 He was thus a half-brother to the Group Race winners Alwasmi, Unfuwain, and Nayef, and a close relative of the Japanese champion Deep Impact and the 1000 Guineas winner Ghanaati.Nashwan was trained throughout his racing career by Major Dick Hern at West Ilsley in Berkshire, England, and was ridden in all of his races by Willie Carson.His name was reported to be an Arabic word meaning "joy".