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Field Of Gold found to be lame after Sussex Stakes disappointment

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Plans are on ice for Field Of Gold after the Classic and Royal Ascot hero was discovered to be lame following his below-par display in the Sussex Stakes at Goodwood.

John and Thady Gosden’s star three-year-old was sent off the 1-3 favourite to emulate his sire Kingman and thrive against his elders on the Sussex Downs, but could only finish fourth as his Juddmonte-owned pacemaker Qirat caused a seismic shock at 150-1.

The Clarehaven training team suggested the “engine wasn’t there” in the immediate aftermath of the contest and now a potential reason for his disappointing performance could have been found.

“We don’t have the full picture yet, but he is lame on his left-hind,” Barry Mahon, European racing manager for Juddmonte, told the PA news agency.

“John called me this morning at 7am and said he was ‘off’ behind with a bit of swelling in his leg and the vet is due out to see him later today so until we have the full picture we can’t fully diagnose it.

“But the fact he is lame suggests that could potentially be why we didn’t see the true horse that we know yesterday. We just have to sit tight now until the vet can run through all the tests he can run through.”

With the severity of Field Of Gold’s setback still to be determined, it is unknown at this stage when one of the standout performers of the 2025 season will be next seen in competitive action.

Field Of Gold at Goodwood
Field Of Gold at Goodwood (Andrew Matthews/PA)

Mahon continued: “Plans are on ice and the thing with these things is, it might be a week before anything will show up on an X-ray or whatever, so it’s not something you will have an answer for straight away.

“But the fact the horse is lame indicates there is an issue and we have to address that. What that is and whether it will be a short fix or a long fix, we just don’t know at this stage.”

Despite Field Of Gold’s surprise reversal, there was still plenty of joy for the Juddmonte team with Ralph Beckett’s Qirat stealing the spotlight, with Mahon reflecting on a race of contrasting fortunes.

He added: “It was disappointing from a Field Of Gold point of view, but from a Juddmonte point of view the winner is a home bred and won it in good style and there has to be some satisfaction in that.

“As someone said to me yesterday, it was bittersweet but there was still plenty of sweet.”

Racing Bulletin for 31/07/2025

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Western Fold storms to Galway Plate glory

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Western Fold ran out a comprehensive winner of the Tote Galway Plate for Gordon Elliott and Danny Gilligan.

Only six, the winner had been successful on his last two outings but was 10lb higher than when winning the Mayo National at Ballinrobe last time out.

Amirite led the field until the final two fences but that was when Gilligan moved into contention going ominously well, along with Noel Meade’s Jesse Evans, who, having been runner-up in the Galway Hurdle twice, went on to fill the same position in the Plate.

It was all about Western Fold (11-1), however, who won by four and a half lengths with Shecouldbeanything back in third, a stablemate of the winner.

Elliott and Gilligan were successful in the Plate two years ago with Ash Tree Meadow while it was a fifth win in the race overall for the trainer.

The favourite, Nurburgring, aiming to join an elite list who have won the Hurdle and Plate, made an early mistake and was never competitive.

“He’s a right horse. Bobby O’Ryan bought him for David (L’Estrange) and John (Wright, owners) and the boys have been very patient with him, he was a bit backward when he was young,” said Elliott.

“This race has been the plan for a while so I’m delighted the lads are here, it’s a dream for the lads to be here and win the race. Bobby put the syndicate together so all credit has to go to him.

“Everything worked out great. Danny got away at the start and the horse jumped like a buck, I think he just missed one into the dip. Everything went right and it was poetry in motion.

“I thought it (10lb rise) might be enough to stop him to be honest, I was worried.

“I’d say the ground is the key to this horse, he likes a bit of nice ground. He’s a very nice horse.

“My Dad’s in hospital so he’ll enjoy watching this and hopefully it will cheer him up.

“He’ll be out, hopefully, for the football in Summerhill on Saturday. He’s watching it in hospital so hopefully it gives him a lift.”

