The Spaniard leads Germany's Marcel Siem and Scott Jamieson of Scotland by two shots, while as many as seven players lie on six under under par, three strokes back, including World No 2 Rory McIlroy and World No 4 Martin Kaymer.
As good a score as his 63 was, Cabrera-Bello looked at one stage as if he might well become the first player to card a 59 in Europe. All nine of his birdies on the day came in his first 11 holes, but unfortunately he could make no further gains in his last seven.
"Just for a second after the birdie on number two (his 11th hole) I tried to do the maths on what I needed for 59," said Cabrera-Bello.
"Then I told myself to stop being foolish and don't be too greedy. Nothing wrong happened - there were some tough holes to come and I didn't drop a stroke.
"It's a really, really good score, but in itself it means nothing. If you want to stay grounded you think of how many leaders of the first round win the tournament. Not that many.
"I know I have to play really, really good just to have a chance."
Rory McIlroy went on a charge of his own at the Emirates Golf Club on Thursday. Finding himself a lowly one over par after eight holes, The Northern Irishman suddenly came to life, birdying seven of his last 10 holes for his 66.
McIlroy, who won his first professional tournament at this event back in 2009, almost holed-in-one on the 15th, a hole that Scot Stephen Gallacher did manage to ace on the day.
He also had a superb chance of an eagle after two brilliant shots at the par-five 18th, but had to be content with a birdie.
"I was pretty slow starting off and after my best shot with of the day on the seventh three-putted from four feet," said McIlroy, whose girlfriend Caroline Wozniacki is with him for support this week.
"I just needed to get something to happen, made a nice birdie on nine and went on a run from there. Seeing nine under on the leaderboard early is tough - you think you should be doing better."
Second-placed Marcel Siem looked on course to perhaps equal Cabrera-Bello's total, but instead of a birdie at the long 18th that would have seen draw level, he hit his second shot right into the lake and ran up a bogey six.
Jamieson, tied with Siem, impressed with five birdies, three of them in the par threes, and a superb eagle three on the 550 yard 13th.
The other five players who share Titleist Scotty Cameron Studio Select Laguna 2 Putterwith Kaymer and McIlroy are Belgian Nicolas Colsaerts, Dane Thomas Bjorn, South African Richard Sterne and Frenchmen Romain Wattel and Gregory Bourdy.
Further down the field, Lee Westwood opened with a 69, last week's winner Paul Lawrie a 71 after closing with a disappointing double bogey on the ninth and Abu Dhabi champion Robert Rock a 73.Statistics: Posted by fiona18 — Tue Feb 14, 2012 5:12 am
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