Dubai World Cup: A Memorable 20 Years

By Emma Berry 
In 20 runnings of the Dubai World Cup, Saeed Bin Suroor has now trained seven of the winners, but in the highly publicized transitional phase for Sheikh Mohammed's Godolphin operation, the victory of Prince Bishop (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire}) is arguably the most important. 

True, the winner was not running in the famous royal blue silks but in the lighter blue jacket of the Dubaian ruler's son, Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed Al Maktoum, but this was nevertheless a victory for the man who has built this meeting into one that draws runners from across the globe. The victors during the night reflected that fact: six different countries won the eight Thoroughbred races on the card with two for the UAE, two for France and one each for Britain, America, Ireland and South Africa. 

The roar from winning jockey William Buick as he returned to the winner's circle, arms aloft, told its own tale. The usually reserved Buick has ridden plenty of big-race winners in recent years–including the 2012 Dubai Sheema Classic here on Dar Re Mi (GB)–but to win the race which holds so much importance for his new boss clearly brought with it a potent mixture of delight and, no doubt, relief. 

As he waited to collect his trophy, Buick was hugged by Godolphin's managing director Hugh Anderson, who said simply, “What a way to start.” And indeed it was. 

Buick's fellow Godolphin retainee, James Doyle, has played his part in ensuring a successful new beginning by being crowned champion jockey at this year's Carnival, but steering Prince Bishop to the sole victory for the organisation on the biggest day's racing in Dubai will have earned Buick plenty of credit. 

California Chrome (Lucky Pulpit) was the horse who arrived with a big reputation and an even bigger following and he was not disgraced in second, having raced several horses wide for much of the way, while his fellow American raider Lea (First Samurai) ploughed on through savage kickback to be third, having been blocked when attempting to make his move off the home turn. 

“What I'm feeling right now is unbelievable. I'm dreaming,” said Buick. “We brushed by California Chrome pretty quickly. I had the feeling he was a doubtful stayer and the horse that stayed the best won.” 

He added, “They went pretty quick early on and we were always going to be picking up the pieces. The plan was in my head and the horse executed it to perfection. He gave me his all today–he has a huge heart.” 

Bob Baffert has lifted the Dubai World Cup twice with Silver Charm and Captain Steve but he was absent for the victory, of his grand old stager and dual Breeders' Cup winner Secret Circle (Eddington) in the G1 Dubai Golden Shaheen–a race in which Baffert runners have twice finished second. 

France's three most respected trainers were in attendance, however, with Freddy Head and Alain de Royer Dupre settling for a win apiece with Solow (GB) (Singspiel {Ire}) and Dolniya (Fr) (Azamour {Ire}), while Andre Fabre had to settle for a runner-up prize with Flintshire (GB) (Dansili {GB}). Dolniya and Flintshire have been exercising in tandem all week but the 4-year-old filly got the better of her partner when taking the G1 Dubai Sheeema Classic in convincing fashion. 

The Aga Khan's filly was one of four owner-bred winners on the card and was the first for de Royer Dupre at the Dubai World Cup meeting, just as Solow's impressive victory in the Dubai Turf was a first for Freddy Head and the Wertheimer brothers Alain and Gerard. An animated Head proclaimed, “He's a great horse and is improving all the time. I knew he was very well but it was his biggest test yet as this is the first time he has run in a Group 1. This is my first winner in Dubai–I love the place!” 

Solow is providing something of a last hurrah for his late sire Singspiel, but perhaps more importantly, another deceased Sheikh Mohammed-owned Dubai World Cup winner, Dubai Millennium, was represented by the dual triumph of his grandsons Mubtaahij (Ire) in the UAE Derby and of course Prince Bishop in the headline contest. Both are sons of Dubawi, now the flagship stallion of the Darley operation. 

After Mubtaahij's win, jockey Christophe Soumillon said of the first of his twin triumphs on the night, “I was going very easily and as soon as I pressed the button it was all over. In the end, I kept some energy for the future, especially if he goes to the Kentucky Derby.” 

The colt's facile romp has indeed left trainer Mike de Kock eager for a trip to Churchill Downs in May. 

Eddie Lynam's Sole Power (GB) (Kyllachy {GB}) streaked to his fifth Group 1 victory in the Al Quoz Sprint and despite his enviable record in top-class speed contests, the 8-year-old has been giving his trainer some nail-biting moments at trackwork during the week with his tendency to take a fierce hold and run with his head in the air in the final few furlongs of his breezes. 

“He's been behaving like a 2-year-old so I knew Eddie had him in good form,” said the tearaway's owner/breeder Sabena Power. “It's real heart-attack stuff.” 

Lynam declined the urgings of an American member of the press corps to send Sole Power to the Breeders' Cup Turf Sprint but confirmed he will be heading back to Royal Ascot to attempt a third victory in the G1 King's Stand S. 
With Sheikh Hamdan's Tamarkuz (Speightstown) having got the meeting off to a terrific start for the home team with his hard-fought victory in the G2 Godolphin Mile, a sports star of a different ilk took to the stage after the Dubai Gold Cup. 

The likeable Brown Panther (GB) (Shirocco {Ger}) may be best known in North America for blotting his copybook when misbehaving and getting loose before the start of the GI Canadian International, but he has more than atoned for that display of waywardness with his assured win at Meydan. His breeder and co-owner is the former England and Manchester United football star Michael Owen, who wears his heart on his sleeve when it comes to the 7-year-old stallion. 

“He's taken us on a great journey–he's my horse of a lifetime,” said Owen, who shares ownership of Brown Panther with Betfair co-founder Andrew Black. 

“He's a superstar in my eyes. He's run a tough race in this heat over two miles and to keep galloping on as he did was fantastic.” 

Brown Panther may have provided Tom Dascombe with his first Group 1 victory when landing last year's Irish St Leger but this win was every bit as sweet for the trainer, who is a former assistant to Mike de Kock. 

He said, “This means an awful lot to me personally as I spent a few years working in Dubai and was involved with lots of good horses here, so to come back 12 years later and win with my first runner is really special.” 

As with most things in Dubai, the World Cup meeting is conducted on a grand scale. The kilometre-long Meydan grandstand may have newcomers to the racecourse suffering navigational difficulties, but even if it was hard to find your correct spot for the racing, it would have been impossible to miss the lavish fireworks which brought the anniversary celebrations to a close as Australian superstar Kylie Minogue performed in the background. 

Plenty of equine stars were lured to the country to challenge for the huge purses on offer and while a number of them are going home empty-handed, the diversity of origins of winners on the night is enough to ensure that the annual pilgrimage from all corners of the racing globe will continue as long as the meeting does. From Cigar to Prince Bishop, it's been a memorable 20 years.