Paul Hanagan opens his Meydan Racecourse account with Nawwaar

Paul Hanagan liked Nawwaar back in England and that feeling was rewarded at Meydan as the horse helped him open his account in Dubai.

Nawwaar, right, helped jockey Paul Hanagan open his account at Meydan Racecourse in Dubai.

DUBAI // The only turf race, a 1,600-metre handicap, was the feature at Meydan Racecourse on Saturday night, and Paul Hanagan made virtually every yard of the running on Nawwaar to open his UAE account at the second attempt.

"I liked this horse in England and he broke well and was keen to get on with it so I was happy to go to the front and we enjoyed an easy lead," Hanagan said of the Ali Rashid Al Raihe-trained horse.

"He then quickened well and did it nicely."

First reserve Maltese Cat took advantage of two non-runners to open his account at the sixth time of asking with Dane O'Neill in the saddle for Musabah Al Muhairi in the opening 1,400m maiden, and the trainer and jockey then combined to win the concluding handicap over the same distance with Discoverer, who prevailed in a blanket finish.

That was a treble for the jockey after Doug Watson supplied the 1-2-3 in the 2,200m handicap with O'Neill and Udabaa denying stable companion Storm Belt close to home and Mark To Market ran on to complete the tricast for the trainer.

"Obviously it has been a good evening," O'Neill said, "and the season as a whole has gone well."

Irish apprentice Marc Monaghan continued to impress and produced Al Razi to lead close to home in the following 1,200m handicap for his main local employer Satish Seemar.

And Ted Durcan was at his very best on Rebel Song, who made all in a handicap over an extended 1,900m for trainer Mubarak bin Shafya.

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