SUPER Saturday, sponsored by Emirates, certainly lived up to its name at Meydan last weekend. The dress rehearsal for the $35 million Dubai World Cup card included a pair of Group 1 races, four other group events and a listed race. All races were run over the course and distances of races on the big night.

The evening’s highlight saw the return of last year’s Dubai World Cup winner Thunder Snow in the $600,000 Group 1 Al Maktoum Challenge R3 over 10 furlongs. However, it was turned into a procession by Capezzano (Bernardini) who was sent straight to the front by Mickael Barzalona and was never headed for trainer Salem bin Ghadayer. Owned by Sultan Ali, the five-year-old gelding sauntered home by nine and a half lengths, winning over the trip for the first time.