Pascal Bary, trainer, Gloria de Campeao, 1st: “If he’s alone after he’s taken the lead and no one comes after him, it is so difficult to catch him.  He wants to fight.”

Tiago Pereira, jockey, Gloria de Campeao, 1st: “I thought I had won but as we past the post, I looked across and the second jockey was celebrating, so I thought I’d keep quiet and wait for the result.  The horse settled in front and I dropped my hands 300 metres out and asked him to kick on.  He was so brave and this is all just a dream.”

William Buick, jockey, Dar Re Me, 1st: “She broke well and was always giving me so much confidence and then she found another gear at the end. A lot can happen in these races. We need a bit of luck, but I was always feeling good about the race. In fact, she just kept feeling better and better. I tracked Frankie, and though we well behind early, I knew he’d know all about the pace around here. I was confident when I saw this filly after Super Thursday because she looked as though she’d just come from California rather than having spent the winter in England.”

Royston Ffrench, jockey, Al Shemali, 1st: “It was a pleasant surprise but the stable had been in terrific form and I knew he’d stay. It was the case of getting a clear split and we got it. It’s the most prestigious win of my career.”

Kevin Shea, jockey, Bankable, 2nd: “It was a very good run. The pace was just too slow. The best horse didn’t beat us. It was the pace that beat us. But we’re happy.”

Garrett Gomez, jockey, Kinsale King, 1st: “It was wonderful. I just wanted to get involved in the race early and once he got involved, he traveled well the whole way and in the last 400 metres, he stayed on well. He ran a wonderful race.”

Musir with Christophe Soumillon in the saddle produced a storming run down the Meydan straight to out gun his stable companion the three year old filly Raihana and Kevin Shea to win the UAE Derby. In doing so he gave trainer Mike de Kock a remarkable fifth UAE Derby winner, and maintained the stranglehold that he and Saeed bin Suroor have on this race, as the only two trainers ever to win it. Bin Suroor has six wins to de Kock’s five.

Ahmed Ajtebi, jockey, Calming Influence, 1st: “I’m so happy to win for the trainer. I’ve been with him for five years.”

Tadhg O’Shea, jockey, Green Coast, 2nd: “He’s run out of his skin. He’s rated a few pounds below the best of these. He’s a hold up horse and he needs daylight, so I had to ride him the way I did. I thought at the furlong pole I might get there, but his run peaked soon after. Still, I’m delighted. It was a terrific run.”

Derek Cruz, trainer, Joy And Fun, 1st: “I haven’t got the words to express it hardly. I feel really proud, he pinged out of the gates and was more prominent than I thought he would be and Brett kept him there all the way and with a great ride and I guess at home he is more of a 1400 meter horse, so his stamina for this straight told in the end.”