Dettori out to continue purple patch with Equilateral
By Racing TV
Last Updated: Tue 5 Dec 2023
(Photo: Dan Abraham / focusonracing.com)
By Graham Clark
Charlie Hills hopes yard favourite Equilateral can give Frankie Dettori another winner on his farewell tour by securing his first victory in more than two years in the Sky Bet Achilles Stakes at Haydock Park on Saturday.
Dettori, who will retire at the end of the season, enjoyed a double on his previous visit to the Merseyside track last month after steering Little Big Bear to glory in the Group Two Betfred Nifty Fifty Sandy Lane Stakes and Covey to victory in the Betfred Silver Bowl Handicap.
But success eluded Dettori and Equilateral on the same card, with the pair having to settle for second best behind Dramatised over course and distance in the Group Two Betfred Temple Stakes.
And with conditions set to suit Equilateral at the weekend Lambourn handler Hills is confident that his sprinter can make the most of a drop down in class in the five-furlong Listed prize.
Hills said: “Equilateral is one of the yard favourites and I was delighted with his run at Haydock last time.
“It was a hot race although it did look to favour those drawn near the stands side rail. However, he seems to have come out of that race really well and we are going to give it another go up there.
“Frankie rode him last time and he has won on him before out in Dubai, so he knows the horse well enough. He doesn’t like the ground too soft and, looking at it, the ground at the weekend should be perfect for him.
“He was very unlucky not to win at Sandown last year. It would be nice for him to get another win as he has been a grand horse who has kept up his level of performances throughout his career.”
(Pic: focusonracing.com)
The eight-year-old Equilateral is the joint-oldest entry in the race - alongside the Robert Cowell-trained Arecibo and the Julie Camacho-trained Makanah - and Hills reports the veteran sprinter to remain as enthusiastic as ever at home.
Hills added: “He goes out and canters on his own and does his own thing at home as that is what he likes doing.
“He is an extremely competitive horse and you would not want to work him too much with the others as he tries as hard on the gallops as he does on the racecourse.
“He has certainly not lost any of his enthusiasm and he loves the game.”
A fourth outing in the King’s Stand Stakes at Royal Ascot could beckon for Equilateral after his latest assignment according to the trainer.
Since finishing seventh on his debut in the Group One contest in 2019, Equilateral has subsequently filled the runner-up spot behind then stablemate Battaash in 2020 before finishing fifth in last year’s renewal on his first start in 444 days.
Hills added: “Equilateral is in the King’s Stand Stakes and we might have a look at that although the owners (Jim and Fitri Hay) also have Khaadem in the race.
“He seems to like Ascot and he put in a fair effort in the race last year after a lay-off.
“He is a very fast horse though who seems to have got faster with the more racing he has done.”
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