Fairy Glen wins at Meydan

Meydan Dubai World Cup night review and reaction

By Sporting Life

Horse Racing

Sat March 28, 2026 · 2h ago

Reports and reaction from the big races at Meydan on Dubai World Cup night.

Fair grabs Gold for Crisfords

Simon and Ed Crisford stuck on the World Cup 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.

FAIRY GLEN lands the Dubai Gold Cup for @gainsboroughHQ! 🇦🇪🏆pic.twitter.com/5lHeo3y5w0
— Sporting Life Racing (@SportingLife) March 28, 2026

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.”