Lord Admiral scores in Dubai

Lord Admiral cruised home in the Group 3, $200,000 Al Rashidiya at Nad Al Sheba Thursday night, turning back the clock to give the legendary Vincent O'Brien a rare big-race victory as an owner.

Trained by O'Brien's son Charles O'Brien, Lord Admiral was running for the first time since Nov. 4, when he won the listed Knockaire Stakes at Leopardstown. A Pennsylvania-bred son of El Prado, he rallied to lead at the eighth pole, quickly drawing clear under Michael Kinane to score by 3 3/4 lengths over Gharir, who was running his best race since finishing a half-length third to Shamardal in the 2005 French 2000 Guineas. Yasoodd was third, while the pacesetting Jay Peg, a two-time South African Group 1 winner, weakened into sixth. The time for the 1 1/8 miles on a good turf course was 1:49.34.

Charles O'Brien hinted that Lord Admiral would run next in either the Al Fahidi Fort on Feb. 21 or the Jebel Hatta on March 6. Both are Group 2 preps for the Dubai Duty Free. Lord Admiral finished second in both of them two years ago.

Vincent O'Brien is considered by some to be the greatest trainer in the history of Thoroughbred racing. Retired since 1994, he trained such greats as Nijinsky, Sir Ivor, Roberto, The Minstrel, El Gran Senor and Alleged, the last horse to win the Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe in consecutive years, as well as Royal Academy, the winner of the 1990 Breeders' Cup Mile. He will celebrate his 91st birthday on April 9 and divides his time between County Cork, Ireland, and Perth, Australia, the home of his wife, Jacqueline.