Triple Dubai Gold Cup winner Vazirabad was the only previous Thoroughbred to win the same race on the Dubai World Cup card thrice, and in consecutive seasons, until Lord North repeated the feat in the 1800m Group 1 Dubai Turf sponsored by DP World (albeit a dead-heater 12 months earlier). Frankie Dettori has been in the saddle each time for HH Sheikh Zayed bin Mohammed Racing for the Gosdens.
Trained by John and Thady Gosden, the 7yo arrived on the back of a winning prep run in last month's Group 3 Winter Derby on the allweather at Lingfield Park and he was always prominent under Dettori. Tracking the early pace behind the Roger Varian-trained El Drama, the leading pack soon swapped places swinging around the bend for home, when William Buick took over on Godolphin’s Nations Pride.
Buick would have been entitled to think his sweeping move was enough, but Dettori had his measure on Lord North, cosily picking up the lead inside the final 200m for a game success, in doing so stealing first run on Japanese pair of Serifos and Danon Beluga who were both finishing fast but, ultimately, too late.
That victory means that Dettori has bolstered his record as the race's most successful jockey with four victories. Those have come with Godolphin’s Saeed bin Suroor-trained Tamayaz (1997), in addition to the three on Lord North. He also extended his lead as the most successful rider at the Dubai World Cup meeting across its near three decade history, with this marking his 23rd victory since its inception in 1996.
It was a fitting success as this is to be Dettori's final appearance in the UAE before his impending retirement. The jockey, who ensured his trademark flying dismount once again graced Dubai, said: "It's amazing to win once; three times, it's unreal.
Thady has done an amazing job because he's a horse that gets sick quite easily, that's why he doesn't run that often. The boys had him ready for this race and full credit to them, they've done great with him. "And Lord North himself, what a star. To just get one on the board at this beautiful place, in Dubai that has been my home for so many winters, it's pretty special."
Thady Gosden added: "The first time he won the race he showed a nice turn of foot and then last year his preparation wasn’t quite as straightforward as this year. “The lad who rides him out every day thought he was in much better form than coming into this last year. Obviously you can’t say that beforehand in case it all goes wrong.
"It was a little bit messy in the middle part of the race and coming into the bend, but he missed any trouble and showed a great turn of foot to get to the front. He broke well from three and the strong pace up front definitely helped him. He enjoyed a nice tow into it and he picked up as we know he can. "It’s fantastic and thanks to everyone at home in the yard, to the horse and to Frankie as well.
He’s a homebred gelding and it’s fantastic for him to come here and win a race of this quality three times on the trot." Thady’s father, John, added: “Frankie’s a great mate and we sat on the bench before in the jockeys' room talking about the race. "He’s obviously had a wonderful time riding in Santa Anita and I’ve never seen him like it; he looks sharp and well and he’s in top order.
“The horse is very special to come and do that three years running; he’s had a lot of problems, none of his own doing, but particularly with a throat issue with a nasty abscess there, so he’s done incredibly well. “The ground was quick enough for him but he's just a star horse. It was a great performance and a lovely ride because Frankie knows him so well.
Like Stradivarius, he’s a real favourite in the yard because he’s such a wonderful character of a horse, and he’s very brave because he’s had a lot of problems to deal with. I’m lucky he’s a gelding because he’d have gone to stud otherwise!”
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