Dubai World Cup: Frankie Dettori rides Country Grammer to victory for controversial trainer Bob Baffert

Country Grammer (7/1) beat Hot Rod Charlie and Chuwa Wizard to win Dubai World Cup for Bob Baffert; Baffert is suspended from running horses in Kentucky after Medina Spirit's failed drugs test; hot favourite Life Is Good only fourth

By Calum Wilson

Frankie Dettori says winning his fourth Dubai World Cup 'is such a great feeling' after Country Grammer's victory at Meydan for trainer Bob Baffert.

Frankie Dettori landed the Dubai World Cup prize for a fourth time as he won on Country Grammar for controversial US trainer Bob Baffert.

Baffert, who is suspended from running his horses in Kentucky after his 2021 Kentucky Derby-winning horse, Medina Spirit, was disqualified for failing a post-race drug test, sent out his five-year-old to Meydan for Saturday's $12m contest.

Hot favourite Life Is Good (4/7) was given a soft lead at the front and looked set to race clear of his nine rivals as the field turned for home, but Irad Ortiz Jr quickly sent out distress signals on the Pegasus World Cup winner.

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That left his key rivals fighting it out in behind to come and pick him up, with 10/3 second favourite Hot Rod Charlie delivering his challenge for Doug O'Neill.

But, it was Dettori and 7/1 shot Country Grammar who finished strongest to beat Hot Rod Charlie by one-and-three-quarter lengths, with Chuwa Wizard third and Life Is Good tiring back into fourth.

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Dettori told Sky Sports Racing: "It was so surreal when I hit the furlong pole, I knew I was going to win and I had the crowd behind me.

"I really believed in this horse. That last furlong was amazing, such a great feeling."

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Five-timer for Japan on World Cup night

Japan dominated on Dubai World Cup night as top trainer Yoshito Yahagi continued his fine run of form.

There was a thrilling three-way finish to the Dubai Turf as Yahagi's Panthalassa finished in a dead-heat with John and Thady Gosden's Lord North. Fellow Japanese-trained Vin De Garde (Hideaki Fujiwara) was just beaten in a close third.

Dettori was more than happy to share first place in the Dubai Turf after Lord North and Panthalassa dead-heated on the line at Meydan.

Fujiwara was not to be denied in the Group One Sheema Classic as Shahryar (13/2) got the better of Charlie Appleby's 7/2 favourite Yibir.

Earlier on the card, Stay Foolish upset Charlie Appleby's previously unbeaten star stayer Manobo in the two-mile Dubai Gold Cup, landing the Group Two for Yahagi to add to his recent victories in the Breeders' Cup, Japan Cup, Hong Kong Cup and Red Sea Turf.

A trip to Royal Ascot could be on the cards for Stay Foolish, with Yahagi stating: "He's enjoyed the atmosphere in his training in Dubai and my aim is the Gold Cup at Ascot."

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Winning rider Christophe Lemaire added: "He doesn't have a big turn of foot and I thought the potatoes were done, but in the end he outstayed them. I think he could run in any Group One, anywhere."

There was a shock in the Godolphin Mile as Yahagi's 80/1 outsider Bathrat Leon went from the front and was never caught, beating home Desert Wisdom and Storm Damage.

The UAE Derby also went to the Japanese as Koichi Shintani's Crown Pride (11/1) beat Summer Is Tomorrow and Island Falcon.

A Case Of You provided Irish trainer Ado McGuinness with another huge pay day as he landed the £666,000 Al Quoz Sprint.

Winning trainer Ado McGuinness believes A Case Of You has earned his place as one of the best sprinters in the world after landing the Al Quoz Sprint at the Dubai World Cup.

Last year's Group One Prix de l'Abbaye winner hugged the all-important inside rail over the six-furlongs at Meydan, with 10/11 favourite Man Of Promise giving chase on his outside.

McGuinness' four-year-old had finished third behind Charlie Appleby's star over the same course and distance in the Group Three Nad Al Sheba earlier this month, but he would not be passed this time, with Richard Hannon's Happy Romance just getting past Man Of Promise at the line for second.

McGuinness told Sky Sports Racing: "It's unbelievable. I've always said this is a good horse and I think he'll get recognition now because he's probably one of the best sprinters in the world. He's a two-time Group One winner now and that can never be taken away from him.

"We're still pinching ourselves. I've come a long way. I'm an overnight success after 20 years!"

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