SHEIKH Hamdan Al Maktoum tasted big-race success when the seven-year-old Oasis Dream gelding Muarrab denied the American flying machine X Y Jet by a neck in the six-furlong Group 1 Gulf News Dubai Golden Shaheen. The pair were almost four lengths clear of the rest of the field which was headed by the local runner Morawij.

This was a second big race win on the night for Sheikh Hamdan as he also landed the Group 1 for purebred Arabians with Af Mathmoon.

The $2 million Golden Shaheen attracted a strong Hong Kong challenge, but none of their four runners in the 10-strong field landed a decent blow.

“Those last 200m [furlong] felt like a long way, to be honest,” said winning jockey Paul Hanagan. “Every time I kind of got his head in front, the second horse kept battling back with me. When it’s like that, it’s too close for comfort. But I knew my horse is so genuine and tough that he would give his all for me, which he did.”

Winning trainer Musabah Al Muhairi grinned widely as he led Muarrab into the parade ring. “I am not surprised,” he said. “This horse just gets better.”

Trainer Jorge Navarro also praised his charge X Y Jet, and suggested there may be a rematch in 2017. “I am very proud - you cannot ask for more than that,” he said of the four-year-old gelding. “What he accomplished was big. We’ll come back next year.”

Muarrab is one of seven stakes-performers out of his dam, the best known of his siblings being the Rathasker Stud stallion Bungle Inthejungle.

Muarrab was purchased as a yearling at Tattersalls for 280,000gns.