Dubai: Falls Of Lora, the former French Classic hope, may well take on the boys in the Group One UAE Derby following her dazzling display in the Group Three UAE Oaks at Meydan on Thursday night.

Making her first start since October's Marcel Boussac-Criterium Pouliches at Longchamp, the exclusive Group One event in France for juvenile fillies, the daughter of former Dubai World Cup winner Street Cry stormed to a two-and-three-quarter length victory in the 1,900 metres on the Tapeta.

Ridden by teenage French jockey Mickael Barzalona, Falls Of Lora chased down runaway leader Mary Fildes, the mount of James Doyle, to post an impressive win, with the teenage jockey celebrating high in his stirrups even before crossing the line.

The winner gave Mahmoud Al Zarouni a third success in the premier events for three-year-olds at Meydan, and a chance of lining up in next month's $2 million (Dh7.3 million) UAE Derby on Dubai World Cup night.

‘Option is there'

Al Zarouni said after the race: "Falls Of Lora did not surprise me today because I always felt that she had the ability. She was very good, did everything professionally and Mickael Barzalona rode a good race.

"We knew she would stay the trip, whereas perhaps it was a slight doubt with Pimpernel, who was then keen early on. I must admit I thought the leader had stolen the race at one stage but Mickael chased her at the right time.

"The UAE Derby is a possible but Kinglet is probably our number one for that at the moment. The option is there for her though."

Al Zarouni, who earlier in the season landed the UAE 1,000 Guineas with Gamilati and the UAE 2,000 Guineas with Kinglet, attributed the success to running a tight operation.

"All credit to the team, they work hard seven days a week to secure results like these," he said. "We are constantly involved with the horses and leave nothing to chance. It's a lot of hard work sometimes, with some horses, but worth it in the end when you win races like these."

Falls Of Lora is Godolphin's eighth winner of the UAE Oaks following Laoub (2001), Imperial Gesture (2002), Danuta (2003), Satin Kiss (2005), Cocoa Beach (2008), Devotee (2009) and Khawlah (2011).

His Highness Shaikh Mohammad Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice-President and Prime Minster of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, and his brother Shaikh Hamdan Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Deputy Ruler of Dubai and UAE Minister of Finance, were present Thursday evening for the UAE Oaks meeting sponsored by The Saeed and Mohammad Al Naboodah Group.

Two more wins

Earlier in the evening, Frankie Dettori won the opening race, the Swaidan Trading Company — Goodyear handicap on the Al Zarouni-trained Capponi.

Dettori said: "We did not go quick enough when we were beaten first time and we only just went fast enough when he won last time, so I was happy to send him for home a long way out.

"Stamina was never going to be a problem and he did it well. That is a good start to the night."

Al Zarouni made it a night to remember when he saddled a third winner courtesy of City Style in the concluding 1,900-metre Al Naboodah Construction Group on turf.

The horse was also winning for the second time at the 2012 Carnival.