'It's a fresh challenge' - Hanagan prepares for Bahrain winter stint with winner

Monday: Musselburgh

Paul Hanagan revealed he is to ride in Bahrain during the winter months and he kept his confidence up with success aboard the admirable Makanah in the 5f conditions stakes.

The Julie Camacho-trained seven-year-old was having his ninth start of the season and scrambled home in the final stages to end a two-year drought.

That gave two-time champion jockey Hanagan a 33rd winner of the campaign and he is now relishing an opportunity to team up with Sheikh Isa bin Salman Al Khalifa in Bahrain. He is one of the country's most prominent owners and helped develop Bahrain Turf Club's burgeoning race programme.

Hanagan said: "It's not easy freelancing but I'm ticking away and I'm off to Bahrain this winter for Sheikh Isa. I'll do a few months out there and hopefully bag a few winners.

"I used to go to Dubai for Sheikh Hamdan [former retained owner] and I've been to Bahrain a couple of times but not for the full stint. I'm looking forward to it, it's a fresh challenge."

Despite going within a head and a neck in two races earlier this season, this victory was Makanah's first since landing this race in 2020.

"He was due that today," Hanagan added. "He's been running consistently and you couldn't knock him. You'd be thinking he could win and there were probably a few scares watching it, but he's won."

Suspensions issued

Joanna Mason was banned for three days due to careless riding when switching left aboard Coaxing in the 7f handicap when insufficiently clear. Andrew Mullen also misses two days for using his whip above the permitted level on Paws For Thought in the 7f fillies' handicap.

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