Take Ten led in the dying strides to snatch victory in the Listed Jebel Ali Sprint, the 1,000m feature at Jebel Ali’s penultimate meeting of the season.

It was a fourth win in the race for trainer Satish Seemar and a first for apprentice Marc Monaghan in the UAE – though he has ridden a Group 3 winner in Ireland.

As soon as the gates opened, a speed duel developed with Kilt Rock, second in this last year and third in 2012, taken on by Mujaazef, and it was only in the final 100m that Kilt Rock saw off that rival.

However, as he tired, Fityaan, second in the race in 2012, hit the front under Paul Hanagan for trainer Musabah Al Muhairi and looked the likely winner, before stable companion Shaishee loomed as a danger.

However, in the final 25m, Monaghan and Take Ten threw down the decisive challenge, leading close home and just holding on from a lunging Fityaan in a photo finish.

Monaghan said: “I was not sure when we crossed the line. I thought I was in front just before the line but Fityaan had his head down in the final stride. Luckily, we just held off that final thrust.”

The Al Muhairi-trained Russian Rock, seeking an unprecedented third victory in the race, never threatened and was seventh.

Take Ten’s victory completed a quick 1,000m double for Seemar, who had already won a handicap over the trip with Glenleven, ridden by stable jockey Richard Mullen.

Monaghan was not the only up-and-coming jockey on the scoresheet with apprentices actually riding half the six winners, with Stalactite and Noel Garbutt landing the opening 1,200m maiden for Al Muhairi.

It was a first start in the UAE for the winner, opening his account at the fourth attempt. Daniel Muscutt was the third apprentice to visit the winner’s enclosure, scoring for a third time this season on the Ernst Oertel-trained Touch Gold.

They landed a 1,400m handicap in gutsy fashion. Dutchman Adrie De Vries steered the Ahmad bin Harmash-trained Ennobled Friend to a facile victory in a 1,400m handicap and the pair were denied a double when their Izaaj failed to peg back Jalaa in the concluding 1,800m handicap.

Paul Hanagan rode the winner for Doug Watson.