Dubai Festival

ST NICHOLAS ABBEY returned to his best to land a fifth Group 1 success of his career in the Sheema Classic.

RICHARD MULLEN tasted Group 1 success for the first time on World Cup night when guiding the Satish Seemar-trained seven-year-old Reynaldothewizard to victory in the Golden Shaheen, going clear up the home straight.

THE South African-trained Shea Shea, the shortest-priced favourite on the card on Dubai World Cup night, duly delivered under Christophe Soumillon, burning off his rivals with a strong display of speed.

LINES OF BATTLE gave Aidan O'Brien a second successive winner of the UAE Derby when pulling out more in the closing stages under Ryan Moore

TWO-MILE races are billed as a test of stamina but it was vastly superior speed that saw Cavalryman pull clear of his rivals with ease, jockey Silvestre de Sousa taking advantage of slow early fractions and pouncing in the home straight.

SOFT FALLING RAIN overcame a wide draw to cut down Haatheq, giving Mike de Kock the first thoroughbred winner of this year's Dubai World Cup meeting.

LAST year's Dubai World Cup winner Monterosso will not get the chance to follow up at Meydan this evening, having been found to be lame in his left foreleg on the morning of the race.

LEADING Dubai World Cup fancy Hunter's Light is now disputing favouritism for the world's richest race after the Godolphin five-year-old was handed stall four at the draw ceremony.

LEADING Dubai World Cup contender Animal Kingdom delighted trainer Graham Motion when he geared up for the world's richest race on Tuesday morning.

RYAN MOORE will again come in for the ride on Planteur in the Dubai World Cup and trainer Marco Botti feels the six-year-old is in better shape than when the pair were third in the race last season, three and a half lengths behind Monterosso.