Ushba Tesoro wins £10m Dubai World Cup for Japan

Ushba Tesoro had won Grade 1 races in his last two starts

Frankie Dettori and Country Grammer were denied a fairytale finish in the Dubai World Cup as Japanese challenger Ushba Tesoro swooped for victory.

Algiers, ridden by James Doyle, led going into the final furlong at Meydan, but tired as Ushba Tesoro powered home.

Emblem Road was third, with Dettori - in his final season - unplaced.

The 52-year-old Dettori and Country Grammer had won last year's race.

Hopes were high of a repeat and a second success of the day for Dettori after he earlier guided Lord North to a third win in the Dubai Turf.

But the favourite was slowly away and never able to recover in the final shake-up, finishing well out of the places as Ushba Tesoro became the first Japanese winner since Victoire Pisa in 2011.

The six-year-old had been well off the pace for a long time as the Simon and Ed Crisford-trained Algiers made the early running.

But Kawada rode a well-judged race as some of the pacesetters paid the price for early speed.

There was more success for Japan earlier, when Equinox stormed to victory under Christophe Lemaire in the Sheema Classic, for trainer Tetsuya Kimura, to justify his status as the best turf horse in the world.

He smashed the mile-and-a-half track record to land the £6m prize.

"I have never seen such a strong horse and I am surprised as well," said Kimura. "I didn't think about the tactics. My concern was just to get my horse in the best condition.

"He was just brilliant when he came into my yard as a two-year-old. I am not sure where he will run next."