America brilliantly bookmarked the Dubai World Cup chapter at Nad Al Sheba, where Well Armed absolutely destroyed his 13 rivals, recording an astonishing 14-length record-winning distance.

Cigar`s victory in the inaugural race in 1996 took most people`s breath away and there was a similar reaction to Well Armed`s win - in what is the last race ever to be run at Nad Al Sheba, as racing moves to the state-of-the-art Meydan next UAE season.

The six-year-old bounced out of the gates a length in front and was never headed in the US$6million showpiece, kindly sponsored by Emirates.

The win for trainer Eoin Harty, jockey Aaron Gryder and owner-breeders WinStar Farm looked in the bag rounding the home turn, as his rivals failed to make any inroads on a huge lead.

	Well Armed (Aaron Grider up) winning the Dubai World Cup 2009

Gloria De Campeao gave chase to finish second, while the Saudi Arabian outsiders Paris Perfect and Muller ran on well for third and fourth. But this was all about one horse.

“Here we go boys!” screamed jockey Gryder as he weighed in. “Last race at Nad Al Sheba, and we won it!”

The victory was nearly double Curlin`s seven and three-quarter length win last year, the previous record winning distance.

Trainer Harty has a strong connection with the UAE, having been hired by Godolphin to train their two-year-olds in the US in 2000 and spent two years readying the juveniles in Dubai.

Harty developed Street Cry, who went on to win the 2003 Dubai World Cup, but was thrilled to repeat the feat in his own name this time.

He said: “It`s the biggest win of the career. I owe a lot to His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum who got me started and plucked me from a relative obscurity.

“This horse chipped a bone in the UAE Derby and then he fractured his pelvis and the vets wanted to put him down. Two years on he`s won the richest race in the world.”

The fancied Albertus Maximus and Asiatic Boy were the disappointments of the race, finishing sixth and 12th respectively.

The former`s rider Alan Garcia said: “He was fighting me. I can`t really explain it right now. Last time I rode him in the Donn he was a totally different horse.”

While Asiatic Boy`s rider Johnny Murtagh commented: He is a horse who needs to get organized early on and we got shuffled back. After that we were flat to the boards and always struggling.”