “He won over 1,400m last time in Abu Dhabi so I knew he would run all the way to the line.”

Henry Clay completed a double for Watson, with Pat Dobbs always looking confident in a 2000m dirt handicap.

It was yet another winner who never saw another rival.

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