Ascot could be next stop for Hernando
Marco Botti has his sights set on some of Europe’s top middle-distance events for Gitano Hernando after he finished an unlucky sixth in Saturday’s Dubai World Cup at Meydan.
The four-year-old was sent off favourite for the world’s richest race after an impressive warm-up success at Lingfield, but traffic problems effectively ended any chance he had of winning.
He stayed on strongly to go down by just over two lengths, and trips to Royal Ascot and even a tilt at the Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe could now be on his agenda.
“He’s come out of the race in good order and is flying back to England today,” said Botti.
“He was a bit unlucky in the race as unfortunately his low draw turned out to be a disadvantage.
“He was stuck on the rail and the pace was slow and when they quickened in the straight, he didn’t have the turn of foot to go with them straight away and couldn’t get out.
“When he did get going he stayed on well but Kieren (Fallon) only gave him one back hander and tried to switch outside and there wasn’t anywhere to go.
“It’s disappointing, but at least he proved he is capable of competing at the top level.
“He still got some nice prize-money for finishing sixth. It was 100,000 to enter him so at least he has paid for that.
“We have a few options for him now with races like the Prince Of Wales’s Stakes, the Juddmonte International and the Eclipse Stakes to look at in the summer.
“The Arc is also something I mentioned to the owners but we need to sit down and make a plan.
“On a flat track like the Longchamp I don’t think the extra two furlongs would be a problem for him as he’s bred to stay a mile and a half and settles well.
“If we decide to go to Royal Ascot he will probably go straight there now as I want to freshen him up first.
“We were invited out to Hong Kong for the QEII Cup but he won’t go there, but maybe he could go out there for the Hong Kong Cup later in the year.”
Fallon echoed the trainer's sentiments and felt Gitano Hernando did not get the run of the race.
“It was all happening in front of me. I was going half-speed all the way. I was trying to angle to get out but the same thing was happening to Frankie (Dettori on Mastery),” he told At The Races.
“I couldn’t really move with the two horses in front of me dictating it at their own pace.
“I had a lovely draw and there ought to have been more pace in the race than there was with three Godolphin horses in there. They didn’t help themselves.
“It was unfortunate in a big pot like that. They don’t come too often.
“I have always thought a lot of him and he’s up there with the best.
“If there had been a gallop, or if I could have gone when I wanted, he would have opened up and that would have been good enough for me.”
