Mickael Barzalona drives Calandagan to victory in the Champion Stakes

Calandagan - won in Dubai

Meydan Dubai World Cup night review and reaction

By Sporting Life

Horse Racing

Sat March 28, 2026 · 2 min ago

Calandagan and Ombudsman turned on the style to register big victories on the Dubai World Cup card at Meydan.

The former was beaten into second by Danon Decile in last year's Sheema Classic but made no mistake this time around.

There was a moment of concern turning in as the freewheeling leader West Wind Blows still held a healthy advantage and wasn't stopping.

However Mickael Barzalona was in no mood to panic aboard the 1/4 favourite who produced his customary dazzling turn of foot to cut down his rival and win, going away, by three-quarters-of-a-length.

Winning trainer Francis Graffard said: "The winter was long and he's a world champion now so has a big reputation. I'm really thrilled because we need to start, we really want to get the season going. It was a big race today and it's always hard to get a horse completely ready for a race like that.

"I said to Mickael he needed the race but he's a champion. Mickael was not too confident through the race, he was on and off the bridle, and on the last bend he said 'we need to go'. I think he needed the run, to get back to the races, but it's a fifth Group One in a row for this horse. He's a real champion.

"I don't know where we will go now. He's a horse who knows how to travel, he enjoys his life. Today was a big goal, it's a nice race to win and my first winner in Dubai and we'll see where we go. He's important for the sport, a flagship for the sport, and we won't be scared to travel again."

Ombudsman strikes at Meydan

Ascot next stop for impressive Ombudsman

Ombudsman was also played late in the Dubai Turf, making his challenge down the centre of the track.

In contrast eventual runner-up Quddwah got a charmed run up against the inside rail but he had no answer to the change of gear the winner produced under William Buick, John and Thady Gosden's charge scoring by a length-and-three-quarters.

John Gosden said: “It’s a great sense of relief. It’s not easy coming out of a winter in England, bringing a horse in ready to run. I think he’ll come on for the race, he was probably coming in here at 90 per cent but it was enough to get the job done. I thought William was wise, he said I’ll give the ground away, go wide, lose the ground there but I want a clear run in the straight. Absolutely thrilled with him.

“I was here for the first one [World Cup], Allen Paulson flying in Cigar, Bill Mott, Jerry Bailey. It’s been a great run through and some credit to put this on. It’s quite thrilling to be here tonight.

“We’ll see how he get on the rest of the year, he’ll got to Royal Ascot now for the Prince Of Wales’s and from there we’ll know where we go.”

Buick added: " Ombudsman showed there, first run of the year, what he can do. It was how we hoped it would happen, very smooth and, look, he’s going to have a very exciting year ahead."

Fairy Glen wins at Meydan

Fairy grabs Gold for Crisfords

Simon and Ed Crisford, second with both West Wind Blows and Quddwah, struck earlier on the card when Fairy Glen won a dramatic renewal of the Dubai Gold Cup.

After Sunway, a 25-lengths leader at one stage, began to weaken the complexion of the race changed and the winner, ridden by Mickael Barzalona, ran down Caballo De Mar to win by three-quarters-of-a-length.

Ed Crisford said: “It’s fantastic. We ran her in the Balanchine here, which was a bit short for her but since that race she’s really blossomed, done really well. She got invited to this race, she’s never run over two miles before, we were a little bit sceptical about if she’d stay the extra two furlongs – she’s won over a mile and six back in England – but I thought Mickael rode her really well, a sensible race and she finished very well.

“She goes on this sort of ground, she’s run at Bath in heavy ground in the UK so she’s well used to these conditions. I’m really pleased for His Highness Sheikh Hamdan to have a winner on the night.”

Barzalona said: “We tried to relax as quick as we could but actually they went a nice gallop and she was pretty happy. When they pressed the pace mid-bend I thought I had plenty in hand, I didn’t know for how long so I waited a bit and when I asked her to pick up she picked up nicely.”

Meydan Dubai World Cup night review and reaction

Ascot next stop for impressive Ombudsman

Fairy grabs Gold for Crisfords

More from Sporting Life

Safer gambling