Series of firsts at Dubai World Cup

Dubai: Apart from the triple triumph for Godolphin, a remarkable fact during Saturday's Dubai World Cup meeting is that the remaining six races were won by trainers who had not tasted success earlier on the big night.

Five jockeys also made their first entry into the winner's enclosure, adding to a series of firsts in this 17th edition, which included two female jockeys riding on the big night.

Ronald Martino trained the Kahayla Classic winner TM Fred Texas, Australian Paul Messara saddled the Al Quoz Sprint winner Ortensia, Aidan O'Brien handled the UAE Derby winner Daddy Long Legs, Bahraini trainer Fawzi Nass tasted his first success with Krypton Factor in the Dubai Golden Shaheen (G-1), Roger Charlton with Cityscape in the Dubai Duty Free (G-1) while Corine Barande-Barbe became the first lady trainer to send out a winner in a thoroughbred race on the big night with Cirrus des Aigles winning the Dubai Sheema Classic.

Among the first-time winning jockeys, the biggest win was delivered by Mickael Barzalona when he won the $10m (Dh36.73 million) Dubai World Cup on Monteroso while young jockey James Doyle (won on Cityscape), Irishman Colm O'Donoghue (Daddy Long Legs) and Aussie Craig Williams who won on Ortensia.

Biggest contingent

While French trainer Corine Barande-Barbe's achievement was a historic one as a female trainer, the most remarkable success of the night was Aidan O'Brien's. O'Brien brought one of his biggest contingents to the Dubai World Cup meeting and his six-strong pack was led by the World Cup favourite So You Think. Though beaten, the Eclipse and Irish Champion Stakes winner was not disgraced and finished fourth. However, O'Brien's big success came in the UAE Derby when he also became the first trainer other than Saeed Bin Surour and Mike de Kock to saddle a winner in this race.

O'Brien took a huge gamble and brought two of his best runners for the Derby and though Wrote was the favourite, Daddy Long Legs delivered a superb win.

O'Brien also had another top pair of runners in the Dubai Sheema Classic and he must have been delighted with the way both St Nicholas Abbey and Treasure Beach finished.

St Nicholas Abbey, the Breeders' Cup winner, chased home the favourite and winner Cirrus des Aigles but could get no closer than a neck in second place while Treasure Beach finished fourth.

The only disappointment for O'Brien was when Await The Dawn finished poorly in the Dubai Duty Free (Group 1).

O'Brien, who has not been a regular at the Dubai World Cup meeting, would have certainly been boosted by his success on Saturday and fans can expect a stronger presence from the Ballydole trainer in future meetings in Dubai.