Earlier on the card, Hipop De Loire saw his odds cut for the Sky Bet Ebor when taking the opening Tote #50,000 Guaranteed Placepot Today Maiden Hurdle for Willie Mullins.

Sent off the 4-9 favourite for his first hurdling start since running at this meeting last season, he obliged in style, recording an emphatic 11-length victory over Tony Martin’s Zanndabad.

Paddy Power now make him 7-2 to better last year’s fifth in York’s feature handicap and provide the master of Closutton a third victory in the race after Sesenta (2009) and Absurde (2023).

“He came to us last year. He ran a cracker here in Galway and ran a really good race in the Ebor, which I think we’ll probably head back for now after that,” said Mullins.

“Looking at him jumping there he was electric for a horse having his second run over hurdles, coming from Poland. The only jumping he did was in our place.

“His Ebor run was a hell of a run. Hopefully we can go back this year, get a bit more daylight and keep out of trouble.”

Goodwood Eyecatcher Mdawi can go one better on Friday

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Charlie Johnston’s Mdawi was perhaps an unlucky loser at Goodwood on Wednesday, but it might not be long until he gains compensation.

Short of room when wanting to make his challenge in the opening mile-and-a-half handicap, he eventually got rolling but the bird had already flown and he had to settle for second, one and three-quarter lengths adrift of winner Omni Man.

A son of the top-class mare Peeping Fawn, he gets a second crack on the Sussex Downs over a furlong less on Friday and it would be no surprise to see him on the premises once again.

Gosdens lament Field Of Gold’s lacklustre Sussex run

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John and Thady Gosden made no excuses for Field Of Gold after he was well-beaten in a renewal of the Visit Qatar Sussex Stakes at Goodwood that few could have foreseen.

The Juddmonte-owned grey was the 1-3 favourite as he came into the race having won both Irish 2,000 Guineas and St James’s Palace Stakes this season, so was bidding for a Group One hat-trick with a new rider in the saddle as William Buick replaced the suspended Colin Keane.

Juddmonte’s second-string, the Ralph Beckett-trained Qirat, was the mount of Richard Kingscote and employed as a pacemaker, albeit a useful one, as was Aidan O’Brien’s Serengeti, who looked set to lead stablemate Henri Matisse into the race.

Those two did indeed settle into the lead, but as the race developed it became apparent that the favourite could not close the gap and he finished an eventual fourth when three and three-quarter lengths behind 150-1 winner Qirat.

John Gosden told ITV Racing: “He’s done nothing wrong and actually the other pacemaker (Serengeti) got left (at the start), he comes round and finally they are going a pace. We are sitting a long way behind, that’s life and the pacemaker goes and wins it.

“If you let them have those fractions they will do it, he ran on but he didn’t seem to be balanced on the track, it’s a different type of track to what he has ever run on and he just got a little unbalanced coming out of the dip into the bend. I’m not making any excuses, you ignore the pacemaker and pay the price.

“He ran a huge race in the Guineas (when runner-up at Newmarket) and was flying at the finish, but he was not flying at the finish so there’s a very big difference. He wasn’t at his best so we will have to see why. He is having a normal blow so we will have a good look.

“William said as soon as he asked him the engine wasn’t there, simple as that. He would have run on to be up there with Rosallion, but he didn’t fire today.”

Thady Gosden added: “Congratulations to Ralph and Juddmonte of course for winning, but obviously it was a messy race and I think we can put a line through it.

“We saw he quickened up well but it was too late on, Rosallion was in a good position in front of us and he didn’t quite get there as they’d got a bit of rope in front.

“Hopefully he comes out of it OK, we know how talented he is and today wasn’t a true reflection of his ability. We’ll move on.

“We could see what was unfolding for us a mile out, but obviously it is great for Juddmonte to have a home bred winner.”

Richard Hannon’s 11-2 shot Rosallion was the runner-up under Sean Levey, beaten a neck after giving chase to the runaway Qirat.

Hannon said: “It’s pride, not frustration, but what does he have to do to win?

“Sean did the right thing and moved closer to the pacemakers, and he’s run a super race but didn’t win. It’s life, isn’t it?

