Dettori shines as Country Grammer wins World Cup

Favourite Life Is Good tired up badly in closing stages to finish fourth.

Country Grammer provided Frankie Dettori with a fourth success in the Dubai World Cup at Meydan.

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.

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