Twice Over earned favouritism for the Dubai World Cup with an outstanding victory in Round 3 of the G2 Maktoum Challenge at Meydan on Thursday night.  He overpowered Australian bred colt Musir inside the final furlong to score by more than two lengths.

The $300,000 event was a dress rehearsal for the world’s richest race on March 26.  The Henry Cecil trained raider finished well back in last year’s World Cup.

Twice Over (6h Observatory – Double Crossed by Caerleon) is raced by Juddmonte Farms principal Khalid Abdullah and has won the last two editions of the G1 English Champion Stakes at Newmarket.   

“I was quite wide so was happy to go for home with a few of the others trapped inside,” jockey Tom Queally said.  “It worked well and he ran on strongly.  He will have needed that so we have to be excited about the World Cup.”

Sheikh Hamdan’s Kentucky bred colt Mendip got up in the final strides to snatch a narrow victory in the G3 Burj Nahaar (1600m).  He was partnered by Frankie Dettori to score by a neck.  Our Giant (Giant’s Causeway), an Australian bred South African G1 winner, was never in the hunt.

Mendip (4c Harlan´s Holiday – Well Spring by Coronado´s Quest) has won four of his five starts at Meydan.  His only loss was in last year’s G3 UAE Derby behind Musir.

Dettori just missed a feature double at Meydan when Wigmore Hall pipped his mount Poet’s Voice (Dubawi) in an exciting finish to the G2 Jebel Hatta.  Australian bred Le Drakkar (Anabaa) finished fourth.

Wigmore Hall (4g High Chaparral – Love And Laughter by Theatrical) was fifth to Twice Over at his last start in the Champion Stakes at Newmarket and trainer Michael Bell has him ticking over nicely for the Dubai Duty Free before trips to Hong Kong and Singapore.