New Type Of Abu Said Fals Minted In Mashhad-I 'Ali?

I recently added a Abu Sa'id fals,which I haven't seen before, to my collection. I couldn't figure out the mint. It is on the obverse margin (left image) at 6 o'clock. I can read "al-sultan abu said khallada mulkahu duribe ...". I see 'ali at the end of the mint and did a quick search and found something but I don't want to be too excited before I confirm it. It might be mashhad-i 'ali which can be refering to Masjid-i 'Ali, the old city name of a town near Najaf, Iraq. 'Ali clearly visible and mashhad-i kinda fits well to the place.

And do you have any idea about the creature on that side? Is it a highly stylized lion without a tail but with a wing? Or should I make a mythological connection: we know that Shedu or lamassu in Sumerian, Akkadian, and Persian mythology was depicted as a winged lion.

I am looking forward to hear your opinion on the mint and the animal.