Dubai World Cup: Thunder Snow wins at Meydan for Godolphin

Thunder Snow stormed to a front-running success at Meydan

Thunder Snow won the Dubai World Cup for trainer Saeed bin Suroor on a stunning night at Meydan for Sheikh Mohammed's Godolphin team.

Jockey Christophe Soumillon took the 8-1 shot into an early lead and he surged clear to claim the $10m (£7.1m) prize.

Favourite West Coast, trained by Bob Baffert, just took the runner-up spot from stablemate Mubtaahij.

Godolphin also celebrated wins on the world's richest racecard with Hawkbill, Benbatl and Jungle Cat.

Newmarket trainer Bin Suroor was saddling his eighth World Cup winner, while it was a first for Soumillon, who won by five lengths on Thunder Snow.

"I don't know if it was Sheikh Mohammed's daughter, but there was a little girl before the race who said to me 'it's a small track, so if you go in front you're going to win it,'" said Soumillon.

Bin Suroor also scored in the Dubai Turf, thanks to the Oisin Murphy-ridden Benbatl.

Jockey William Buick celebrates his success on Hawkbill

There was a double too for fellow Godolphin trainer Charlie Appleby.

Jungle Cat took an eventful Al Quoz Sprint under James Doyle after stablemate Blue Point was withdrawn at the start when blood was found in his nostrils.

William Buick triumphed on Hawkbill in the Dubai Sheema Classic, overcoming a scare before the race when the horse's leg was briefly caught in the stalls.

Mendelssohn, for Irish trainer Aidan O'Brien, enhanced his Kentucky Derby claims with an emphatic win in the UAE Derby under Ryan Moore.

Vazirabad made history with a third successive victory in the Dubai Gold Cup.

The six-year-old, ridden by Soumillon for trainer Alain de Royer-Dupre, will now be aimed at the Gold Cup at Royal Ascot in June.

Dubai World Cup - Race winners

Godolphin Mile - Heavy Metal 4-1 joint fav (S Jadhav/R Moore)

Dubai Gold Cup - Vazirabad 6-4 fav (A De Royer-Dupre/C Soumillon)

UAE Derby - Mendelssohn 7-4 (A O'Brien/R Moore)

Al Quoz Sprint - Jungle Cat 11-4 (C Appleby/J Doyle)

Golden Shaheen - Mind Your Biscuits 6-1 (S Summers/J Rosario)

Dubai Turf - Benbatl 4-1 fav (S bin Suroor/O Murphy)

Sheema Classic - Hawkbill 5-1 (C Appleby/W Buick)

Dubai World Cup - Thunder Snow 8-1 (S bin Suroor/C Soumillon)