Gloria lands $10m Dubai World Cup

The victory was well deserved compensation after the horse finished second to US raider Well Armed in the 2009 race, although a distant 14 lengths behind.

It was a close-run thing this year as it looked as if Lizard's Desire, ridden by Kevin Shea for South African trainer Mike de Kock, was going to catch Gloria de Campeao on the line.

In a desperate photo-finish, the seven-year-old, a 16-1 chance, just held on by a nose from Lizard's Desire (33-1) with Allybar (16-1) a short head away when finishing third out of 14 runners. "He's a wonderful horse. He always tries," Gloria de Campeao's trainer Bary said. The victory is worth a massive $6 million to winning connections but Bary said: "At the moment, I don't speak money, I speak horses."

American challenger Gio Ponti, second to Zenyatta in the 2009 Breeders' Cup Classic, finished fourth. Fancied English raiders Gitano Hernando and Twice Over were further back along with France's Vision d'Etat, who had to pass a morning vet's examination before being allowed to run.

The race capped the spectacular official opening of the $2 billion Meydan complex, which has been described as the eighth wonder of the world.

In other lucrative action, the $5 million Dubai Sheema Classic went to young English jockey William Buick, who scored in his first Group One ride for his new retaining trainer John Gosden when partnering the filly Dar Re Mi to a 9-1 success.

Al Shemali, a 40-1 outsider, won the other $5 million race, the Dubai Duty Free, for jockey Royston Ffrench.