Dubai: Resilience is characterised most as the capacity to withstand, adapt to change and persevere in adverse circumstances.

Haatheq, an exceptional nine-year-old trained by Emirati handler Ali Rashid Al Raihe, displayed all those attributes when prevailing by a nose in a crowded finish at the Dh500,000 Listed Jebel Ali Stakes, one of three pattern races run at Jebel Ali Racecourse every season.

The Satish Seemar-trained Farrier rallied late to snatch second place from Erwan Charpy’s Sefri who was bidding for a second major victory at the track following the Group 3 Jebel Ali Mile three weeks ago.

“He’s a real stayer,” said jockey Dane O’Neill, who was notching a second success aboard the son of Seeking The Gold, and first since winning a stakes race at Meydan three years ago.

“He’s a nine-year-old and he’s not getting any younger. But you certainly wouldn’t think he was.

“The one thing that I did have on my side is that he just won’t give up.

“Even when those horses came up on my side I knew he’d dig deep for me,” added O’Neill.

“Full credit to Ali for having him fit and fresh at his nine years of age.

“It’s nice to form a relationship with horses like him and see them more often as you do some horses. In England and Ireland they retire them a bit early, but full credit to Ali and his team for having him as fresh as he is.”

Sefri, who was previously trained by John Gosden in England before he was transferred to Al Raine’s Grandstand Stables at the end of 2010, was bred by Shaikh Hamdan Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Deputy Ruler of Dubai and Minister of Finance, at his Shadwell Farm in Lexington, Kentucky.

Since his arrival in the UAE, he has been campaigned at the highest level, including four Godolphin Mile and Al Maktoum Challenge races each.

Friday’s outing was his 52nd career start, 11 of which he has won, including seven at Jebel Ali.

“He’s a favourite of the yard, we’ve had so many great moments with him,” said Al Raihe. “Obviously when you have a horse for long, you get to know them and like them more. He does not owe us anything. Every time he gives his best which is all we ask of our horses.

“I’m so happy that he still loves his racing and without the special attention that he gets from all of the staff at our stable, this latest win would not have been possible.”

Haatheq’s success took Al Raihe’s tally of winners for the season to 36, while pacesetting Doug Watson improved to 44, after Padlock landed the Al Shafar Investment Handicap under confident Pat Dobbs.

There were also wins for Emirati handler Ahmad Bin Harmash courtesy of Fitzgerald in the Arabian Scandinavian Insurance Co Handicap and reigning UAE champion handler Musabah Al Muhairi, who saddled Odooj to bag the Commercial Bank of Dubai Handicap.

Resident Jebel Ali handler Dhruba Selvaratnam was kept waiting until the final race of the afternoon for his share of success, but it was worth the wait as the veteran saddled the first two home in the Jebel Ali Sprint Prep, in the form of the winner United Color and his stable companion Morawij.