Riding for Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed Al Maktoum and Salem bin Ghadayer, Mickael Barzalona was keen to get to the front on Hypothetical but had to work hard to do so, challenged for the lead by Everfast.
Barzalona was able to dictate after about 600m and burned off Everfast entering the straight when Remorse emerged as the only danger but Barzalona's mount never really looked likely to be caught.
Runner-up in this last year, the 5yo Lope De Vega entire was registering a fourth Meydan dirt victory, but by far the biggest, adding this to a trio of 1600m successes.
Barzalona said: "We thought he would run well today if we could be positive from that wide draw without having to go too fast and it all went perfectly.
"He has really travelled well throughout, quickened stylishly and stayed on nicely to record another big Meydan win."
The turf highlight, the 1800m Group 1 Jebel Hatta, was won by Alfareeq , trained at Meydan by Musabbeh Al Mheiri and a taking victor under Dane O'Neill, the pair completing a big race turf double on the card for Shadwell.
Settled in midfield on the rail, but not far off the speed, behind what appeared a modest gallop, O'Neill was able to secure racing room when he needed it and found a willing partner, the pair hitting the front inside the final 100m with the race in safekeeping.
Homebred, the 5yo gelded son of Dark Angel was winning for the fourth time, third locally, and posting by far a career best to book his place in the Dubai Turf on the big night.
O'Neill said: "He behaved himself in the stalls and broke well which meant I was able to get him in the position I wanted from the start.
"The key is to relax him and use that turn of foot because he can quicken which is always a massive asset in these races."
Over 2410m on turf, the Group 2 Dubai City Of Gold produced a close finish with Jim Crowley aboard favourite Hukum, homebred by Shadwell and a first UAE runner for Owen Burrows, just proving too strong for Without A Fight who certainly proved well named.
Drawn widest off in stall 14. Crowley took his time in midfield before launching his challenge 250m, the pair hitting the front about 100m later and resisting the renewed challenge of Without a Fight.
A 5yo entire horse by Sea The Stars, Hukum was claiming his biggest victory to date but was previously a Group Three winner on four occasions.
Crowley said: "We were drawn 14 but I was able to get a nice position but probably had to challenge sooner than ideal but he will have needed that and this was basically a prep for three weeks and the Sheema Classic."
A capacity field of 16 contested the 1200m Group 3 Nad Al Sheba Turf Sprint but, from almost 400m out only one mattered, Godolphin's Man Of Promise powering clear under William Buick for Charlie Appleby.
A 5yo gelded son of Into Mischief, he has now won half of his eight career starts and is three from five at Meydan having landed the Listed Dubai Sprint both this year and last. Twelve months ago he disappointed when only eighth in this race but that never appeared likely this time around.
Buick said: "That was very impressive and it is nice to see him actually prove himself at this level because he has threatened to in the past but today he really delivered."
A new turf conditions race on the card, over 1400m, the Ras Al Khor, was totally dominated by Godolphin who provided the first four home, Frankie Dettori and Storm Damage winning comfortably in a track record time for Saeed bin Suroor, chased home by stablemate Mutafawwiq, ahead of Charlie Appleby duo Path Of Thunder and D'Bal.
Also over 2000m on dirt, the Purebred Arabian Group 1 Al Maktoum Challenge R3 kicked off proceedings and Fernando Jara was awarded for his positivity, sending Jugurtha De Monlau straight to the front and the pair staying there for Yas Racing and Jean-Claude Pecout, the connections also of runner-up Brraq who won this race last year.
Homebred, the 6yo entire was recording his second career victory and first locally, at the sixth attempt, adding this to a 2000m turf success in Europe almost exactly two years ago.
Jara said: "We broke well so I was able to get to the front, dictate my own fractions and then he quickened nicely when I asked him."
Over 1600m on dirt, the Group 3 Burj Nahaar provided trainer Ahmed Al Shemaili with a memorable moment, Adrie de Vries, in the colours of Hassan Saleh Al Hammadi, producing Desert Wisdom to snatch the spoils in the final 100m to provide the handler a first major Thoroughbred success.
Far from the quickest away from the inside stall one, De Vries stuck to the rail, nearer last than first, behind what appeared a sensible gallop before creeping closer in the first part of the straight and then dashing through a gap to ultimately win cosily.
De Vries said: "He travelled well throughout and I found a good lead into the race before having to wait for a gap having saved ground on the inside but, when I had space, he ran on strongly and won nicely."
The 3yos had their moment in the spotlight in the 1900m Listed Al Bastakiya in which Bendoog tried valiantly to make all under Tadhg O'Shea only to be denied close home Uruguayan challenger Quality Boone, delivered with a successful late challenge by Vagner Leal for Antonio Cintra Pereira and Stud Guara Del Sur.
Withering snatched second in the dying strides from the massive Bendoog who, understandably, was 'running on empty' in the final 75m.
As the only one of the dozen runners foaled in the southern hemisphere, the Daniel Boone colt was winning for the third time and second at Meydan this season, having also won over 1400m here in December, as well as at that same trip in Uruguay last June. He has now won half of his six career starts.
Leal said: "This horse has improved with each race and this is a very important win for all of us, for Uruguay and South American racing."
Ray Dawson and Ahmad bin Harmash combined to land the finale, the 1200m dirt Group 3 Mahab Al Shimaal, with Eastern World, a 5yo gelded Dubawi half-brother to dual Dubai World Cup winner Thunder Snow, owned by Mohammed Ahmad Ali Al Subousi.
