The World's Richest Horse Race

It may not have been Aintree, Melbourne or Kentucky but Dubai's edition of the World Cup once again underlined the city's reputation as a centre of sporting excellence.

There may not be any track side betting - the only major race day on the world calendar that enforces a 'no gambling' policy due to strict Islamic laws, but the Dubai World Cup more than makes up for it terms of glitz and glamour with the rich and famous rubbing shoulders with ardent racing fans from across the world.

More than 60,000 fans donned their best clobber to enjoy a glorious day in the sun, which is established as the richest racing day in the world. Horses from five continents came for a slice of the biggest pie in the sport and the seven-race card even featured a sensational dead heat in the pen-ultimate race - the Dubai Duty Free.

The day culminated in the big one itself - the Dubai World Cup - the world's richest horse race, which was won by Pleasantly Perfect, ridden by Alex Solis.

The American-trained winner triumphed after a fierce battle down the home stretch with favourite Medaglia D'Oro. Pleasantly Perfect, trained by Richard Mandella, also beat Medaglia D'Oro into second place in the 2003 Breeders' Cup Classic in America.The South African-trained Victory Moon claimed third place.

Pleasantly Perfect, at six years of age, broke a six-year winning streak by four-year-olds.

For Mandella it was particularly sweet, as he had just missed out in three previous World Cups. Soul of the Matter finished second behind Cigar in the inaugural race in 1996, a year later Siphon chased home Singspiel and Malek was the bridesmaid when Almutawakel triumphed in 1999.

Mandella said after the race: "It was very satisfying. It's nice to get the job done. We would like to come back here because they make it worth your while. Pleasantly Perfect had a tough time in the beginning, we held our breath, I assumed it would be a lot easier. He will now get a nice long rest and the long term aim is the Breeder's Cup in October."

It was a staggering day of racing that was witnessed by 500 million people across the world. In just nine years, the Dubai World Cup has done more for racing than many established races have managed in a century.

Here's how the four other Group One races and two Group Two races unfolded on that super Saturday in late March.

KHAYALA CLASSIC:

Kaolino, trained by Gillian Duffield and ridden by Richard Hills, landed the opening race of the 2004 Dubai World Cup meeting, the US$250,000 Dubai Kahayla Classic (Gr.I), sponsored by Emaar.

Hills had the six-year-old in mid-division and took the lead into the straight and ran on to an easy three and a half length win.

GODOLPHIN MILE:

Firebreak and Frankie Dettori made it a second year in a row when winning the US$1,000,000 Godolphin Mile (Gr.II), sponsored by Jebel Ali International Hotels over the 1,600 metres on the Nad Al Sheba dirt track.

Firebreak raced in fifth with the Mazin Al Kurdi-trained Estimraar taking the field along under Gary Hind. Firebreak made smooth progress round the final bend and took the lead 350 metres out and ran on to a comfortable four and a half length win.

Simon Crisford, Racing Manager for Godolphin, said: "Firebreak is better than ever. He has been a good servant to Godolphin. Frankie ran him a bit more patient, because there was plenty of pace. He might go back on turf to the Lockinge Stakes in May."

Trainer Saeed bin Suroor added: "Firebreak was more relaxed than last year. He worked much better."

The ever-popular Dettori said: "That was brilliant, he is a very honest horse. We knew he was our best chance on the night and he won like one."

Tropical Star, who has improved out of sight this season ran on under Richard Mullen to finish second, with the Doug O'Neill-trained raider Excessivepleasure, under Jon Court, finishing in third.

After the race Court said: "He usually breaks right in front but this time he broke up in the air. We were behind horses and we had to improvise. We got a strong rally down the lane and finishing third is a good pay cheque."

Race favourite, the Bob Baffert-trained During looked to be going well but found no extra in the straight, his jockey Jerry Bailey said, "He was in a good position and he just died in my hands."

