Dubai World Cup 2022: A look back with wonder

As the Dubai World Cup celebrates it’s 26th meeting on March 26, 2022, with six Group 1 races and three Group 2s, including the $12 (Dh44.08) million Emirates Airline Dubai World Cup we turn back the clock to pay tribute to the previous year's winners

1996: Cigar

The Dubai World Cup got off to a flying start at Nad Al Sheba racecourse when it was won thrillingly by American champion Cigar, following a titanic battle with fellow Stateside raider, Soul of the Matter.

A six-year-old bay horse trained in the United States by Bill Mott and ridden by Jerry Bailey, Cigar arrived in Dubai with a huge reputation of being the most dominant racehorse in the United States with eight Grade 1 victories that included the Breeders' Cup Classic.

All this led to him being voted American Horse of the Year.

Cigar warmed up for his trip to Dubai when headed another Grade I success when winning the Donn Handicap in February 1996.

The inaugural running of the Dubai World Cup also attracted challengers from the United Kingdom (UK), Australia, and Japan as well as four locally trained runners, all racing out of Emirati handler Saeed bin Suroor’s fledgling stable

Once the gates flew open for the 2,000-metre dirt contest, Bailey and Cigar moved into an advantageous position, stalking the pace before he took the lead a quarter of a mile from the finish.

But this is where the race began as Gary Stevens threw down the gauntlet aboard of Burt Bacharach's Soul of the Matter.

Soon, the two American stars were engaged in an epic battle down the home straight before Cigar showed just when he is regarded as the best horse in the world to win by half a length.

L'Carriere, who had finished second to Cigar in the Breeders' Cup Classic, completed a 1-2-3 for American trained horses as he got the better of a struggle with the British colt Pentire for third place.

Upon his return to his homeland in Kentucky Cigar would finish third behind Alphabet Soup in the Breeders’ Cup Classic at Woodbine before he was retired at the end of the year.

The racing great passed on in 2014 at the age of 24.

1997: Singspiel

Following Cigar’s epic victory over Soul Of the Matter in the inaugural running of the Dubai World Cup expectations were high when the great race returned to Nad Al Sheba for the second installment.

While Jerry Baily was once again in the saddle, the winner was British-trained Singspiel, who claimed a fitting victory for the race’s founder, His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai.

A five-year-old bay horse trained in the United Kingdom by Michael Stoute, Singspiel had excelled at the highest level, having won the Canadian International Stakes and the Japan Cup in 1996, both turf contests.

Although Singspiel had never previously raced on dirt Bailey rode a confident race aboard the horse, taking the lead approaching the final furlong to win by one and a quarter length and one and a half-length from Siphon and Sandpit, two Brazilian-bred horses trained in the United States.

But the 1997 Dubai World Cup will, perhaps, be remembered more for the resilience of its organisers, who pulled off a miracle to stage the restage of the race just five days after torrential rain virtually destroyed the race track.

1998: Silver Charm

Like in the inaugural year, an American champion called Silver Charm headed to Dubai as the big international favourite and he lived up to his reputation when posting a hard-as-nails neck victory over the home hope, Swain.

Gary Stevens, who lost out when Soul of the Matter was beaten by Cigar, would claim his first Dubai World Cup following a lion-hearted performance by Silver Charm

A, a four-year-old gray colt trained in the United States by Bob Baffert and Silver Charm's victory was the first in the race for his owners Beverly & Robert B. Lewis trainer and jockey.

Named American Champion Three-Year-Old Male Horse for 1997 when he won the Kentucky Derby and the Preakness Stakes, Sibler  Charm was shipped to Dubai after winning his warm-up races, the San Fernando Stakes in January and the Strub Stakes in February.

At Nad Al Sheba Silver Charm took the lead approaching the final quarter mile and dug deep to held off the late challenge of Swain, trained in Dubai by Saeed bin Suroor, by a short head. French challenger Loup Sauvage finished two and a half lengths back in third place.

There was a little drama on the side before the race, as Silver Charm’s trainer Bob Baffert, who had never left the USA, was able to make the trip to the UAE through a hastily arranged passport.

