It was Sheikh Mohammed Bin Khalifa Al Maktoum's homebred Pride Of Dubai who overcame a troubled run to edge out Sheikh Hamdan's 100/1 chance Reemah by a head with Coolmore's million dollar filly Lake Geneva in third. (photo Grant Courtney).
Damian Browne found a narrow seam between Miss Gidget and race favourite Fontiton whose jockey Mark Zahra attempted to gap.
Despite being bumped around like a pinball the strapping Pride Of Dubai bullied his way through.
"It was a bit hairy trying to get the gap," Browne said.
"On straightening, Mark tried to shut the gate on me but lucky I'm on a big, strong, good horse."
Sheikh Khalifa had to stump up a $55,000 late entry fee for the son of Street Cry who was ridden Damian Browne who won the race last year aboard Earthquake.
Trainer Peter Snowden won the race with Sepoy in 2011 with Earthquake last year when training for Darley but it was his first as co-trainer with his son Paul.
"It's always great to win these races, especially for Sheikh Bin Khalifa. It's our first group of horses that he's given us so it's a big result," Paul Snowden said.
"If he didn't win today, he would have been a certainty beat. It would have been a tragedy.
"To his credit, he picked himself up a couple of times off the canvas and he's proved a worthy winner."
"His attitude is second to none, He is so quiet you could lead him around with a head collar and a little girl could ride him. That's what type of horse he is.
Pride of Dubai made his first start in Sydney when third behind Godolphin's highly regarded Exceed and Excel filly Ottoman.
Sent down to Melbourne he flagged his Blue Diamond credentials with a fast finishing second in the Group III Blue Diamond Prelude.
Sheikh Khalifa has made significant investment in bloodstock in Australia, not always with commensurate success.
At the 2005 Magic Millions Yearling sale he purchased a Danehill filly out of the imported Eljazzi (Artius) for $500,000.
Named Al Anood she proved quite useful winning twice and was placed in a Listed stakes in South Australia.
Al Anood had plenty to recommend as a broodmare. She boasts a powerful stakes filled pedigree. Most significantly she is a half-sister to French Oaks winner Rahfa, the dam of the influential Invincible Spirit (Green Desert).
The first named foal of Al Anood was the More Than Ready colt Al Aneed who defeated Crystal Web and Limes in the Listed Gothic Stakes.
Foaled and raised at Coolmore, Pride Of Dubai is the fifth foal of Al Anood who has a yearling High Chapparal (IRE) filly and a colt foal by the deceased son of Sadler's Wells. She was bred back to Medaglia D'Oro (USA) last spring.
Pride Of Dubai becomes the 17th Group 1 win for Darley Stud's sadly missed stallion Street Cry (IRE).