UAE DERBY:

South African trainer Mike de Kock claimed his second US$2,000,000 UAE Derby (Gr.II) in as many years when Lundy's Liability and jockey Weichong Marwing won a hard fought battle to the line with the Satish Seemar-trained Little Jim, under Ted Durcan and the Jerry Barton-trained Petit Paris, the mount of Jerry Bailey.

Lundy's Liability got up in the final 50 yards to win by three quarters of a length from Petit Paris with Little Jim a further three quarters of a length back in third. After the race De Kock said: "We thought we would run very well. He improves with every start."

Bailey commented: "He made the lead on his own power, then the horse who finished third (Little Jim) came after me in the middle of the race, which did not help my chances. But my horse showed real courage.

DUBAI SHEEMA CLASSIC:

Andre Fabre's Polish Summer, under Gary Stevens, came with a great late run to land the US$2,000,000 Dubai Sheema Classic (Gr.I), sponsored by The Palm, by half a length.

Long term leader Warrsan, the mount of Michael Kinane, faded in the final half furlong with Hard Buck, trained in America by Kenneth McPeek, briefly led but could not hold off Polish Summer and had to settle for second.

Scott's View, trained by Mark Johnston and ridden by Stanley Chin, came from the rear of the field to finish third in the final strides.

Fabre said after the race: "He has always been a big player. He always runs well fresh. We'll save him for the Coronation Cup at Epsom. He was given a brilliant ride and it was a fairytale start to our partnership (Stevens is the new stable jockey for Fabre).

"I am a great supporter of racing in Dubai and I have had many starters here over the years."

Stevens said: "The win has taken the pressure off and I can enjoy the evening now."

John Velazquez, jockey of the second, said: "He settled perfectly and then this other horse Razkalla jumped to the bridle. He didn't relax enough early on but he ran great."

Johnston said of Scott's View: "Because of the poor draw we had to be patient and wait for his chance. He got no run and when Stanley (Chin) switched outside he flew home. The sky is the limit; Germany, Epsom (Coronation Cup), Canada, Hong Kong and particularly, he is the ideal type for Tokyo."

Trainer of Hard Buck, McPeek, said: "He came second in the Kentucky Derby, the Breeders' Cup and now second again. I hate being second in these kinds of races, but I am thrilled with the way he ran."

DUBAI GOLDEN SHAHEEN:

Our New Recruit, trained by John Sadler, gave America their first win of the evening when getting to the lead and landing a two length victory in the US$2,000,000 Dubai Golden Shaheen (Gr.I) over the straight 1,200 metres.

Alke, trained by Todd Pletcher and ridden by John Velazquez, looked at one point to be the winner, but could not keep up the pressure and finished in second with the Aditiyan Selvaratnam-trained Conroy in third.

Sadler commented after the race: "You feel relived, you hope to run well and if you don't its tough. He travels superbly it's a credit to my staff. He needed time to build up, he's a very powerful horse and was unlucky in his last two starts."

Alex Solis, aboard the winner, said: "Down the straight Alke and Cajun Beat were very close but my horse felt really strong and I felt good about it."

Velazquez said: "He ran a good race. We had the perfect position. The other horse was just a little better than mine."

DUBAI DUTY FREE

In a thrilling battle to the line it was Paolini and Right Approach who were head to head at the wire in the US$2,000,000 Dubai Duty Free (Gr.I), sponsored by Dubai Duty Free over 1,777 metres on the turf.

After the judge had studied the photo finish it was declared a dead heat between the Andreas Wohler-trained Paolini, the mount of Eduardo Pedroza, and the Mike de Kock-trained Right Approach, with Weichong Marwing in the saddle.

Nayyir, from Gerard Butler's stable, looked the winner 10 strides out but Right Approach and Paolini were closing with every stride getting up to win by a neck from Nayyir, with the Frankie Dettori-partnered Crimson Palace in fourth.

Pedroza said: "It feels super I have watched this race meeting before on TV and dreamt about just taking part here and now with winning this is a dream come true. I am sure going to sleep quite nicely on the plane on the way home."

