The Dubai World Cup, the richest day of horse racing in the world, has taken place at the Meydan race course. And what a day of racing it was.
From the very first moments of Race 1, the 80,000+ crowd were on their feet as the great and the good of the horse racing world did battle for some of the highest payouts ever seen in racing circles.
The nine-race card would see an incredible US$27,250,000 shared in prize money including a US$10,000,000 bounty to the horse winning the main event of the evening.
Read on to see final placings in every race together with a description of the best of the action.
Race 1: Dubai Kahayla Classic Sponsored By Emaar
Prize Money: US$250,000
Djainka des Forges will be disappointed at the failure to win after leading all the way from the off and going into the final turn.
However, Rabbah De Carrere stuck tight to the rails and edge ahead approaching the finishing line to take the first race of the day.
Per Emirates 24/7, it was owner Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed Al Nahyan's second victory in the 2,000m All-Weather race for Purebred Arabians.
Musharab finished third with Raaziq a close fourth.
Race 2: Godolphin Mile Sponsored By Meydan Sobha
Prize Money: US$1,000,000
South African Horse of the Year Variety Club was a worthy winner of the Godolphin Mile.
Showing all of his class, the thoroughbred led from start to finish and comfortably edged out last year's winner Soft Falling Rain.
The Joey Ramsden-trained horse was never really trouble in what turned into a procession for the horse.
Race 3: Dubai Gold Cup Sponsored By Al Tayer Motors
Prize Money: US$1,000,000
The crowd were on their feet long before the end of this race. And what a race!
Per Emirates 24/7, the two-miler has been dominated over the years by the Godolphin stable and last year's winner Cavalryman was still in the shake up in the final stages.
As the noise reached a crescendo with the horses powering for home, Silvestre De Sousa on Cavalryman made his move for glory.
He hadn't reckoned with the staying power of Certerach however, and the Irish horse who had been in the pack throughout pipped the favourite at the post.
Race 4: UAE Derby Sponsored By The Saeed & Mohammed Al Naboodah Group
Prize Money: US$2,000,000
English jockey Jamie Spencer took Toast Of New York to victory by two-and-a-half lengths in the $2,000,000 UAE Derby.
Spencer unleashed the horse's power in the final 400 meters to ease him past Asmar and Emirates Flyer.
Early leader Safety Check faded badly toward the end, but there was no denying the American horse.
Race 5: Al Quoz Sprint Empowered By IPIC
Prize Money: US$1,000,000
The fifth race of the evening saw a new course record with Australia's Amber Sky winning the 1,000m sprint in just 56.21 seconds, per Emirates 24/7.
He was pushed all the way firstly by Berlino Di Tiger and then Hamza.
Regaining the lead in the final stages, Ahtoug and Shea Shea came on strong, but as the latter faded in the closing stages, Amber Sky went on to take it by a neck.
Per GulfNews, winning jockey Joao Moreira was ecstatic:
He’s been such a great champion. He is so easy to ride. It was a great opportunity for him to prove himself and he did so with such style. I think I gave him a good ride and he just went on to prove himself on the world stage.
He’s such a special horse. He put himself in the right spot and I was able to just let him go when I asked him to. He had a great kick back and he was simply too good for the others. Personally, the feeling for me could not have been any better.
Race 6: Dubai Golden Shaheen Sponsored By Gulf News
Prize Money: US$2,000,000
Joao Moreira was the second jockey to win a double tonight, having earlier won the Al Quoz Sprint.
The hot favourite Rich Tapestry took the race by the scruff of the neck, but the expected win didn't materialise as Sterling City powered through the final 200 metres to take it at the line by a quarter of a length.
Thrilling stuff!
Race 7: Dubai Duty Free Sponsored By Dubai Duty Free
Prize Money: US$5,000,000
What a way to stun your rivals! Just A Way was miles behind the field, but his charge to the line was poetry itself.
Tokei Halo looked the most impressive and had led until the final 400 metres. A stunning sprint from his fellow Japanese horse took him past everyone, including pre-race favourite Vercingetorix.
A six-length victory and another track record for this race of 1:47.93 was a fine way to finish.
Dank came home third with Mshawish a distant fourth in a disappointing run for jockey Frankie Dettori.
Race 8: Dubai Sheema Classic Presented By Longines
Prize Money: US$5,000,000
Two-time Japan Cup winner Gentildonna came from behind emphatically on the final back straight to win the Dubai Sheema Classic.
Cirrus Des Aigles was the pre-race favourite heading into the Dubai Sheema Classic and looked for all the world like he would be romping to victory, but Gentildonna just had that vital extra energy at the end, winning by a length-and-a-half.
Jockey Ryan Moore performed well and saw Gentildonna destroy the track record for the 2,410m turf feature, posting a time of 2:27.25.
Following the race, a representative of the Sunday Racing Company Limited, Gentildonna's owners, spoke to Gulf News:
She’s in good form. On the last track she had nowhere to go but she did well to get out, and I think Ryan Moore did a good job there.
She won the Japan Cup last year and Ryan just told me that she was much better tonight.
Race 9: Dubai World Cup Sponsored By Emirates Airline
Prize Money: US$10,000,000
African Story made history for the Goldophin stable by winning the $10,000,000 Dubai World Cup for the sixth time.
The seven-year-old, ridden by Silvestre de Sousa, defied the odds to finish two-and-three-quarters of a length ahead of the front-runner, Mukhadram.
Mukhadram was yet another horse to be pipped at the post on Saturday, though with both horses being owned by members of the Al Maktoum Family, the victory was always in the bag for Dubai on the home straight.
De Sousa was understandably emotional after the race and said to Gulf News:
It’s amazing! It’s our home track and our own horse He’s already won the Godolphin Mile, he’s just proven that he can step up in class.
It was brilliant and it was a great reception. I knew the way he was travelling that he would have a bit of extra for me. He’s marvellous, it’s amazing,
I’m absolutely delighted. I’m over the moon. I always thought I was in the right place to win the race.
Irish horse Ruler of the World was the favourite heading into the race, but was way off the pace as African Story reigned supreme in Dubai.