Meydan World Cup night review including wins for Vazirabad and Jungle Cat

All-the-way win for Hawkbill

Hawkbill led from pillar to post in the Longines Dubai Sheema Classic at Meydan.

Winner of the 2016 Coral-Eclipse at Sandown, Charlie Appleby's charge had claimed his first success in Dubai in the City of Gold three weeks ago and followed up in fine style under a jubilant William Buick.

Hawkbill was smartly away in the mile-and-a-half contest and settled nicely in front, unlike his closest pursuer Cloth Of Stars, who pulled fiercely for his head for much of the way.

The Frankie Dettori-ridden and Sir Michael Stoute-trained Poet's Word looked set to mount a major challenge at the top of the home straight, but Hawkbill - who had to be passed by the vet at the start after initially playing up in the stalls - was not for catching and came home comfortably ahead.

Poet's Word beat Cloth Of Stars to the runner-up spot, while Aidan O'Brien's Idaho, David Simcock's Desert Encounter and Khalidi from Clive Cox's yard all failed to land a blow.

Appleby was enjoying his second winner of the evening, having earlier broke his World Cup night duck with Jungle Cat in the Al Quoz Sprint.

He said: "Hawkbill has been a model of consistency and Will has given him a fantastic ride. When he was in the gates and started to have a bit of a go I thought 'oh, no', but he was sound and they've allowed him to run and I'm delighted.

"It's a huge team effort."

Stoute was delighted with the performance of Poet's Word, who was bouncing back from a disappointing effort in the Hong Kong Cup. The Freemason Lodge handler is eyeing an appearance at Royal Ascot for his charge.

Stoute said: "This horse never lets us down and when things didn't go well for him in Hong Kong it was a one-off as he could never get a position. He's just a model of consistency and equally effective at 10 furlongs and 12 furlongs, which gives us options at Royal Ascot."

Three and easy for star stayer

Vazirabad charged home to claim a third successive victory in the Dubai Gold Cup at Meydan.

Just as he did last season, Alain de Royer-Dupre's six-year-old warmed up for his big-race assignment by finishing second in the Nad Al Sheba Trophy over a mile and three-quarters a month ago and was the hot favourite to add to his tally on World Cup night.

Frontiersman took the field along ahead of fellow Godolphin representative Red Galileo and that pair rounded the home turn with a significant advantage over the rest of the field.

However, Vazirabad and Christophe Soumillon soon began to make inroads and the French challenger was well on top at the line, winning in a course-record time.

David Simcock's Sheikhzayedroad came from a long way back to fill the runner-up spot, but last year's Ascot Gold Cup hero Big Orange was a big disappointment for Michael Bell and Frankie Dettori.

Soumillon said: "We went quite fast all the way, I knew we would and it was a bit hard to follow that rhythm. I know he is a horse who doesn't like to hit the front too early, and in the last 200 metres he stopped completely.

"These are great moments, but with him you never, you have to concentrate until the line. He's not Zarkava, but the feeling is close to it."

Royer-Dupre said: "How the race was run was perfect for him. I always said that we never had him better than today. He was so relaxed and calm before the race and the pace was very strong. The more pace, the better for him.

"They went as fast as if they were going over a mile and that really helped my confidence. There is no doubt that this is his best ever performance, but as I said, I am not surprised, he was so well in the run-up to the race.

"When you come every year to Dubai, you learn what to do. It is very hot and you have to adapt to that. We will now target the Ascot Gold Cup in June."

Soumillon said: "We went quite fast all the way, I knew we would and it was a bit hard to follow that rhythm.

"I know he is a horse who doesn't like to hit the front too early, and in the last 200 metres he stopped completely.

"These are great moments, but with him you never, you have to concentrate until the line. He's not Zarkava, but the feeling is close to it."

Charlie Appleby saddled the third home Rare Rhythm and the fourth Frontiersman.

He said: "It was a very good performance by both of ours. Frontiersman was strong a the front end until the last 200 yards found him out. With Rare Rhythm, we knew it wasn't ideal that there was no juice in the ground. They are two horses who should make up into good Cup performers in Europe later in the year."

Benbatl wins Turf war

Benbatl proved much too good for his rivals in the Dubai Turf.

Saeed bin Suroor's charge struck at Group Three and Group Two level earlier in the Carnival and although he suffered a short-priced reverse in the Jebel Hatta three weeks ago, he was strongly fancied to bounce back to winning ways.

Oisin Murphy took a prominent position from the start, settling Benbatl on the heels of the free-going South African challenger Janoobi.

The latter briefly looked to have slipped the field rounding the home turn, but Benbatl soon cruised alongside and kicked clear for a facile success. Japanese-trained Vivlos was best of the rest in second.

John Gosden's Monarchs Glen and Aidan O'Brien's Lancaster Bomber were both out of the places.

Benbatl could now be prepared for another appearance at Royal Ascot.

Bin Suroor said: "We have thought a great deal about this horse over the last three years and he won for us at Royal Ascot last year (Hampton Court Stakes).

"He broke well tonight and had a nice position all the way. I wasn't surprised he won like that, because he had been working very well.

"The plan will now be to go back to Royal Ascot for the Prince of Wales's Stakes. He's been improving all the time and now he's a Group One winner."

Murphy said: "Last time I gave the horse a bad ride and it was very good of Sheikh Mohammed and Saeed to give me another chance on him. I was determined to make amends and once in that position I was pretty sure I would win. It's very hard to find a world-class horse to ride, but he is a horse you dream about.

"He's very talented and today he had a good trip and showed his class. He jumped slow last time and the pace was slow, so I couldn't come back. I ended up wide and covered extra ground and didn't get into a good rhythm. Today everything fell right."

Doyle pounces on Jungle Cat

Jungle Cat claimed top honours in an eventful running of the Al Quoz Sprint at Meydan.

There was drama before the start of the six-furlong Group One after Jungle Cat's stablemate and likely favourite Blue Point was withdrawn after blood was found in his nostrils before being loaded into the stalls.

In his absence Jungle Cat was the first string for trainer Charlie Appleby and Godolphin and after being ridden patiently by James Doyle, the six-year-old found top gear late on to get up and beat American challenger Stormy Liberal with something to spare.

Aidan O'Brien's Washington DC finished well to finish fourth, but Dean Ivory's stable star Librisa Breeze was well-beaten.

Doyle was congratulated by Blue Point's rider William Buick out on the track.

Doyle said: "Myself and Will have been good friends since he came over to England. I was gutted for him when I got to the start and saw he was pulled out. I know how much he was looking forward to riding him.

"I'm delighted with this fella (Jungle Cat). What a star he is. He's been unbelievable this year and you can just set your watch by him. He's such a dream to ride out in the mornings. He really is brilliant."

He went on: "He jumped well and settled in the mid-pack with horses around him and I gave myself the option to move out to the right. It was fantastic the way the race panned out, because he stays seven. But when he got to the front and won his race he shut down in the last few strides."

Appleby was struggling to contain his emotions after claiming his first ever World Cup night victory.

He said: "I'm delighted. I don't know what's happened to Blue Point, but I knew Jungle Cat was in the form of his life. The team have done a fantastic job. Jungle Cat deserves to win a race like this. I fancied him last year and then the rain came and that was his chance gone.

"I don't think I'd ever had him in such good shape. When he won here before he broke well and he did it again, which was key. He's a Group One winner now and I'm very proud of him."

He added: "The Carnival has gone so well and I'm just very relieved to put one on the board for myself on World Cup night. I'm delighted for Godolphin and His Highness Sheikh Mohammed."

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