Home win for Maktoum

Almutawakel, almost a forgotten horse, gave the Maktoums' Dubai operation a huge boost with an 11 to 1 surprise win in the £1.8 million Dubai World Cup at floodlit Nad al Sheba yesterday.

It was the first time that a horse trained in the Emirate had taken the mile and a quarter sand prize, which will form the final leg of the World Series Racing Championship next year.

Almutawakel, considered the third string of the four Maktoum hopefuls, proved himself a game winner as the big guns had a bad night and failed to fire.

Almutawakel, having proved himself adept at handling the sand in a private trial race, relaxed in the mid division as Central Park forced the pace.

Richard Hills made his decisive move half way up the straight on Almutawakel, as the Saeed bin Suroor trainee collared Central Park.

Victory Gallop flattered on the outside, but Malek, another American runner, having found himself short of room, found a second wind and got within three quarters of a length of the deserved winner.

Victory Gallop was a similar distance back in third. Central Park was a creditable fourth.

Almutawakel's time of one minute 59.97 seconds was a race record. His owner, the normally reserved Hamdan al Maktoum, was ecstatic.

Hills said: "Everything went right for me," he said. "My horse broke very well and travelled and for the first time he didn't have the kickback for the first couple of furlongs.

"He is very tough and to win the race for Sheikh Hamdan and Godolphin is a great honour."

Bin Suroor, winning the race for the first time after Swain's narrow defeat last year, echoed the sentiments: "This is our dream. We have tried for years to win this."

Although the result proved a satisfactory one for the home side, Godolphin's main hope, the Derby winner High-Rise, ran dismally to finish last.

Frankie Dettori said: "I knew that his chances were cut in half when he drew post one. He was struggling three out and just gave up."

Ditto for America's defending champion Silver Charm in sixth. "I knew that we were in trouble after a furlong and I took care of him at the end. He has been so kind to us," said a disappointed Gary Stevens.

Malek's trainer Richard Mandell has now produced a horse to make the frame in each of the four Dubai World Cups, and again showed himself a sportsman in defeat.

"I'll keep coming back as long as they will have me, and when I run out of horses maybe they will allow me to work in the parking lot," he said.

Saeed bin Suroor and Hills also struck in the Dubai Duty Free with Altibr spearheading a clean sweep for the trainer with an easy win in the World Cup reserve race.

Mark Johnston's Fruits Of Love (16 to 1) denied bin Suroor success in the Dubai Turf classic by pipping the St Leger winner Nedawi.