Watch: Magnificent Magnitude fends off Forever Young in World Cup

When Dubai welcomed the world to old Nad Al Sheba Racetrack for the first time in 1996, 'America's Horse' Cigar repelled what seemed an inevitable challenge from compatriot Soul of the Matter to help cement Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum's goal of creating a worldwide spectacle in the Emirates.

The eyes of the racing public were on sprawling Meydan Racecourse for the 30th renewal of the event - at $12 million now worth triple the original pot - and Forever Young, looking to complete an unprecedented sequence of the world's three richest races on dirt. Ultimately it was not meant to be, as Magnitude took control right out of the stalls and Forever Young - doing his best to reel him in - ran out of real estate.

Having missed the G1 Saudi Cup - won with less energy expenditure than in 2025 by Forever Young - Magnitude prepped with a soft victory in Grade 3 company and was a reasonably fresh horse. He hit the ground running from gate one, going along smoothly for Jose Ortiz while tracked along by Forever Young and Saudi Cup third Tumbarumba.

Still travelling strongly into the final 800 metres, Magnitude was asked for acceleration nearing the entrance to the straight and left Forever Young a bit flat-footed, putting about two lengths on the reigning Breeders' Cup Classic winner. Still clear at the furlong marker, Magnitude rolled away from the inside, but the best Forever Young could do was to get to the Not This Time colt's tail at the wire. Meydaan won a photo for third, well behind the top two.

“We knew we had a very good horse, but obviously Forever Young is the best horse in the world,” said winning jockey Jose Ortiz. 

As for race strategy, Ortiz added: “We left all the options open - if he jumps well we can go to the lead, if somebody jumps better than him, just sit off, maybe behind the speed. He didn't have a running start, but he jumped well and I knew it was time to go. I asked him to run and he was there for me.”

Added winning trainer Steve Asmussen, who took the 2008 World Cup with Curlin and sent out Gun Runner to be second in 2017: “What an incredible win. We just wanted to let him to run his race from point A to point B. The horse is running with a lot of confidence and that gave us confidence. It unfolded just how we wanted it to.”

Ortiz said the celebrations will be rather muted ahead of an early morning flight back to the United States on Sunday.

"I'm not used to racing late at night under lights," he said. "I'm hungry, I want to go and eat! We fly pretty early tomorrow so I'd rather wait and celebrate with my family and friends. Maybe we'll have a cookout."

Forever Young's trainer Yoshito Yahagi believes that the Meydan track "doesn't seem to suit" his horse, having finished third in the Dubai World Cup last year. He did win the G2 UAE Derby on the track in 2024, but it was a workmanlike success that rated below the rest of his performances at three.

“Everything went the way we planned but the winner was good today," said Forever Young's regular partner Ryusei Sakai.