War in the Middle East did not stop the Dubai World Cup meeting going ahead overnight with two of Europe’s very best racehorses collecting G1 victories, while the US entry Magnitude captured the feature event on the card beating Japanese superstar Forever Young.
Forever Young started favourite in the Group I Dubai World Cup (1m2f) following off wins in the Group I Breeders Cup Classic last year and the Saudi Cup this year, but he just couldn’t bridge the gap to Magnitude, who led all the way.
Trained by Steve Asmussen and ridden by Jose Ortiz, four year-old Not This Time stallion Magnitude was a two time Group II winner last year at three and tuned up for this race with a win in the Group III Razorback Handicap at Oaklawn last month.
He produced a career best effort to win by a length taking his overall record to seven wins and three placings from 13 starts with US$8.5million in prizemoney.
It was a second win in this race for Steve Asmussen, who prepared Curlin to win in 2008, but due to world events he was not in attendance this time.
“We knew we had a good enough horse to win the race and Magnitude showed up today. He jumped well and he put me in the lead and I was very happy to be there. It's a dream come true and I'm very happy for Steve [Asmussen],” said Jose Ortiz after the race.
Bred by Ron Stolich, Magnitude made $310,000 when offered as a weanling at Keeneland November and was then purchased by his current owner Winchell Thoroughbreds for $450,000 at the 2023 Keeneland September Yearling Sale from the Gainesway draft.
He is the only winner from five foals to race from Rockadelic, a daughter of Group I Belmont CCA Oaks winner Octave.
He is the 12th G1 winner for leading US sire Not This Time, whose sprinting son Cogburn shuttled to Widden Stud last spring, but hit a hurdle with fertility.
The Group I Dubai Turf (1m1f) had a hot favourite in Ombudsman with the John and Thady Gosden trained son of Night of Thunder scoring a dominant two length win for William Buick at his first appearance this year.
It was the third G1 win for five year-old Ombudsman, who has a great record with seven wins and three seconds from 10 starts with Royal Ascot likely to be his next assignment
The Group I Dubai Sheema Classic (1m4f) was also won by the favourite with reigning 2025 European Horse of the Year Calandagan producing his A game first up following his history making win in the Japan Cup at the end of last year.
Trained by Francis Henri-Graffard and ridden by Mickael Barzalona, Calandagan scored by three-quarters of a length and the Aga Khan homebred gelding has now won five G1 races in a row.
