Dettori delight as Lord North dead-heats before World Cup win

Defending champion Lord North and Japanese runner Panthalassa shared the spoils after a dead-heat was called at the end of a thrilling renewal of the Dubai Turf at Meydan.

John and Thady Gosden’s Lord North was a decisive winner of the nine-furlong Group One 12 months ago – readily accounting for Vin De Garde (third here) by three lengths.

A year on it was much tighter between the pair, with the trio involved in a pulsating three-way finish.

Panthalassa, whose trainer Yoshito Yahagi had already saddled Bathrat Leon to win the Godolphin Mile and Stay Foolish to land the Dubai Gold Cup, made much of the running under Yutaka Yoshida – and looked likely to hold on racing inside the final furlong.

But Dettori refused to give in aboard Lord North, who answered his every call, while Vin De Garde lunged late and almost joined the pair on the line.

After checking the photo, the judge was unable to split split Panthalassa and Lord North and announced a dead-heat, with Vin De Garde narrowly behind in third.

John Gosden said: “We were fortunate as we got ourselves in a Japanese sandwich, but this horse is so tough.

“The whole idea of giving him a peep down the road at Lingfield was that it could be the perfect prep. He’s a bit of a veteran now, but I was thrilled with our boy how he managed to get back just in time.

“We will take him home, but in theory the Prince Of Wales’s Stakes will be the next target.”

Dettori was relieved after the victory, saying: “A stride after the line I was third, so to be involved in the winner’s photo I was delighted. To get a dead-heat is great.

“The horse nearly died last year and just to get him back is an achievement. To get him to run like that is even better.

“I’m delighted we’ve defended our crown, even if we’ve had to share it!”

Panthalassa's trainer Yahagi said: “Usually when he runs he takes the lead and really runs off with the race. We thought he was going to go a little bit further out wide than he did but he really held on until the end. He’s always been a really good starter so we weren’t too worried about the draw.

“We’ve had a lot of good luck today so we didn’t think we’d lose! I’ve never known a wait like that in a photo finish.”

He added: “As the Japanese racehorse level has increased over the years I’ve been really proud to showcase it on the global stage.

“This was his first time running this well on firm ground and in the past he’s run well on softer ground, so taking him over to Europe is high on his to-do list. We'd like to head to Royal Ascot for the Prince of Wales's Stakes.”

Little more than an hour later, Country Grammer provided Dettori with a fourth success in the Dubai World Cup.

It is 22 years since the ever popular Italian first won Dubai’s showpiece event aboard the great Dubai Millennium. He went on to add to his tally aboard Moon Ballad in 2003 and Electrocutionist in 2006.

Trained by Bob Baffert, Saudi Cup runner-up Country Grammer was part of a formidable American contingent which was headed by red-hot favourite Life Is Good.

Todd Pletcher’s Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile winner had successfully stepped up to nine furlongs in the Pegasus World Cup in January, but faced an even sterner stamina test over Meydan’s mile and a quarter.

Life Is Good got off to his usual fast start and led the field into the home turn, but it was obvious with a furlong to run that the petrol tank was emptying quickly and he faded into fourth place.

Dettori, on the other hand, delivered Country Grammer with a perfectly timed challenge and he was ultimately well on top at the line, with Hot Rod Charlie staying on strongly to finish second with Chuwa Wizard capping a great night for Japan in third.