Jawaal wins Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed Al Nahyan Cup for Purebred Arabians in Sharjah

Kareem Ramadan celebrates his first winner after receiving his trainer’s licence last month

Fernando Jara, left, atop Jawaal to win the Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed Al Nahyan Cup at Sharjah. Pawan Singh / The National

Jawaal won the Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed Al Nahyan Cup for Purebred Arabians, the feature of the six-race card meeting at the Sharjah Equestrian Club on Saturday.

Racing in the silks of Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed's Al Wathba Racing, Fernando Jara raced Jawaal just behind the leading group before taking over the running from the 300-metre mark and holding on to beat AF Taghzel by a neck.

“He ran eight days ago in Abu Dhabi and he certainly looked to have come [on] from that run,” said winning trainer Majed Al Jahouri after the four-year-old Jawaal clinched the Prestige Handicap over the 1,200m trip.

“It was also his first run on the dirt surface and he seemed to love it. He’s only a young horse and versatile, having won on the turf last season.

“He’s only raced in Abu Dhabi before today’s win. He’s now won twice and [finished] runner-up twice in seven starts. Having made a winning debut on the dirt we now have a lot of options with him to race him across all the racetracks in the country.”

Kareem Ramadan, son of Mohammed Ramadan, one of the longest serving trainer’s in the UAE, celebrated his first winner after receiving his trainer’s licence last month.

He saddled AF Senad to take the opener with the Irish apprentice Nathan Cross holding the reins.

"I'm just lost for words," an ecstatic Kareem said after the local bred six-year-old son of AF Al Buraq came home three and-a-half lengths clear of Radwan.

“This horse had his heels clipped in his first start for me eight days ago in Abu Dhabi and now he comes and wins impressively. I’m absolutely thrilled and happy for the owner [Saleh Omar bin Haider] for the faith he had in me.”

Mujeeb Rahman enjoyed his first winner in three seasons in the UAE when Manhunter under Ryan Curatolo took the concluding prize for the thoroughbreds.

Curatolo led from the 500m mark to win from Helal Al Alawi's Sports Reporter and Satish Seemar's One Season.