Goodwood, West Essex: Scottish trainer Jim Goldie yesterday recorded a 142/1 double in the first two races on the fifth and final day of the Qatar Goodwood Festival with the victory of 12/1 shot Sir Chauvelin in the £100,000 Qatar Summer Handicap.
The six-year-old Authorised gelding travelled with menace throughout the 14-furlong handicap and showed a willing attitude in the closing stages to master 9/2 chance Melting Dew, trained by Sir Michael Stoute, to score by a half-length under Robert Winston. The first two clear of the third, 10/1 shot Hochfeld.
Goldie landed the first race of the day, the Qatar Stewards’ Sprint Handicap, with 10/1 chance Tommy G.
Sir Chauvelin is a 12/1 shot from 20/1 with Paddy Power for the Sky Bet Ebor at York later this month.
Goldie, recording his fourth victory at the scenic Sussex venue, said: “Sir Chauvelin ran in this race last year, when the soft ground didn’t suit him, and he has been a great horse. He’s an athlete and hopefully that will get him into the Ebor - we will give him a nice break before that.
“Robert got there a wee bit early. He could have delayed a bit more, but he has won and that is all that matters.
“Sir Chauvelin is a superstar, he is such a lovely horse. He has run really well this season and it’s nice to come down here and win this event.
“He is probably not a York horse. He is unbeaten at Hamilton and 50 per cent here - he likes tracks like this - but unfortunately the Ebor is run at York.
“Sir Chauvelin, if he is in, would be a player in the Ebor, but he needs to show that he does like York. The Ebor has been the target since the start of the season. We’ve now got three weeks to prepare him. Hold-up horses can win the Ebor and it will depend on luck in running. He’s Euchen Glen’s full-brother, so well done to Mr Johnstone who bred them both - it’s a good family.”
Winston renews winning ways with Goldie
Jockey Robert Winston put himself on the scoreboard at this year’s Qatar Goodwood Festival aboard Sir Chauvelin (12/1), trained by Jim Goldie, in the £100,000 Qatar Summer Handicap, winning by a half-length from Melting Dew.
“Fair play to Jim he has come all the way down from Scotland and he’s picked up the first two races,” said Winston.
“I rode a lot for him in my younger days, on Indian Spark and good horses like that. Obviously I am based down south now, but thanks for Jim for putting me up.
“I have been finishing in front of this horse on a couple of occasions, but I have seen plenty of him and he is a horse with a lot of talent. Everything dropped right for him today,” he said.
