3 minute read

Trainer Marco Botti's only runner at Goodwood this week was a winning one courtesy of 10/1 shot Golden Steps in the opening Qatar Stewards' Sprint Handicap over six furlongs.

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."

Barnet Fair, who won the Qatar Stewards' Cup Sprint Handicap in 2014 for Dandy Nicholls' stable, ran another top race to finish second in the same contest today.

He would have received a hero's welcome had he scored, and not least because he carried jockey Richard Hughes on his final day in the saddle - instead the partnership finished an honourable one and a half lengths second to Golden Steps, and a neck ahead of third-placed Go Far.

Barnet Fair's joint-owner, Donald Wheatley, said: "Dandy missed his flight to get here - he's always missing trains and planes!

"We nearly defended our crown today - he won from stall five last year, so stall two wasn't bad and everyone wanted to be on the far side so we were happy with that. All the way through the season he's been running well, but bumping into new sprinters who are on the way up.

"We always knew once he was back on good ground he would show his best form, and we were unlucky last week at Ascot when it poured with rain on the Friday. Richard [Hughes] looked after him in the ground and said take him to Goodwood. The next day Dandy rang us and said Richard had been on the phone and wanted to ride the horse again. That was what we wanted to hear, and we backed him each-way. The great thing is he only cost £800!"

Alan Bailey, who trains Go Far, said: "He ran a really good race, but just ducked in a bit, otherwise he might have won it. He ran well at Ayr on his previous start, but there was a bit of jockey error and the kid [Robbie Fitzpatrick] admitted it when he came in. The plan now is to go back to Ayr for the Silver Cup - six furlongs is his idea trip."