Meehan, having begun his career with the Irish National Stud before moving over to England to take up the post as assistant trainer to Richard Hannon, has had over 600 winners and won over £5m in prize money since going solo in 1993, but his victory in Dubai yesterday has now cemented his place as one of the finest British-based trainers around.

"He's super special. He's the best I've seen for a while and the Breeders' Cup Classic will hopefully be his main target for this year, " a delighted Meehan said of his champion David Junior afterwards.

"I thought Jamie gave him one hell of a ride and was always in the right place."

Spencer, for his part, seemed almost as much relieved as overjoyed as he breathlessly exclaimed afterwards.

"He has really progressed over the winter and strengthened up. He had the pace to go with them and they are pretty special when they can do that. I had planned to get there in the last furlong but Brian said to make his stamina count. He'll be better at a mile and a quarter. There is a long season ahead of him and fingers crossed he stays right."

Having only just celebrated the birth of his first child earlier this year, Spencer was not shy in showing his delight at the massive purse coming his way as a result. "That'll keep us in nappies for a while anyway, " he joked.

There was joy for the home support in the big race, the Dubai World Cup, when Fankie Dettori guided home 5/4 shot Electrocutionist to land the £2m feature prize.

In the first big race of the day, Heart's Cry landed a massive win for the Japanese when producing a devastating turn of speed to land the £1.6m Dubai Sheema Classic seeing off leading English hope Ouija Board and Irish challenger Alexander Goldrun along the way.

Back home in Navan, there was a shock in the Grade 3 An Uaimh Chase where evens favourite Nickname was turned over by the Noel Meade-trained Watson Lake in the feature race. Just four horses went off, with Hi Cloy and Native Beat making up the numbers, but it was Watson Lake, under the guidance of Paul Carberry, who held off the highly-fancied Nickname by a staggering eight lengths to bounce back from his disappointing showing in the Queen Mother Chase in Cheltenham a week ago.