Soumillon steers Vazirabad to repeat success in Dubai Gold Cup at Meydan

The success for Soumillon was the first of a quick-fire double on the richest day of racing in the world as Vazirabad left it late to became the first dual winner of the race, in doing so denying Godolphin’s Beautiful Romance.

In a similar showing to last year, Vazirabad, representing owner the Aga Khan, swept past the leaders thanks to a stunning turn of foot in the home straight.

After Big Orange made much of the running, the only difference was that Vazirabad had to pull back Oisin Murphy on the Godophin-owned filly Beautiful Romance whom had looked like a winning move 350 metres from the finish.

However Vazirabad was not to be denied and edged in front close to home, winning by the same margin as last year by a neck.

Soumillon then completed the double for the evening by riding Thunder Snow to victory in the UAE Derby.

Once again it was a real battle to the finish but in the end the Godolphin blue made it to the wire with a few inches to spare, winning by a short-head past the popular Japanese raider Ephicharis to earn an the eighth win in the race for both Godolphin and trainer Saeed bin Suroor.

The two Japanese contenders of Adirato and Epicharis took the lead in the early stages, but as they hit the stretch Thunder Snow passed a tiring Adirato and started to claw back at the lead Epicharis had enjoyed.

The son of the late Gold Allure showed how talented he really was by finding new gear after gear as they approached closing stages, trying to hold off his rival.

With about 200 metres to go in the race, Thunder Snow seemed to lose his focus, but he was able to come back and out-duel Epicharis to win on the line.

There was better fortune for Japan in the Dubai Turf as Joao Moreira produced a finerun down the outside on Vivlos to scoop the $3.6 million first prize, denying a strong European challenge.

Victory for the Yasuo Tomomichi-trained four-year-old made it three wins in the last four years for Japan in the race and gave Moreira the third World Cup night win of his sparkling career.

In a cosmopolitan renewal, Zarak – bidding to give Alain de Royer-Dupre and the Aga Khan a double on the night after Vazirabad in the Gold Cup – was sent-off race favourite but it was fellow French raider Heshem who looked set for success as he reeled in the British challenger Ribchester and sailed into a commanding lead.

However, Moreira moved Vivlos into top-gear down the outer, cutting down the leader as the post loomed, winning by half a length from Heshem in second. Ribchester fared best of a strong British challenge that also included Jebel Hatta winner Decorated Knight and Summer Mile hero Mutakayyef, taking third for Richard Fahey and William Buick.

Second Summer and jockey Pat Dobbs gave Doug Watson victory in the Godolphin Mile, the opening event on Dubai World Cup day at Meydan.
It was a close run thing and an indicator for the rest of the evening’s races on the card as the winner won by a neck from Ross in second and Sharp Azteca in third.

Chad Summers enjoyed his first success as a trainer as Mind Your Biscuits won the Dubai Golden Shaheen.

And it was completed in some style as after being drawn widest of all in stall 14, Mind Your Biscuits powered home to win by three lengths from outside Comicas in second and Morawij in third.

The Al Quoz Sprint went the way of trainer Didier Guillemin as The Right Man, ridden by Francois-Xavier Bertras, edged the aptly-named outsider Long On Value by a nose, with favourite Ertijaal in third.