Wohler said: "Coming so late wasn't planned when I watched the finish it was up and down and I am very relieved about the result. Normally he is better with the fast race but at the end he was flying. He really deserved to win after two and a half years without a win, we don't know what next, probably Hong Kong or Singapore. He is not running in Germany because there are not the right races for him and will probably not go to Royal Ascot as he has been unlucky there twice."

Dettori, who rode Crimson Palace into fourth said: "I was on the best horse but we knew there would be no pace. So I sat handy. Sadly Mick Kinane (on Nayyir) shut the door on me and I couldn't get out. That's life."

William Mongil who rode Martillo into fifth: "He is an absolutely super horse just got a bit long at the end and needed a race before this one because he didn't have a race for seven months."

The trainer of Martillo, Ralf Suerland, said: "To finish one length behind the winner and only be fifth is disappointing but it was a great performance. He is a real race horse, everybody underestimated him a little bit but I don't know why."

DUBAI WORLD CUP

In a re-run of the 2003 Breeders' Cup Classic, the Richard Mandella-trained Pleasantly Perfect, the mount of Alex Solis, raced past the Bobby Frankel-trained Medaglia d'Oro to win the richest race in the world, the US$6,000,000 Dubai World Cup (Gr.I), sponsored by Emirates Airline.

Japan Cup Dirt (Gr.I) winner Fleetstreet Dancer took the field along with Medaglia d'Oro in second on the outside and Pleasantly Perfect tracking the leader in third on the rail. Rounding the home turn Fleetstreet Dancer was still in the lead with Madaglia d'Oro, under Jerry Bailey, getting to the lead at the 400 metres pole.

Pleasantly Perfect made his move and the pair ran clear of the rest, Pleasantly Perfect dug deep and took the lead just under 200 metres out and ran on to win by three quarters of a length.

Victory Moon, trained by Mike De Kock and ridden by Weichong Marwing, stayed on for third, five lengths back with Godolphin's Grand Hombre seven and three quarter lengths back in fourth.

Solis said: "It is incredible to have won this race, it is a dream come true and we are going to celebrate on the way home and for the rest of the year. It was a dog fight all the way down the stretch. I wanted to make sure Medaglia D'Oro didn't get away from me, he tried to come back but luckily I had enough in my hand. When I cracked him 100 metres to the post he took off again. He looks so beautiful he's shiny and happy."

Bailey said: "It was a great race, he ran his heart out tonight and you got to tip your head to the other horse. He set up comfortably he was very positive, he kicked once and kicked again when I asked him to do so."

Weichong Marwing said of Victory Moon: "The other ones were just too good. He travelled well. He's a very good and still a young horse and we are not disappointed."

Jon Court aboard Fleetstreet Dancer said: "He broke alertly. He took the lead ran on gamely we just missed the money."

Frankie Dettori on Grand Hombre said: "He ran very well finished fourth, that's as good as it is."

1. PLEASANTLY PERFECT (USA) 57kgs
1998 b h Pleasant Colony - Regal State (Affirmed)
Owner: Diamond A Racing Corp
Breeder: Clovelly Farms
Trainer: Richard Mandella (USA). Jockey: Alex Solis

2. MEDAGLIA D'ORO (USA) 57kgs (TT)
1999 dkb/br h El Prado - Cappucino Bay (Bailjumper)
Owner: Edmund A Gunn
Breeder: Albert Bell & Joyce Bell
Trainer: Robert Frankel (USA). Jockey: Jerry Bailey

3. VICTORY MOON (SAF) 57kgs
1999 b c Al Mufti - Dancing Flower (Dancing Champ)
Owner: Mad Syndicate
Breeder: Litchfield Stud Close Corp
Trainer: Mike de Kock (SAF). Jockey: Weichong Marwing

Then came (in order): Grand Hombre (USA), King's Boy (GER), Domestic Dispute (USA), Fleetstreet Dancer (USA), Admire Don (JPN), Regent Bluff (JPN), Dinyeper (GB), State Shinto (USA), Silent Deal (JPN).
12 ran. Margins: ¾, 5, 7 ¾. Time: 2m 00.24s