Vazirabad won the Dubai Gold Cup at Meydan for the second successive year to take the prize back to France once more.

Christophe Soumillon was content to sit right out at the back on Alain de Royer-Dupre's stayer, as Big Orange put the pace to the race under Frankie Dettori.

Beautiful Romance - trying the two-mile trip for just the second time - was never far from the sharp end under Oisin Murphy and quickened up smartly off the bend, going two lengths clear.

Sheikhzayedroad started to give chase in the hands of Martin Harley, but Soumillon was making relentless progress on the five-year-old winner.

As Beautiful Romance began to tire, Vazirabad hit the front, claiming the spoils from Saeed bin Suroor's mare, with the David Simcock-trained Sheikhzayedroad right on their heels and Big Orange in fourth.

Royer-Dupre said: "The ground is a little bit soft, which is good for him, and Soumillon was very good.

"Every time he races he gets better and because of this I was confident of a good effort from him.

"He likes to come from the back and Christophe took his time and picked them off one by one.

"He's a good horse with a great jockey and I think his main target this year will be the new Group One at Goodwood (Goodwood Cup), but we will also think about the Gold Cup (Ascot) as long as the ground is not too quick for him there."

Murphy said of the runner-up: "The race wasn't run to plan as they went slowly early on, but I was very happy turning in as she was all set to go from the front but we were run down by the favourite.

"I think she's an improving filly and I was delighted to be able to keep the ride and it's great to be wearing the (Godolphin) colours."

Harley said of Sheikhzayedroad: "I was a little bit unlucky, he travelled good, was nice and relaxed all the way and I thought there was plenty of room up the straight, but I was slightly hemmed in by Christophe's horse and without that I might have been second.

"But I would not have beaten the winner."