1999: Almutawakel

Almutawakel made it two-all for the Dubai-trained horse against the mighty American dirt specialists, when he landed the $4 (Dh14.69) million contest by half a length from the much-fancied Malek, with trainer Richard Mandella once again denied victory in the great race.

Almuawakel also made history as being the first winner of the race that was prepared by the Emirati handler, Saeed bin Suroor, under the Godolphin banner, although he was owned by the late Sheikh Hamdan bin Rashid al Maktoum, former Deputy Ruler of Dubai and Minister of Finance.

He was ridden to victory by Sheikh Hamdan’s retained jockey, Richard Hills, who sported Sheikh Hamdan’s racing colors – royal blue with white epaulets.

Godolphin had a four-pronged attack led by High-Rise, winner of the 1997 Derby at Epsom, Central Park, the Italian Derby winner, Daylami, a Classic winner of the French 2000 Guineas and Almutawakel, winner of the Group 1 Prix Jean Prat.

Silver Charm had returned to Dubai to attempt to become the first back-to-back winner of the 2,000-metre contest, with Victory Gallop, winner of the previous year’s Belmont Stakes, also in the race.

Godolphin’s stable jockey Frankie Dettori opted to partner High-Rise while Richard Hills’ was duly booked to partner Almutawakel.

The horse also provided Hills, a regular figure on the Emirates racing circuit for many years, with the biggest success in his racing career.

Central Park finished fourth while Daylami, who did not enjoy the best of runs, stayed on well to take fifth place.

Almutawakel placed twice at Gr1 level in America following his Dubai World Cup victory.

2000: Dubai Millennium

The 2000 running of the Dubai World Cup was one of the most memorable in its history.

It was a fairy tale that revolved around the extraordinary vision of one of the sport’s most passionate patrons who renamed a horse with an eye on winning the Dubai World Cup at the turn of the millennium.

His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, saw something special in a two-year-old horse that he owned called Yaazer (meaning White Gazelle) and decided to rename him Dubai Millennium.

The rest is history. As a three-year-old Dubai Millennium would win some of the top races in the UK and France.

Sent off as the favourite in the Dubai World Cup Dubai Millennium hit the front after breaking smartly from barrier 11 and eased into a smooth rhythm, devouring the ground effortlessly. Just as he had done in the QE Stakes at Ascot, he never looked back and dominated a world-class field to win by six lengths under Frankie Dettori.

In doing so he set a speed record time of one minute 59.50 seconds over 2000 at Nad Al Sheba.

After the race, Sheikh Mohammed would describe Dubai Millennium as the best horse that he had ever owned. This was high praise considering Sheikh Mohammed owned some of the greatest horses that the sport has ever seen.

2001: Captain Steve

Captain Steve became only the third US-trained horse, after Cigar in 1996 and Silver Charm in 1998, to win the Dubai World Cup. Trained by Bob Baffert, a four-time Eclipse Award-winning handler and future Hall of Fame handler, he came into the race with a big reputation having won the 1997 Kentucky Derby and the Preakness Stakes.

As the gates flew open Japanese contender To The Victory set a scorching pace and was leading the 12-horse field by nearly two lengths entering the home stretch.

But Jerry Bailey, already a two-time winner of the race, kept his composure before he asked his mount for his effort and the response was immediate. Captain Steve, who was named after Captain Steve Thompson, the head of the Louisville Police Department's criminal investigation division, picked up a gear and hit the front before powering to a three-length victory over To The Victory.

Hightori, the French contender, was third.

Owner Michael E. Pegram was arrested at the Louisville International Airport while attempting to clear security with a gun, a gift from his girlfriend, unknowingly in his possession.

Baffert called the Louisville Police Department and spoke with Captain Thompson who intervened with the presiding judge, drove to the police station, and had Pegram released from detention. He would name the after the office, in honour of saving him from a sticky situation.

Captain Steve was sold to the Japan Racing Association for $5 (Dh18.37) million to stand at Shizunai Stud. He died on April 21, 2013, in northern Japan from acute heart failure. He was 16.

