Vengeance of Rain does it in style

Dubai: Vengeance of Rain spread the joy for Hong Kong at the Nad Al Sheba here last night after winning the $5 million Dubai Sheema Classic, sponsored by Nakheel.

It was the first-ever win for Hong Kong in Dubai, but Anthony Delpech had to dig deep to survive an upset from rank outsider Oracle West.

The David Ferraris-trained Vengeance Of Rain went one better than Fairy King Prawn who finished second to Jim and Tonic in the 2001 running of the Dubai Duty Free (Group 1).

It was the 10th win in 22 starts for the 6-year-old bay gelding, but came close after a famous win in the Group 1 Hong Kong Gold Cup four weeks ago. Vengeance of Rain had won by a neck from Viva Patac under Delpech.

'One of the best'

"It is great to win on his very first trip outside Hong Kong. He is one of the best horses that I have ridden and by winning in Dubai he has proved what a great champions he is," he said.

In the joint second-richest turf race in the world, it was a top quality field that went to post, including Epson Derby winner Sir Percy and Breeders Cup Turf winner Red Rocks and German raider Quijano who was coming in with 10 consecutive wins from 11 starts. There were seven Group 1 winners in the line-up after Collier Hill had pulled out.

Also in the fray was Oracle West, who was running for the second time in the Sheema after finishing 11th behind Japan's Heart's Cry. But with De Kock's first jockey Weichong Marwing, boosted by his UAE Derby win earlier in the night, Oracle West was in superb form. He ran his heart out as quite a few were bunched coming into the home stretch, but was beaten by a better horse.

"He has come on from his last race and gave me everything," said Delpech.