Vazirabad charged home to claim a third successive victory in the Dubai Gold Cup at Meydan.

Just as he did last season, Alain de Royer-Dupre’s six-year-old warmed up for his big-race assignment by finishing second in the Nad Al Sheba Trophy over a mile and three-quarters a month ago and was the hot favourite to add to his tally on World Cup night.

Frontiersman took the field along ahead of fellow Godolphin representative Red Galileo and that pair rounded the home turn with a significant advantage over the rest of the field.

However, Vazirabad and Christophe Soumillon soon began to make inroads and the French challenger was well on top at the line, winning in a course-record time.

David Simcock’s Sheikhzayedroad came from a long way back to fill the runner-up spot, but last year’s Ascot Gold Cup hero Big Orange was a big disappointment for Michael Bell and Frankie Dettori.