Star South African mare Igugu suffered a surprise defeat to Sajjhaa on her reappearance in the Group Two Balanchine Stakes at Meydan.
Mike de Kock’s charge had carried all before her at home but had been off the track since winning the Group One J&B Met at Kenilworth last January.
Christophe Soumillon was positive from the off aboard Igugu, taking it up six furlongs out in the one-mile-one-furlong (1800m) heat and she was on top turning for home.
However, she began to flounder in the straight as Godolphin’s Sajjhaa cruised up in the hands of Silvestre de Sousa.
She quickly cut down Igugu and when De Sousa gave the signal, the Saeed bin Suroor-trained mare accelerated away to supplement her recent Cape Verdi win.
Prussian tried to go with her but had to settle for second, with Igugu only third.
“She’s been fantastic,” Godolphin racing manager Simon Crisford told Sky Sports.
“She’s thrived in Dubai and that was a good performance.
“I think that is probably her maximum level here so we will take her back to Europe now and I think America may be her target in the second half of the season.”
William Hill pushed Igugu out to 14-1 from 8s for the Dubai World Cup following her defeat, while cutting favourite Royal Delta by half a point to 4-1.
Godolphin’s Con Artist had initiated an early brace for De Sousa and Bin Suroor in the Al Naboodah Travel & Tourism Agencies Trophy Handicap.
Ex-Aidan O’Brien inmate Await The Dawn bounced back to winning form with a stylish verdict in the Al Naboodah Commercial Group Trophy.
The six-year-old won the Hardwicke Stakes at Royal Ascot in 2011 but had lost his way a bit after letting down favourite-backers when only third in the Juddmonte International that year.
Transferred to the care of De Kock, Await The Dawn shrugged off an unplaced effort on his carnival debut at the start of the month to run out a comfortable winner.