“He’s a great horse, his day has already come and there are other days to come. He’s certainly not done with.

“He’s beaten the best three-year-old we’ve seen for years and also the French Guineas winner (Henri Matisse).

“It’s not a great day when you are second in these races but we are very lucky to be part of it. We have an extremely good horse and he went down fighting.”

Henri Matisse, also an 11-2 chance, was third under Ryan Moore when beaten two and a half lengths, with stablemate Serengeti eventually last of the seven runners.

O’Brien said: “Obviously (Serengeti) was there to make sure it was an even gallop and he missed the break, so Wayne (Lordan) had to let him relax and give him a chance.

“He came round the field wide and then when he joined up with the other pacemaker, the winner, he pulled back off and so Wayne was left making the running, but well done to everyone.

“We are very happy with Henri Matisse. We think we haven’t got him really right yet, but we think we are getting there. Every time he runs we are learning more, and we were happy with him here other than he didn’t win, obviously.

“Sean’s (Levey) horse (Rosallion) just came down the outside of him and took a couple of lengths out of him quickly, Ryan just said that coming down the hill at Goodwood it just took him a little time to get organised as he’s a baby three-year-old. He felt he wasn’t finished with and there’s more to come.

“We think he’s a miler, but Ryan thinks he’ll stay further. We’ll see how he is but he could go back to France for the mile races and could end up in America for their mile races, or he could go up in trip, although we’ve never thought he was short of pace.”

Lowther likely next step for Argentine Tango

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Argentine Tango could have an outing on home soil on her agenda after Yorkshire-trained runners filled the places in the HKJC World Pool Molecomb Stakes at Goodwood.

Tim Easterby’s consistent three-time winner arrived on the Sussex Downs on the back of a game performance in the Duchess of Cambridge Stakes and was an honourable runner-up this time around as she did her best to keep tabs on Ger Lyons’ impressive winner Lady Iman.

She could now step back up to six furlongs for her next outing and take up her engagement in the Sky Bet Lowther Stakes during York’s Ebor Festival next month.

William Easterby, assistant to his father Tim, said: “She is a superstar and tough as old boots. Her attitude is unbelievable. You wouldn’t be afraid to run her anywhere because she tries so hard.

“She is not slow but we were not sure about coming back to five furlongs. The winner quickened past her and she stuck on again.

“She gets her attitude from her father, Mattmu. He was the same, he never gave up. Even when he was third in the 2015 Nunthorpe Stakes, he was outpaced but he kept galloping.

“She is in the Lowther Stakes at York so that would be the obvious way to go.”

Kevin Ryan’s Dickensian claimed the final spot on the podium after setting the early pace, another fine performance after his second in the Windsor Castle Stakes at Royal Ascot.

Jockey Shane Gray said: “It was another solid run. The ground was probably a little slow for him and he lost a bit of kick at the end, but he is a very genuine horse.”

Pacemaker Qirat stuns Sussex Stakes big guns

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Field Of Gold’s pacemaker Qirat caused an almighty shock with a 150-1 victory in the Visit Qatar Sussex Stakes at Goodwood.

John and Thady Gosden’s Field Of Gold was a 1-3 shot to follow in the hoofprints of his sire Kingman by adding this prestigious Group One contest to his previous top-level victories in the Irish 2,000 Guineas and the St James’s Palace Stakes.

The Ralph Beckett-trained Qirat, who was last seen finishing 27th of 30 runners in the Royal Hunt Cup, was supplemented for the race last week at a cost of £70,000 in a bid to ensure the red-hot favourite had a strong gallop to aim at.

But the race did not go to script, with Qirat keeping up the gallop to emerge triumphant under Richard Kingscote, despite the best efforts of Rosallion, who was a neck adrift at the line.

Richard Kingscote returns on Qirat
Richard Kingscote returns on Qirat (Andrew Matthews/PA)

Field Of Gold, meanwhile, had to settle for a laboured fourth, with Henri Matisse third.

Beckett said: “Richard has always been a very good judge of the clock. The last thing I said to him was keep going with this fellow, he could run really well.

