Dubai: Champion jockey Frankie Dettori probably missed a few heartbeats before he went on to win the Dubai World Cup aboard Electrocutionist at the Nad Al Sheba racetrack last night.
"I couldn't breathe during the time I was behind among the pack," Dettori told Gulf News after his amazing last-gasp finish ahead of American challengers Brass Hat and Wilko.
Though tipped as the favourite to win, things were clearly not going Electrocutionist's way after he was drawn to start from Gate 1 on Thursday.
"And during the race, he missed the kick. It looked as though everything was going wrong for us. But tonight he's proved what a classy horse he is. This is a very special performance from him," said Dettori.
"We had so many plans, but things got so different from what we had thought. And in those initial moments of the race, I had to hold my breath and think twice as to how I could get him out of the pack on the straight," Dettori said.
"He's shown great determination and focus. I was great until Wednesday, but once we were drawn for Gate No 1, I was in a horrible mood," he admitted.
The win aboard Electrocutionist also completed Dettori's hat trick at the Dubai World Cup the first two coming in the company of the legendary Dubai Millennium and Moon Ballad.
"Obviously, I didn't win like I did on Dubai Millennium. We cannot compare him to any other horse. But Electrocutionist has shown a tremendous amount of courage. I was very worried at the turn. But once I got him out, he found another gear for me," the Italian jockey added.
"This is my 12th year in Dubai and for us to win here for the country, for the public ... every year the pressure gets bigger."
Trainer Saeed Bin Surour was all praise for both horse and jockey. "I'm winning the race for the second time. Everyone told me the race would be hard and I agreed with them," stated Surour. "But there is a great horse and a great star on the track."
