Prompting (David O'Meara/Harry Bentley) was the well-supported 3/1 favourite for the Unibet Golden Mile Handicap and amply justified his position at the head of the market with a comfortable victory.
Travelling well behind the leaders, the four-year-old Bated Breath gelding took the lead entering the final furlong and without being asked any serious questions scored by a length and a half from top-weight Urban Icon (Richard Hannon/Pat Dobbs, 12/1).
Harry Bentley said: "I was very happy with where I was positioned. From stall two, there was no point giving it away and trying to ride a bit more of a race off the pace, so I made a bit more use of him than he has done in his previous starts, and the pace was even enough; it certainly wasn't overly quick, so I was definitely in the right place.
"I was always travelling incredibly well behind Joe Fanning [on Vale Of Kent], and it was just a matter of waiting until something opened. Prompting is a big horse, so he can get out of a bit of trouble and he had an awful lot of running, but the King Power horse on my left [Zwayyan] opened up a little bit and that was my time to go. He has a very good turn of foot; he's obviously won over seven furlongs, and he quickened up nicely.
"He handled the track very well. He is a big horse and very well balanced. This was a step up in class for him but I was watching his replays this morning and thought he certainly deserved to go up to this sort of class, and perhaps beyond. He has a lot of class, and off that weight he was always going to have a great chance."
2.45pm Unibet Golden Mile Handicap 1m
1 Prompting - David O'Meara 4-8-04 Harry Bentley 3/1 Fav
2 Urban Icon - Richard Hannon 4-9-10 Pat Dobbs 12/1
3 Afaak - Charlie Hills 6-9-04 Dane O'Neill 25/1
Winner owned by The Seaside Syndicate
Breeding: br g Bated Breath - Enticing (IRE) (Pivotal)
Breeder: Lael Stables
14 ran
Non-Runner: Montatham (Going)
Time: 1m 36.91s
Distances: 1½, ¾
Tote Win: £3.60 Places: £1.90, £2.40, £6.70 Exacta: £40.90
David O'Meara - 2nd winner at the Qatar Goodwood Festival
Harry Bentley - 7th winner at the Qatar Goodwood Festival
