Quickfire double for Bentley as Hochfeld lands Unibet Summer Handicap

Harry Bentley followed up his victory on Treacherous in the opener by landing the second race on day five of the Qatar Goodwood Festival, the 14-furlong Unibet Summer Handicap on Hochfeld (Mark Johnston, 15/2). It was a 67/1 double for the jockey.

Bentley has now ridden four winners at the Qatar Goodwood Festival, just one behind Tom Marquand in the race to be crowned Racing TV Leading Jockey.

Hochfeld, a six-year-old Cape Cross gelding, stayed on to take the lead inside the final furlong, keeping on gamely to take the contest by half a length from Shailene (Andrew Balding/Rob Hornby, 14/1).

Mark Johnston said: “Hochfeld deserved that success and has been knocking on the door of late.

“He is a tough customer and it is great to win this race again [it was his seventh win in the Qatar Summer Handicap].”

Harry Bentley said: “I thought Shane Kelly went off quite a good gallop in front – I think we went very even fractions for the most part of the race. Just as we reached that top bend, which is quite tight, as always they tend to put the brakes on a bit and fill the horses up in front and you end up then going a bit of a stop-start gallop. Then you turn for home and you have still got a long way to go, so it’s quite enticing to get your horse rolling earlier than you need to here, but Hochfeld was always very comfortable mid-pack, and very, very game.

“It is going to be tough to overhaul Tom [Marquand, for the Racing TV leading jockey title], but I have a couple of good rides left.

“I love Goodwood, it’s a place that holds a special place in my heart because I grew up very close and went to school down the road, so I have been coming here for a long time. When it comes to riding the course, it can be a very unlucky place at times, as we’ve seen this week – you can get trapped on that far side rail and there’s not a lot you can do about it – but when it goes well, it’s great.”

2.25pm Unibet Summer Handicap 1m 6f

1 Hochfeld – Mark Johnston 6-8-12 Harry Bentley 15/2

2 Shailene – Andrew Balding 5-9-06 Rob Hornby 14/1

3 Indianapolis – James Given 5-9-04 Silvestre De Sousa 8/1

Winner owned by b g Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed Al Maktoum

Breeding: b g Cape Cross (IRE) – What A Charm (IRE) (Key Of Luck (USA))

Breeder: Kenilworth House Stud

9 ran

Non-Runner: Calling The Wind (Self Certificate, Temperature)

9/4 Fav Laafy (6th)

Time: 3m 1.62s

Distances: ½, 2¼

Tote Win: £10.30 Places: £3.00, £4.30, £2.90 Exacta: £111.20

Mark Johnston – 86th winner at the Qatar Goodwood Festival

Harry Bentley – 9th winner at the Qatar Goodwood Festival