Thunder Snow wins 2018 Dubai World Cup (Video)

The National -- Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid, Vice President, Prime Minister and Ruler of Dubai, opened the 2018 Dubai World Cup. Tourists and residents swept into the venue in force to watch 118 horses compete in the cup’s nine races, and eye-up each other's outfits.

It's been an incredible day of record-breaking racing at Meydan racecourse, with Godolphin the big winners, sweeping all three of the big races, starting with Bentabl's victory in the $6 million (Dh22.04m) Dubai Turf. That was quickly followed by Hawkbill in the $6m Dubai Sheema Classic, before Thunder Snow landed the big one - the $10m Dubai World Cup.

After a sensational win in the 2018 Dubai World Cup with Thunder Snow, jockey Christophe Soumillon has offered his thoughts on a "dream come true" victory.

Thunder Snow brought the roof down at Meydan after leading all the way to win Dubai World Cup as Thunder Snow wins the $10m race Dubai’s most prestigious equine prize in a new track record.

It capped a fantastic evening for Godolphin and their most successful and longest serving trainer Saeed bin Suroor in the Dubai World Cup.

Thunder Snow under Christophe Soumillon won by more than five lengths from American hall of fame trainer Bob Baffert’s West Coast and Mubtaahij to complete a four-timer for the racing operation of Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid, Vice President of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai.

Soumillon said Thunder Snow came into the race after a productive Dubai World Cup Carnival outing, winning once and finishing runner up twice in the three-race Al Maktoum Challenge series.

“He’s a champion horse as a two-year-old in England and won the UAE Derby as a three-year-old, and [he has] now won the Dubai World Cup as a four-year-old. He’s an amazing,” Soumillon said.

Although it is the world’s richest horse racing event, the style and fashion at Dubai World Cup have become almost as important as the US$30 million race itself.

Tens of thousands gathered on Saturday to be part of the world’s richest night of horse racing. In stylish dresses and elegant suits, racing enthusiasts rushed from their homes as early as 10am on Saturday to enjoy the horse races, fashion competitions and many other entertainment activities held alongside the Dubai World Cup 2018.