Jockey Frankie Dettori rides Golden Steps to victory in the Qatar Stewards Sprint Stakes at the Qatar Goodwood Festival yesterday in Chichester, England. (Reuters)
By Chris Hoover/Chichester, England
Marco Botti trained Golden Steps (Frankie Dettori up) sporting the colours of Mohammed al-Mannai gave yet another victory for Qatar with an exciting win in the Qatar Stewards Sprint Stakes, the opening event of the final day’s races of the Qatar Goodwood Festival at the Goodwood Racecourse yesterday.
Incidentally, Golden Steps became the second horse to win on the European circuit after having raced in Doha in the previous season. Al Shaqab’s Dubday had set the trend with a brilliant victory in the Betfred Glorious Stakes on Friday. The four-year-old Golden Steps was eased up near the line by Frankie Dettori to beat Barnet Fair, the mount of Richard Hughes, by a length and a half, with Go Far a neck further back in third.
“I am delighted,” said Botti, celebrating his first Qatar Goodwood Festival success. “He won well and Frankie gave him a great ride. He is one of those horses that travels well and you just need to hold onto him - Frankie waited for the split, came through and he was very impressive.
“I knew that he had a good race in him. We have always thought that he was a well handicapped horse and he is progressive and he handled the track really well. I think the race panned out really well in that they went fast and that’s what he wanted - a strong pace.
“We will see what the handicapper does before deciding where we go next. Ideally, I would like to go for another valuable handicap, though it could be that we look at a Listed race.
“Frankie is amazing jockey, who has done so well this week. I am really pleased for him to ride a winner for me. You don’t have to give him any instruction, he knows what to do and he came over before the race to say that he already had a plan in mind. It worked out really well - he is a brilliant jockey to have in the right race.”
Dettori is now on five winners for the week and has a clear lead over Andrea Atzeni and James Doyle, who are both on three successes, in the Racing UK leading rider award. “Golden Steps has been unlucky a couple of times but everything went perfect,” said Dettori. “I had a good pace in front of me - you have to produce him late - and everything worked out to plan.
“This is the consolation race for the Stewards’ Cup, so he is taking on less classy animals. He was full of confidence today and won well. I hope it’s the low numbers again in the Stewards’ Cup because I am drawn one.
“That’s five winners for the week and I am halfway there. I don’t want to count my chickens yet but it is nice position to be in.”
“Though he was drawn very badly, Golden Steps had run a brilliant race in Qatar in February. He had just missed the cut for the Stewards Cup but he still did well to win here. He is a very fast horse and it was a great ride by Frankie. Horses which have raced in Qatar have shown their mettle in Europe and I would not be surprised if there many more that will continue to do that,” Al Shaqab racing consultant Harry Herbert told the Gulf Times.“Trainer Botti has done a very good job with Golden Steps. We hope to bring him back to Doha in February and have another go at the International race. Hoepfully, he can get a better draw next time around,” Herbert added.
