Dubai World Cup hero African Story failed to land a blow as Frankyfourfingers proved too hot to handle in round two of the Al Maktoum Challenge at Meydan.
Second to Surfer in round one, Salem bin Ghadayer's five-year-old had his old rival back in fourth as the 6-1 shot made virtually every yard of the running over nine and a half furlongs in the hands of Mickael Barzalona.
Last year's winner Prince Bishop was being rousted along early on by William Buick and appeared to be struggling to face the kickback, but picked up tremendously once pulled wide in the straight and was only narrowly denied.
Le Bernardin was third, but African Story, making his first start since his World Cup heroics last March, was a big disappointment.
Barzalona said: "I wasn't sure about the trip. I was lucky to get the lead and do my own pace.
"I'm very happy with him and hopefully he will keep going.
"My horse was slowing down in the last furlong, so I was just asking him for the maximum, and he ran on well."
Saeed bin Suroor may have been out of luck with Prince Bishop and African Story, but managed a double on the night with Local Time and Famous Kid.
Local Time blitzed her rivals to give Godolphin another win in the UAE 1000 Guineas.
Once James Doyle asked the 13-8 favourite to go on over two furlongs out, the race was as good as over and she came home with three and a quarter lengths to spare over her stablemate Good Place.
Doyle said: "I'm really pleased with her and she's done well out here. The surface is a big help to her - she really grabs the dirt."
Doyle had to settle for second place on Ahzeemah as Famous Kid (5-1), ridden by Buick, led home a bin Suroor-trained one-two in the IPIC Trophy Handicap.
A slow pace suited Famous Kid, who was stepping up to a mile and three-quarters and the four-year-old had too much foot for his stable companion in the closing stages as he prevailed by three-quarters of a length.
"We got a good pitch and he relaxed well," said Buick.
"He's got a good kick and he saw it out well to the line, but I'm not sure he'd go any further than this.
"He's going the right way and beat a competitive field. How far he'll go is hard to say, but he hasn't done an awful lot wrong so far."
Paul Hanagan made all the running on Mike de Kock's Mastermind (9-4 favourite), who held the late thrust of Volatile in the Meydan Classic Trial.
Hanagan said: "He's kind of got the gate issue sorted out. He was a bit naughty but Mike and the guys have done a tremendous job at home."
A forced change of plan was rewarded when Dark Emerald (7-1) pounced late to land the Nova Handicap.
Brendan Powell wanted to run the five-year-old over a mile but when he missed the cut, the trainer let him take his chance in this six-furlong heat and was justified as Dark Emerald powered home by a length under Richard Mullen from Sholaan.
"I can't believe it. We wanted to run in the mile race, but he got balloted out," Powell told Sky Sports.
"We decided to run him here with the visor on and Richard Mullen has given him a hell of a ride.
"We were trying to win a Triumph Hurdle with him two years ago!"
Mullen said: "He actually jumped well today and he just got a bit squeezed out early on.
"We knew he'd be chasing the pace, coming back in distance, but he's basically just outstayed them at the finish.
"It was just a matter of getting as close as I could at the furlong pole and I knew he'd stay well."
Samurai Sword (12-1) narrowly denied Hugo Palmer's Short Squeeze in the CEPSA Mile.
