Two heads are better than one, and after First City fought past the Mike de Kock-trained Reem in the stretch run of the Balanchine Stakes on Friday at Meydan in Dubai, she was a sitting duck for the de Kock-trained race favorite, Mahbooba, who swept past and won the Group 2, $200,000 Balanchine by two and one-half lengths under Christophe Soumillon.

Master of Hounds ran okay, but it was another Mike de Kock-trained horse, Viscount Nelson, who won the Group 2, $250,000 Al Fahidi Fort on Thursday night at Meydan in Dubai.

Racing near the back of the pack under longtime de Kock associate Kevin Shea, Viscount Nelson moved up smartly between horses as the field turned into the homestretch of the one-mile grass race. With luck on their side, Shea and Viscount Nelson continued their rally unimpeded through the straightaway, getting up in the final half-furlong to beat Albaasil by a half-length.

Transcend, the runner-up in the 2011 Dubai World Cup, will be favored to defend his title in Sunday’s $2.4 million February Stakes at Tokyo Racecourse, a prep for this year’s Dubai World Cup in the United Arab Emirates on March 31.

Transcend has not started since winning the Japan Cup Dirt at Hanshin Racecourse on Dec. 4. A 6-year-old horse by Wild Rush, Transcend has won 10 of 19 starts, all for owner Koji Maeda and trainer Takayuki Yasuda. He was named Japan’s champion dirt horse last year.

Mahbooba should be expected to turn the tables on First City when the two meet for the second time this winter in the Group 2, $200,000 Balanchine Stakes for fillies and mares on Friday at Meydan in Dubai.

Making the quickest turnaround of her career, Black Caviar can stretch her unbeaten streak to 19 races in Saturday’s $802,500 Lightning Stakes at Flemington Racecourse in Australia, just a week after winning the C.F. Orr Stakes at Caulfield last Saturday.

Black Caviar, 6, was listed as a 1-10 favorite on Thursday for the Group 1 Lightning Stakes, which is run over a straightaway five furlongs on turf. The Lightning Stakes will be Black Caviar’s first start over that distance since her 14th career win in the Group 2 Schillaci Stakes at Caulfield in October.

Master of Hounds is one of 13 horses entered in the Group 2, $250,000 Al Fahidi Fort Stakes on Thursday night at Meydan, a race that comes up just one week after Master of Hounds finished third in the Maktoum Challenge Round 2.

Black Caviar’s unbeaten streak stands at 18 races after a shockingly easy win in Saturday’s Group 1 C.F. Orr Stakes at Caulfield, Australia, the 6-year-old mare’s first career start at seven furlongs.

Mendip capped a blockbuster Thursday night at Meydan for trainer Saeed bin Suroor, giving the Dubai native four wins from six Thoroughbred races on the program with a 1 1/4-length victory in Round 2 of the Maktoum Challenge.

Ridden to victory by Kieren Fallon, Mendip raced 10th of 11 during the early portion of the Group 2, $250,000 race, launching his winning move on the far turn about three furlongs from the finish. Mendip made steady progress racing wide into the home straight and continued on resolutely to score a fairly convincing victory over longshot Haatheq.

Black Caviar will make her first start at seven furlongs, and can extend her unbeaten streak to 18 races, in Saturday’s $428,000 C.F. Orr Stakes at Caulfield Racecourse in Australia.

A 6-year-old Black Caviar will be an overwhelming favorite as part of a field of eight. Black Caviar, who will be ridden by regular rider Luke Nolen, drew post 5. She opened as a 1-25 shot with one Australian betting firm earlier this week.

Two Mike de Kock-trained Dubai World Cup hopefuls, Master of Hounds and Bold Silvano, will see action on the Thursday program at Meydan, with Master of Hounds heading the field for the Group 2, $250,000 Al Maktoum Challenge Round 2, and Bold Silvano returning from a year-plus layoff in the Group 3, $200,000 Firebreak Stakes.

[DUBAI RACING: Get free PPs and watch Thursday's card from Meydan live]