“He loves this place and I wanted to enter him because his work was really good. It’s a horse race and anything can happen.”

Qirat’s dam, Emulous, also produced last year’s Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe winner for Beckett in Bluestocking.

He went on: “I thought he looked a million beforehand and that in the race he would set the pace from the front, and the longer he lasted the better for those concerned with the favourite.

“He’s always threatened to be a good horse and today he showed it.

“What about the mare? To come up with Bluestocking and him. She’s been like a hole in the wall, like a cash machine.”

Kingscote, who recently announced he is taking up a licence in Hong Kong, said: “I feel like a villain but when I saw it wasn’t a grey nose (Field Of Gold) coming towards me I just kept going.”

Although clearly not the result owner-breeders Juddmonte were expecting, the team’s European racing manager Barry Mahon was keen to take the positives out of it.

Of Qirat, he told Racing TV: “Ralph said in the parade ring beforehand ‘this horse is going to run big’ and said to Richard ‘there’s a big run in this horse’. Whilst he was obviously there to make the pace, Ralph thought he could finish in the three and he was dead right.

“He’s a horse we always felt had a lot of potential. Ralph actually wanted to enter him for this race earlier in the year and in my wisdom I said ‘don’t be ridiculous’. We ended up having to supplement him, but he’s got the result.

“At the end of the day Juddmonte and the owners want to compete at the top level and want to win Group One races. Whilst it’s not with the horse we thought it would be, we’ve still won the race, which is the most important thing.”

When asked about future plans for the winner, Mahon added: “I’ve had people from America and Hong Kong and every sort of racing jurisdiction coming up to me inviting him to run, so hopefully the owners might want to travel him.

“Ralph knows a thing or two about winning a Breeders’ Cup race, so maybe that’s where he’ll end up.”

Field Of Gold in the Goodwood parade ring
Field Of Gold in the Goodwood parade ring (Molly Hunter/PA)

What the rest of the season holds for Field Of Gold remains to be seen, with Mahon saying: “The rest of the field seemed to get detached from the two pacemakers, but I think ultimately William (Buick) felt he didn’t handle the track and felt he was a bit flat today. We don’t know why, but we all have off days – human and equines and all manner of beasts.

“Whether there’s an issue there or something we’re not sure, we’ll have to investigate, but he’s definitely not the Field Of Gold that we’ve all seen and know. I’m sure he’ll be back and there’ll be another day.

“He’s had a good enough break since Ascot, John and Thady have freshened him up and they’ve been happy with how he’s trained. He looked good today and William said going to the start he felt very fresh, so maybe he was a little bit too fresh.

“We did give him a good break after Ascot and maybe we were a little bit kind on him. We’ll get him home and check him out first and I think we’ll have to make a plan after that.”

Lady Iman makes light work of Molecomb task

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Ger Lyons has his sights on America – and possibly York before that – after Lady Iman made a successful Goodwood raid to regain the winning thread in the HKJC World Pool Molecomb Stakes.

The daughter of Starman had dazzled in her opening three outings but lost her unbeaten record to Aidan O’Brien’s Beautify at the Curragh in the Airlie Stud Stakes.

Reverting to five furlongs for her first taste of action on British soil, she was sent off the 11-8 favourite and Ryan Moore kept things simple, travelling smoothly in the slipstream of the early leaders before taking over in the final furlong where she was not for catching.

Lady Iman taking victory in her stride
Lady Iman taking victory in her stride (PA)

Tim Easterby’s consistent Argentine Tango gave chase in vain for an honourable second, with Kevin Ryan’s early pacesetter Dickensian in third.

Lyons said: “Sweet this, because I love the filly. I ran her over six and my jockey kept telling me she should be going five.

“But as Ryan just said if she gets a low draw at Del Mar she wins, but then he also said we should head for the Nunthorpe. If that’s what he says and it’s what the owners want to do then we will.

“I got such a buzz out of Del Mar last year that I’d like to be going back with something special and if I’m allowed that’s where I’ll go with her.”

