Meydan review: Dubai World Cup night

Frankie denied by Hit Show

Big outsider Hit Show (80/1) landed the 29th Dubai World Cup with a very late run under Florent Geroux at Meydan on Saturday.

Hot favourite Forever Young (4/9 favourite) was struggling from a long way out and from the top of the turn for home it looked for all money that Frankie Dettori had all bases covered on Mixto (33/1).

However, despite going well clear in the final quarter mile Hit Show finished with a flourish to just get there in the nick of time with Mixto second and Forever Young third.

Asked when he thought he'd won the race Geroux said: "In the last 100 metres. I'll be honest with you, I was running for a place and he gave me more, so I took it."

Trained by Brad Cox and owned by Wathnan Racing, this was by far the best performance of the five-year-old's life, his previous best success a Grade 2 at Keeneland last October.

Nothing stops Believing and Buick

George Boughey's Believing (3/1 joint-favourite) landed her first Group 1 success by finishing with a rattle to secure the Al Quoz Sprint Sponsored by Azizi Developments.

The five-year-old Mehmas mare, now owned by Coolmore partners Mrs John Magnier, Michael Tabor and Derrick Smith in partnership with Resolute, struck gold at the first time of asking in her new famous silks with an impressive win.

It looked like the Japanese outsider Win Carnelian (66/1) might have slipped the field under Kosei Miura but William Buick got a strong late run out of Believing down the inside.

Regional finished with a flourish, too, under Callum Rodriguez, but he had to settle for third behind Believing and Win Carnelian.

The Future's bright in Gold Cup

Saeed bin Suroor and Silvestre De Sousa teamed up with Dubai Future to kick-off Dubai World Cup night in fine style with victory in the Group 2 Dubai Gold Cup sponsored by Al Tayer Motors.

The duo were a potent partnership over a decade ago when De Sousa was retained by Godolphin and they rolled back the years here with comeback kid Dubai Future.

The nine-year-old wasn't seen for 427 days until returning with a win under De Sousa in a Group 3 at Meydan in February at 20/1 but he proved that no fluke here, storming down the outside in the Godolphin second cap to land the £464,000 first prize.

Double Major was second with David O'Meara's Epic Poet running a big race in third.

Big guns Trawlerman, the Godolphin first string, trained by the Gosdens, and Continuous, from the Aidan O'Brien yard, struggled off the slow pace and were out of the frame.

Frankie strikes on World Cup night

Frankie Dettori, who declared himself bankrupt last month, steered Raging Torrent to the £464,000 first prize in the Group 2 Godolphin Mile on the dirt at Meydan.

The jockey struck with his first ride on the card having flown in from his America base and he hardly saw another rival, bouncing out quickly and making all on the Doug O'Neill-trained four-year-old.

Mufasa sat just off him and briefly looked a threat on the turn for home, but Raging Torrent found plenty off the front end for a clearcut success.

King Gold stayed on for second with Kazu Petrin third.

Heartbreak for Osborne's in UAE Derby

Saffie Osborne was a teenager when her father, Jamie, won the UAE Derby Sponsored By Jumeirah with Toast Of New York in 2014.

This time she was in the saddle aboard Heart Of Honor and came oh so close to recording a huge and significant victory. She settled Heart Of Honor in the first of midfield as Galactic Star, who had beaten them last time, helped cut out the early pace along with Admire Daytona and Rafid.

Rafid and Galactic Star were soon backpedaling but Osborne moved her mount up with 800 metres to run and pulled clear in the straight along with Don In The Mood and Admire Daytona. The three traded blows and positions in a ding-dong battle as first one, then another looked beaten.

Don In The Mood finally gave way as Christophe Lemaire pulled one last lung-bursting effort from Admire Daytona against the rail. Heart Of Honor tried to match it but was beaten by an agonising nose.

Dark delight for Beasley

Connor Beasley enjoyed a famous victory aboard Dark Saffron in the Dubai Golden Shaheen Sponsored By Nakheel.

Dark Saffron, trained by Ahmad bin Harmash, was among the outsiders for the six furlong Grade 1 but jumped smartly from his wide draw and was able to cross to the rail and lead the field.

They had American Stage and Tuz for company and as the inevitable closers joined issue in the final stages, Tuz was repeatedly denied room to race in a pocket against the rail.

Nakatomi threw down the strongest challenge but Dark Saffron and Beasley would not be denied.

Brave Warrior denied by Soul

Hot favourite Romantic Warrior went down fighting in the Dubai Turf Sponsored By DP World, won by Soul Rush.

Romantic Warrior jumped sharply and obtained a good pitch in third behind the front-running Meisho Tabaru and everything appeared to be going to plan when he went to the front in the straight.

However, Romantic Warrior - who had a hard race when narrowly beaten in the Saudi Cup in February - couldn't shake off the chasing pack. Soul Rush, ridden by Cristian Demuro, had shadowed the favourite throughout and got a nice split between runners when it mattered.

Stride by stride who wore Romantic Warrior down, putting his head in front on the line to win by a nose; a verdict that was only confirmed after a lengthy examination of the photo.

Maljoom, trained by William Haggas, was a length and a quarter away in third.

Classic success for Japan

Romantic Warrior set out to make all in his defence of the Longines Dubai Sheema Classic but proved no match for Danon Decile who picked up strongly for Keita Tosaki.

Danon Decile, who won the Japanese Derby last season, showed a fine turn of foot to sweep into the lead, one he never looked like relinquishing.

Calandagan, on his first start since British Champions Day, got into his stride too late to lay a glove on the winner.

Durezza, a close second in the Japan Cup last time out, was third.

The winning distances were a length and a quarter and a length and a half.

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