Range of options open for Felix after fine Dubai Turf effort

Keith Hamer
March 28, 2021 12:45 pm

Botti-trained gelding rewarded connections with third place behind Lord North at Meydan.

Felix could do more globetrotting in search of the good prize-money after picking up GBP 291,000 for finishing third in the Dubai Turf at Meydan on Saturday.

Connections made the bold bid of accepting an invitation for the Group One over nine furlongs rather than go for the all-weather middle-distance championship final at Lingfield on Good Friday.

They were rewarded as Felix took minor honours behind Lord North, in what was a rare outing on turf for the Lope De Vega gelding.

“It was brilliant. We were thrilled with that performance. It was a brave decision from the owner,” said Botti.

“When he finished second in the Winter Derby the next day we got an invitation and he said he could be unlucky in the all-weather final so we should take it and it paid off.

“He ran a fantastic race. He had a wide draw, but Oisin (Murphy) dropped him in and he finished really strongly.

“It opens up more options for the future. Until yesterday, we campaigned the horse on the all-weather. That’s the way it panned out, but after Saturday knowing he handled the turf so well it opens up more options for the future.

“Talking to Mr Sohi, we decided it is probably sensible to bring him back to England and give him a bit of a break, freshen him up and regroup in a month’s time and see where we go next. He deserves a holiday.

“After picking up decent prize-money he deserves to have an easy time.”

He added: “He’s a gelding so those international races are very good prize-money and it makes sense to target them. We’re not ruling out running him here, but being a gelding it makes sense to go for big pots.”