Beckett pair share Oak Tree honours at Goodwood

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Stable companions Saqqara Sands and Tabiti shared the honours after the judge announced a dead-heat following a thrilling renewal of the HKJC World Pool Oak Tree Stakes at Goodwood.

Tabiti was among the leading contenders for the Group Three contest at 9-2 and with blinkers applied for a second time, the three-year-old set out to make all the running in the hands of Ryan Moore.

Saqqara Sands, a much bigger price at 16-1 under Rossa Ryan, emerged from the pack as the biggest threat inside the final furlong and while she briefly managed to poke her head in front, Tabiti battled back and the Ralph Beckett-trained pair passed the post as one.

Bright Thunder, the 7-2 favourite, was only half a length further behind in third.

Ralph Beckett with his winning fillies Saqqara Sands and Tabiti
Ralph Beckett with his winning fillies Saqqara Sands and Tabiti (PA)

Beckett said: “I’ve definitely never done that before. They are two really tough fillies. This race can be a bit of a bun fight, I recall Roger’s (Varian) filly (Jabaara) being taken down last year (demoted to second from first place).

“Saqqara Sands worked very well at the weekend and I thought she was over priced, while it looked like Tabiti had gone west on us after the Fillies’ Mile.

“The mile is probably OK for Tabiti, but I’m not sure the other filly wants it. I’ve yet to work out their trips but hey, it’s been an enjoyable day.”

Ryan, who saw his big Tuesday hope Kinross withdrawn at the start before the Lennox Stakes, said: “That was mad. I just couldn’t quite get past Tabiti. I thought I’d win but my head was up and his was down.

“She stayed battling all the way to the line and it’s good to get in the scoresheet after a disastrous day yesterday.

“My filly is improving. She’s going the right way and I think better on better ground.”

Bright Thunder’s trainer Karl Burke was satisfied with third place and will keep an eye on conditions now as he seeks the next target.

He said: “I’m as happy with that as you can be without winning.

“She’s run a great race and looked like bolting up two out, but Ryan (Moore on Tabiti) got a freebie in front. If they’d gone really hard or she’d had a bit of a better draw, I think she’d have been bang there.

“She’s a progressive filly but she likes a bit of cut in the ground so August might be tricky, but hopefully we’ll find a nice race for her in the autumn.”

King thanks public for support following death of Trueshan

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Alan King is taking comfort from the many messages of support he has received since the sad death of stable stalwart Trueshan in what he described as a “freak accident” at Goodwood on Tuesday.

One of the most popular Flat horses of his era, the star stayer was making the 35th appearance of his stellar career and fourth start in the Goodwood Cup he had previously won in 2021, when pulled up by Hollie Doyle at halfway, suffering what proved to be a fatal injury.

An emotional King was keen to pay tribute to a horse that provided him with many memorable moments and thanked the kind words both he and his team have received.

Alan King enjoyed some great moments with Trueshan
Alan King enjoyed some great moments with Trueshan (Mike Egerton/PA)

King told ITV racing: “It’s been a very tough 24 hours, obviously, but the one thing I will say is the outpouring of messages has been unbelievable.

“I knew he was popular, but there’s been well over 200 messages and I’m still getting them now and it means an awful lot, it has helped me and it has helped the staff.

“He’s been a friend and a very straightforward horse to train. Incredibly sound and I don’t think he’s ever missed a day, I don’t think he’s had a bruised foot, I don’t think he’s had anything. All right, there have been days we haven’t run him and that was solely because he didn’t want fast ground.”

King was also keen to stress that Trueshan’s death was nothing more than an accident and praised the veterinary team that attended to the nine-year-old.

Trueshan winning the Northumberland Plate
Trueshan winning the Northumberland Plate (Richard Sellers/PA)

“What happened yesterday was a freak accident and nothing to do with the training or the ground and it is just one of those awful things that could happen going up the all-weather,” continued King.

“I remember old Viking Flagship who was retired and my hack. I never ride out Monday morning as we school and then Monday afternoon we turn them out in the outdoor school to let them chill and he got down, he rolled and took off, had a canter round and he broke a hind leg.

