Hungarian star Overdose has improved his chances of racing in Hong Kong next month with a gritty Group Three win in Italy.
Overdose got the better of one of Italy’s top sprinters to win the Premio C E F Aloisi for the second time.
Known as the Budapest Bullet, Overdose took out the sprint in 2008 with a 10-length winning margin.
Jockey Frankie Dettori had Overdose in the lead until Italy’s Dagda Mor challenged to set up a thrilling finish.
Overdose responded under Dettori’s urgings to reclaim the outright running for a half-length victory.
Owner Zoltan Mikoczy told UK racing newspaper Racing Post: “We thought we could win, but when Frankie Dettori agreed to ride we were even more confident.
“Overdose will stay in training next year and we would take him to Hong Kong next month for the International meeting if we are invited and hope Frankie will ride him again.”
Dettori said: “He won because he is a top-class horse but (he) was just a little rusty but he is still a great horse.”
Overdose has now won 16 of his 19 starts and he was racing for the first time since the competing at Royal Ascot in June.
The sprinter finished fourth to Prohibit in the King’s Stand Stakes – the Group One sprint in which Australia’s Star Witness finished second.
AAP TURF