2002: Jerry Bailey

For the fourth time since the Dubai World Cup began, a Godolphin-trained horse landed the world’s richest race. Jerry Bailey was once again on the plate as Street Cry comfortably recorded a four-and-a-half length win over Saudi Arabian-trained Sei Mei.

The seventh running of the famous race was a huge success for Middle Eastern-based horses with the first five across the line coming from the UAE or the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.

Japan’s Agnes Digital, finishing sixth.

Street Cry was then sent to America where he delivered an impressive performance to win the Grade I Stephen Foster Handicap at Churchill Downs before running second in the Grade I Whitney at Saratoga.

However, an injury, unfortunately, brought a premature retirement and he was sent to Jonabell Farm.

2003: Moon Ballad

Godolphin’s Frankie Dettori may have chosen wrong in 2002 when he finished third on Sakhee giving Jerry Bailey the winning ride on Street Cry but he would ensure that he was on the right horse in 2003.

Moon Ballad, trained to perfection by Saeed Bin Suroor, was a runaway winner coming home five-lengths clear of American raider Harlan’s Holiday, with British-trained favourite Nayef, finishing third.

Moon Ballad gave Dettori his second Dubai World Cup and Bin Suroor trainer a record fifth.

Moon Ballad was formerly trained in England by David Loder, who looked after Godolphin’s younger horses, before being transferred to Saeed bin Suroor's stable in 2002.

As a three-year-old, he won the Dante Stakes and finished third in the Epsom Derby and second in the Champion Stakes.

He prepared for the World Cup by winning the second round of the Al Maktoum Challenge at Nad Al Sheba Racecourse in February.

Upon his retirement, Moon Ballad was sent to stand at stud under Darley Stud's management at the Yoshun Company's Stud in Hokkaidō, Japan. In 2010, he returned to Ireland to stand at the Woodlands Stud, Galway.

2004: Pleasantly Perfect

This was the year when the Dubai International Racing Carnival, now known as the Dubai World Cup Carnival, was launched.

There were several international contenders based in Dubai and as a result a quality field lined up to contest the big race.

Among them were, Pleasantly Perfect and Medaglia D’Oro, 2003 UAE Derby winner and Maktoum Challenge champion Victory Moon, nor Japan Cup Dirt winner Fleetstreet Dancer and Japan’s finest dirt runner, Admire Don.

It was widely expected to be a repeat of the epic Breeder’s Cup Classic duel four months earlier in which Pleasantly Perfect ultimately triumphed over Medaglia D’Oro.

And the US superstars did not disappoint. Trained by Richard Mandella and ridden by Alex Solis he once and once more got the better of Medaglia D’Oro in a thrilling contest.

Pleasantly Perfect entered stud in 2005 at Lane's End Farm in Versailles, Kentucky. His first offspring to race was Rapid Redux, who won a record 22 straight races and was the winner of the Eclipse Special Award for 2011.

Pleasantly Perfect was exported to Turkey where he died on June 3, 2020 at the age of 22. His most successful son, Whitmore, won the Breeders' Cup Sprint a few months later in November 2020.

2005: Roses in May

A crack field of Thoroughbreds, led by the big American hope Roses in May, assembled at Nad Al Sheba for the 10th running of the Dubai World Cup. It was the first time that the race was run without a Godolphin contender after the withdrawal of injury-hit Grand Hombre on the eve of the race.

Roses in May was the big favourite having aced all run in his three-year-old season until he met Ghostzapper in the Breeder’s Cup Classic.

He arrived in Dubai on the back of a second-place effort in the Donn Handicap and wowed fans during morning trackwork in the build-up to the race,

Strongly favored to win in the 2,000-metre contest despite a poor draw. Roses in May broke slowly under John Velazquez but moved around the outside of the field to take the lead in the straight.

Glória de Campeão was then sent back to Brazil to stand at stud and even today has remained the all-time highest money earner for any South American bred at $9,258,355 (Dh34,001,308). Surpassing the previous leader Invasor who earned $7,804,070 (Dh28,660,447).