“It happens, it’s awful, but it does happen. Trueshan is coming back to Barbury, he will be buried to next to Viking Flagship, Balder Succes and Katchit, so that helps.

“It did help (being with him in the final moments) and Mark White my travelling head lad was there in an instant and I said please hang on until I get there to say goodbye. The vets were superb, I just want to get that across, it was peaceful, it was calm and they were professional and it means a lot.”

Cercene taking distance test in Nassau Stakes

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After giving Joe Murphy the finest hour in his long training career at Royal Ascot, Coronation Stakes heroine Cercene steps up in trip in search of further honours in the Qatar Nassau Stakes at Goodwood.

The experienced Irish handler has always thought of his star performer as a stayer in the making, but having excelled at a mile has so far been kept to no further than eight furlongs.

However, after Cercene’s thrilling victory at the Royal meeting, Murphy now scratches his long-held itch to move up in distance, where he is confident the daughter of Australia can hold her own once more in elite company.

Trainer Joe Murphy and jockey Gary Carroll celebrate
Trainer Joe Murphy and jockey Gary Carroll celebrate (David Davies/PA)

“We were very happy with her since her last run and we’ll find out how we get on up in trip, so it will be a learning curve,” said Murphy.

“She’s so relaxed, we always thought she would be a mile-and-a-half filly but she proved us wrong by being so good at a mile. We’ve options we could try over those distances before the season ends, so we’re looking forward to running and we’re fortunate we have her.

“We have her in the Matron Stakes just in case she doesn’t get the trip, but if she does it opens up more options for us and I do think she will stay.

“This is another test and another Group One. She’s been third in a Guineas and won at Royal Ascot so she deserves to take her chance and plenty will be revealed by Friday.”

Whirl is a major player in the Nassau Stakes
Whirl is a major player in the Nassau Stakes (Brian Lawless/PA)

If Cercene is to add a second Group One to her resume, she will have to crack the Ballydoyle duo of Whirl and Bedtime Story who will bid to give Aidan O’Brien a sixth victory in the 10-furlong feature, having also taken home the spoils with Opera Singer 12 months ago.

Bedtime Story showed the ability that made her such an exciting juvenile last term when second in the French Oaks last month.

However, it is Oaks runner-up Whirl who will carry chief Coolmore hopes having downed Andrew Balding’s subsequent King George second Kalpana in tremendous fashion to claim the Pretty Polly Stakes at the Curragh.

“She’s a very straightforward, honest filly, she’s so uncomplicated it’s not funny,” said O’Brien.

“It was the obvious race for her and it isn’t over facing her, it’s baby steps her way and that’s why she’s coming here. We’ve been very happy with her since the Pretty Polly.”

See The Fire ran a big race in last year's Nassau Stakes
See The Fire ran a big race in last year’s Nassau Stakes (Mike Egerton/PA)

Balding takes another crack at Whirl, this time with See The Fire, who was thwarted by a neck in this race last year and reverts to competing against her own sex after a fine third behind Ombudsman in the Prince of Wales’s Stakes.

“She has started this year in fabulous form and was very impressive in the Middleton, winning a Group Two in easy fashion. And then we thought she ran a super race at Ascot against the boys in the Prince of Wales’s Stakes,” said Balding, ahead of a race that guarantees a spot in the Maker’s Mark Breeders’ Cup Filly & Mare Turf at Del Mar.

“As a three-year-old we didn’t see the best of her until we got to the Nassau Stakes at Goodwood where she was narrowly beaten. Then she went on and won the Strensall Stakes against older colts at York.

“There is evidence to suggest she is improving all the time, and she certainly looks to have done physically. She is an exciting filly, and hopefully the best is to come.”

John and Thady Gosden’s five-time scorer Running Lion completes the line-up, running at this distance for just the second time since her second in last October’s Prix de l’Opera.

