Five classic Dubai World Cup moments: Departing broadcaster Terry Spargo shares his top memories

Terry Spargo has been the race commentator at the Dubai Racing Club for 17 years and tomorrow’s Emirates Dubai World Cup will be his last as he is set to return to his native Australia.

Terry Spargo during the Dubai World Cup 2013 press conference held at the IMAX theatre at Meydan racecourse in Dubai. Pawan Singh / The National file

Terry Spargo has been the race commentator at the Dubai Racing Club for 17 years and Saturday’s Dubai World Cup will be his last as he is set to return to his native Australia.

We spoke to the voice of UAE racing about his top five favourite World Cup moments.

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I came to the Dubai Racing Club from Australia in the 2000/2001 season. Before I asked to do the job I was working in New South Wales and before that in Hong Kong. I started out in Queensland as a general announcer, but I did other things such as being a DJ, the whole bit, really.

As for who is going to win on Saturday, the horse I fancy the most is Ertijaal in the Al Quoz Sprint. He has done everything right and enjoyed a perfect preparation for this by breaking the 56 seconds barrier in the 1000-metre Meydan Sprint. He also holds the record over six furlongs, has an excellent draw in the middle and should run a strong race over 1,200 metres.

Here are my top five memories of World Cup night:

2001 Captain Steve

It was my first World Cup, and it is the one you never forget. It was the magic trainer/jockey combination of Bob Baffert and Jerry Bailey. Earlier in the night I made a mistake when I called the photo wrong. Godolphin’s Fantastic Light and Stay Gold hit the line together and I went with the Godolphin horse. Stay Gold won the race for Japan.

2004 Pleasantly Perfect

Pleasantly Perfect, ridden by Alex Solis, and Medaglia d’Oro, ridden by Jerry Bailey, had been involved in a tremendous stretch battle at the Breeders’ Cup at Santa Anita the November beforehand. Pleasantly Perfect was driven out to win by Alex Solis. In Dubai Pleasantly Perfect caught Medaglia d’Oro with about 300 metres to go and from there the two reprised their Breeders’ Cup tussle for Pleasantly Perfect to win again.

2006 Electrocutionist

A Godolphin winner is always popular but they raised the roof when Frankie Dettori and Electrocutionist came from an almost impossible position from halfway through the race to run down his rivals. It was Saeed Bin Suroor’s fifth win in the World Cup and the celebrations were to be remembered.

2009 Well Armed

Cigar had won the first running of the Dubai World Cup in 1996 and this was the final race at Nad Al Sheba before Meydan.

Turning for home the American challenger was going so well and was that far in front that it was clear he was going to win. With 600 metres left it meant that there was just over 30 seconds to fill. I knew it was the end of an era and I just said: “five lengths in front, six lengths in front, seven lengths in front and from Cigar to Well Armed it is all over at Nad Al Sheba — Well Armed bolts in.”

By the time he had won I had no idea the winning margin was 14 lengths.

2010 Gloria De Campeao

It was the first big night at Meydan and it served up a thrilling race. Gloria De Campeao took the lead early on under Tiago Josue Pereira but was then chased down by Mike de Kock’s Lizard’s Desire and Godolphin’s Allybar. At the line it was almost impossible to split them. It was the first $10million (Dh35.76m) Dubai World Cup so it was the first $US4million photo finish as the winners received $6m and the second just $2m.

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