Daring the best horses in the world to catch him, Gloria de Campeao raced to an early lead and relied on the courage that trainer Pascal Bary said is his hallmark to hold off a late lunge from the unheralded Lizard’s Desire to win the Dubai World Cup, sponsored by Emirates Airline in a thrilling finish that left the Meydan crowd wondering who had prevailed in the first US$10 million race in history. Image: Andrew Watkins

Neither horse’s connections were sure until the results of the official photo finish were announced. Brazilian-based owner Stefan Friborg of Estrela Energia Stables yelled with delight and was immediately mobbed by family and friends.

“I don’t have words for it,” a beaming Friborg said of the six-year-old Brazilian-bred whose name means “Glorious Champion” in Portuguese and who had finished second to Well Armed in last year’s Dubai World Cup. “It was fabulous. The plan was to go to the front, and he is very tough. He enjoys a fight and he never gives up.”

“He always tries. He has a heart like that,” said an emotional Bary while holding his hands wide apart.

Ridden by Tiago Pereira, Gloria de Campeao covered the 2000 meters in 2:03.83 and officially won by a nose. Lizard’s Desire, who trainer Mike de Kock said “was the winner a jump past the line,” finished a short head in front of Godolphin’s third-placed Allybar, with American champion Gio Ponti fourth, 1¼ lengths back.

“I thought I had won, but as we passed the post, I looked across and the second jockey was celebrating so I thought I’d keep quiet and wait for the result,” said Pereira. “(Gloria de Campeao) was so brave and this is all just a dream.”

Kevin Shea, who rode South African-bred Lizard’s Desire, said his mount “gave me everything but the winner got it soft up front.

“It’s a very bitter pill to swallow, but I’ve got to swallow it,” he added. “When I looked up it was just after the line and I was in front and I thought I’d got it.”

Gloria de Campeao’s win marks a new era for the Dubai World Cup in its first running at Meydan and the first on an all-weather track. His victory marked the first time a horse not owned by Americans or the Maktoum family has won the world’s richest race.

The first three finishers had all raced during the Dubai International Racing Carnival, with Gloria de Campeao winning the Al Maktoum Challenge Round 1and just missing by a nose when caught at the finish line by the Japanese filly Red Desire in the Al Maktoum Challenge Round 3.

Red Desire was one of the disappointments of the Dubai World Cup, finishing 11th as one of the early favourites following her Maktoum Challenge victory. Jockey Christophe Soumillon had hustled Red Desire out of the gate and into a forward position early in the World Cup running even though she had raced from farther back previously.

“When she came out, she didn’t accelerate in the stretch,” Soumillon said.

Ramon Dominguez, who rode Gio Ponti, another one of the favourites, also said the slow pace Gloria de Campeao was allowed to set hurt the chances of the American champion.

“I had a great trip,” Dominguez said. “I was very proud of how my horse ran. They were setting a very modest pace up in front of me; that really affected my horse. I wish there had been a little more pace.”

Following Gio Ponti across the finish line were, in order: Mastery, Gitano Hernando, Richard’s Kid, Mr. Brock, Crowded House, Twice Over, Red Desire, Vision d’Etat, Amor de Pobre and Furthest Land.