Owned by Roadrunner Racing, Boat Racing, Strauss & Gainesway, the 4yo Oxbow colt was stalked throughout the first 1600m by eventual runner-up Al Nefud before burning off that rival passing the 300m pole and pulling clear to win impressively.

Thrice a winner in the US, including the Grade 1 Pennsylvania Derby, he was also first past the post in the Grade 1 Haskell Stakes before disqualified, as well as an excellent fourth in the Breeders' Cup Classic.

His UAE campaign is being geared towards the Dubai World Cup at the end of March and O'Neill said: "That was a great ride from William Buick and this really is a wonderful horse because he was probably only about 70% fit so that was very exciting.
"We now have a lovely long break before the Dubai World Cup, seven weeks, so we have plenty of time to get him spot on. We are super excited!"

Earlier, the Oud Metha Stakes, a 1200m rated conditions stakes 3yos on the dirt track, produced a dramatic finish with Buick producing Get Back Goldie  to deny Little Afrodite  in the dying strides for trainer O'Neill and owners W C Racing, Aldabaugh, Wonderland & Goldstein.

A homebred colt by Goldencents, Buick's mount was slightly slowly away and raced in fifth, with just one behind him, throughout the first half of the race. It was only in the final 300m they picked up before flying home in the concluding 75m to snatch the spoils close home, a second victory for the colt who won a maiden claimer at Santa Anita in late October.

Buick said: "The start was far from ideal but he soon latched on and has shown a touch of quality to win given the situation we found ourselves in."

Later on the card Buick was back in the winner's enclosure after the turf feature and final race on the card, the 1800m Group 2 Balanchine for fillies and mares, completing his treble and doubles for Godolphin and Charlie Appleby aboard Creative Flair 

A 4yo homebred Dubawi filly, she was never far off the pace before Buick set sail for home with about 500m remaining and they never really looked in much danger thereafter.

She has now won four times after nine starts, adding this major prize to three victories in Britain, most notably a Newbury Listed race in June.

Buick said: "She deserved a big race win after some good efforts in defeat in Europe and America so it is nice she is now a Group Two winner.
"After a break against race fit horses that was a very pleasing performance."

Also on turf but restricted to 3yos, the Listed Jumeirah Classic over 1600m was contested by a select field of six and won comfortably by Sovereign Prince , James Doyle performing the steering for Godolphin and Appleby.

With Hotline Bling racing far too freely in front, Doyle was happy to track that rival before cruising into contention and committing for home entering the final 450m. His mount responded and was always holding the challenge of runner-up Mr Professor.

A homebred gelded son of Dubawi, it was a third success for Doyle's mount and second at this year's carnival having already won the 1400m trial for this under William Buick who was aboard New Science who was never dangerous in third here.

Doyle said: "I was delighted with that and it was all pretty straightforward. We thought he had improved from the trial and were confident the extra 200m would suit and it all worked out perfectly."

The main dirt track support race, the 1600m Group 3 Firebreak Stakes, went to Hypothetical, probably never headed under Mickael Barzalona in the colours of Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed Al Maktoum for Salem bin Ghadayer.

Well drawn to utilise positive tactics, Barzalona was out in front after a few strides, kicked clear turning for home and had the race in safekeeping throughout the final 300m.

A 5yo entire by Lope De Vega, he won two carnival handicaps over this Meydan 1600m dirt course and distance last year before finishing second, on Super Saturday, in the Group 1 Al Maktoum Challenge R2, over the same dirt 2000m as the Dubai World Cup in which he was fourth.

Well beaten in the 1600m Group 2 Al Maktoum Challenge R1 on his only previous start this season, three weeks ago, he bounced right back to his best here.

Barzalona said: "I am very pleased with him today after a bad run last time and he is versatile with regards to trip as he stays further.
"We wanted to be positive and let him enjoy himself out in front and that was up there with his best performances."

The fixture kicked off with the only Purebred Arabian race on the card, over the same 1900m on dirt, with Rajeh  landing the Group 1 Al Maktoum Challenge R2, proving far too good for his five rivals, Antonio Fresu, sporting the silks of Basil Masoud Saleh Al Kesbi, in the saddle for Musabbeh Al Mheiri.

Having tracked Brraq throughout the majority of the race, Fresu eased his mount past that rival at the top of the long straight and the race was basically over.

An entire horse, the 8yo was winning for the ninth time but first in the UAE, on just his second local start and posting a fourth dirt success and over a 1900m trip.

Fresu said: "He ran well first time for us when third and we knew he had improved a lot for that because his recent work had been very good. It was a big win."

Over 1900m on dirt, for 3yos, the Al Bastakiya Trial went to the formidable Fawzi Nassa and Adrie de Vries partnership courtesy of Victorious' Withering.

Success looked unlikely when the Mondialiste colt missed the break and was soon trailing his 12 rivals but De Vries kept creeping closer before throwing down his ultimately decisive challenge in the final 175m

Previously a maiden after six starts, four in Britain for previous connections and two at Meydan, he relished this step up in trip and stayed on strongly to land the spoils in determined fashion. It was a deserved success having finished second four times and third once, his only unplaced effort being at Royal Ascot in the Listed Chesham Stakes.

De Vries said: "He ran a great race over 1600m first time then missed the break badly in a maiden and was a bit slowly away today but was soon travelling nicely before finishing his race off strongly."