Jawaal grit delivers Sharjah feature for Al Jahoori and Jara

By Duane Fonseca

Sharjah: Jawaal showed great heart in winning the HH Sheikh Mansoor bin Zayed Al Nahyan Cup, which was the feature event of the Saturday card at Sharjah.

Jawaal winning the HH Sheikh Mansoor bin Zayed Al Nahyan Cup for trainer Majed Al Jahoori in the hands of Fernando Jara (ERA)

Trained by Majed Al Jahoori for Al Wathba Racing and ridden by Fernando Jara, Jawaal went forward in the 1200m PA Prestige contest at the 300m marker and held on to win by a neck despite Ernst Oertel’s AF Taghzel with UAE Champion Jockey Tadhg O’Shea up turning on the heat in the final moments.

Finishing third, a further length back, was Mohammed Daggash’s ES Nahawand with Bernardo Pinheiro in the saddle.

Sharjah’s six race card comprised five Purebred Arabian contests, including the aforementioned feature, and a lone Thoroughbred contest, which was a 1200m sprint down the chute brought trainer Mujeeb Rahman a first ever UAE success.

Mujeeb Rahman's Manhunter winning the 1200m handicap for Thoroughbreds under Ryan Curatolo (ERA)

Manhunter won him the prize in the hands of Ryan Curatolo, who collected his seventh winner in his rookie season here in the UAE. Circle Dream broke well and went to the front, but faded at the 500m mark where he was headed by Manhunter, who galloped powerfully until the finish to take a two length success ahead of Helal Al Alawi’s Sports Reporter with Pat Cosgrave up. One Season, trained by Satish Seemar, finished a length and a quarter back in third in the hands of apprentice Nathan Crosse, who registered his third win this term in the card opening 1200m handicap for Purebred Arabians with Kareem Ramadan’s AF Senad. It was Ramadan’s first success as trainer in what is his rookie year and arrived with his 11th dispatch.

Trainer Irfan Ellahi and rider Szczepan Mazur won the 1700m handicap with JAP Al Yaasoob, while Ali Rashid Al Rayhi and Connor Beasley scored in the 1700m maiden with Amirah, who finished nine lengths ahead of the rest.

Eric Lemartinel’s long trip from Abu Dhabi turned out to be worthwhile after French countryman Fabrice Veron delivered him success in the 1000m maiden with Ashjaan, who edged the Ibrahim Aseel schooled and Mazur piloted ES Rubban by a nose.

Ashjaan (ERA)

AF Senad (ERA)

JAP Al Yaasoob (ERA)

Amirah (ERA)