Kinglet could bid for the UAE Derby after winning the UAE 2000 Guineas at Meydan.
On a card dominated by trainers Mahmood Al Zarooni and Saeed bin Suroor, it was Kinglet who emerged with most credit.
The Godolphin-owned colt appreciated the step back up to a mile (1600m) to give Al Zarooni and jockey Mickael Barzalona back-to-back victories in the Group Three after Splash Point 12 months ago.
The 2-1 favourite made smooth progress from the rear to head the Brian Meehan-trained Mehdi inside the final furlong (200m).
He went on to win comfortably from Mickdaam, who just pipped Mehdi in a close thing for third.
“The horse benefited from Mickael. He rode him before and he understands the horse,” Al Zarooni said.
“He loves the surface and one furlong further than last time he loved it. That’s why I think he won the race.
“The plan is to go to the UAE Derby. I’m not sure if he will stay or not because after the race he looked very tired.
“We’ll go home and see how he is, but I think we’ll try him in that race.”
Round Two of the Al Maktoum Challenge went the way of Bin Suroor’s Mendip.
Ridden by Kieren Fallon, the five-year-old was winning at Meydan for the fifth time to go with a victory at Kempton on his debut.
Fallon brought him wide to challenge and held off Haatheq by 1-1/4 lengths with one-time Derby prospect Dubai Prince unplaced.
“He’s a very good horse and he’s a beautiful horse to ride. He wasn’t himself last time but he’s bounced back. He needed the run last time, the team said he was right for tonight and he proved that,” Fallon said.
“He did it a lot easier than it looked, he had more in hand.”
Barzalona had earlier displayed his talent when delivering Spring Of Fame (8-1), another for Bin Suroor, with a perfectly-timed run to head Jamr close home and land the Dubal Casthouse Trophy.
Bin Suroor also struck with 3-1 favourite Songcraft, who got up in the last stride under a strong drive from Silvestre de Sousa to snatch the Dubal Potlines Trophy.
Songcraft maintained his 100 per cent record when grabbing Laajooj, ridden by Frankie Dettori, in the final stride to give Godolphin a one-two.
Bin Suroor and De Sousa also won with Sandagiyr, who provided a 20-1 surprise in the Group Three Firebreak Stakes.
PA AAP TURF