Merchant looking to bank another big race for Highclere

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Merchant could ignite seismic dreams for his team if able to recreate his impressive Royal Ascot heroics and deliver HKJC World Pool Gordon Stakes glory at Goodwood on Thursday.

Always held in high-regard by trainer William Haggas, the Highclere Thoroughbreds-owned three-year-old excelled when landing the King George V Stakes and after connections resisted the temptation of an Ascot return and a daring King George VI And Queen Elizabeth Stakes tilt, now climbs the ladder into Group Three company on the Sussex Downs.

“The Gordon was always the plan and the next logical step for him and a horse of his profile,” said Highclere’s Harry Herbert.

“He comes into it – according to William – in really good form and he’s been working well at home.

“It’s one step at a time with him and we will see how he gets on but we would be very hopeful of a big show as he’s a fast-improving horse and one we think the world of.”

The last four winners of this have gone on to contest the St Leger and although his team are refusing to rule out a Classic tilt, it could be an audacious trip to Paris that comes calling in the autumn if Merchant continues his rapid progression through the ranks.

Herbert added: “The St Leger is certainly possible it’s just whether we want to go the mile and six route or whether we stick to a mile and a half.

Tom Marquand aboard Merchant shakes hands with Harry Herbert, after winning at Royal Ascot
Tom Marquand aboard Merchant shakes hands with Harry Herbert, after winning at Royal Ascot (John Walton/PA)

“It will all depend on how he progresses and if he happens to win the Gordon Stakes we would then all being well head to the Great Voltigeur (at York, August 20) and if he happened to win that then the conversation would be do you go for the St Leger or have a crack at the Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe.

“I think it’s wide open at this stage and of course there is a lot of water to flow under the bridge still. But William and I have been discussing it for a while and I’m not certain the St Leger would be the right move for this horse, although I hate to say that now when we’re nowhere near that point.

“Hopefully all goes well at Goodwood and once that is out of the way we can go from there.”

Eve Johnson Houghton has already made her mark in the juvenile Group races this week and will bid for Super Sprint compensation with Havana Hurricane in the Markel Richmond Stakes.

Havana Hurricane was a Royal Ascot winner
Havana Hurricane was a Royal Ascot winner (John Walton/PA)

The Royal Ascot winner narrowly missed out on a huge bounty when beaten a short head at Newbury but now returns to six furlongs, the distance over which he went down fighting to Charlie Appleby’s reopposing Maximized in the Woodcote Stakes at Epsom.

“It would be exciting to make it a Group Two double for the week,” said Johnson Houghton.

“He’s in great form, he’s done nothing wrong and I think six furlongs will really suit him now we know to hold on to him for a bit longer.

“We obviously kicked too soon at Epsom, but we learned from it.”

Clive Cox has bided his time since with Coppull since finishing third in the Coventry Stakes at the Royal meeting but with the form looking smart, is hopeful he can show the required progress in a race the Lambourn handler has won with Golden Horde (2019) and Supremacy (2020).

“I was really pleased with his effort in the Coventry and I just wanted to give him a little bit of time as he’s still developing,” said Cox.

Trainer Clive Cox will saddle Coppull
Trainer Clive Cox will saddle Coppull (Mike Egerton/PA)

“He’s done nothing but please so far and this is another big step, but we really like him.

“It’s nice to be heading to these races with horses in form.”

Disappointing in the Coventry was Archie Watson’s Underwriter, but after being returned to Ayr for a confidence-boosting win since, attempts to go one better than owners Wathnan Racing’s The Strikin Viking who was touched off in this race 12 months ago.

“We took him back up to Ayr and he was impressive there on debut and again the other day, he just had a complete blip for whatever reason at Royal Ascot,” said Wathnan’s Richard Brown.

“We couldn’t find any reason for the poor performance at Ascot so we went back up to Ayr with a penalty and he showed us what he could do.

“It’s a step up in class, but we’ll find out where we’re at.”

Racing Bulletin for 30/07/2025

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 13:20 13:55 14:30 15:05 15:45 16:20 16:55
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 14:10 14:45 15:20 16:00 16:35 17:10
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 17:05 17:35 18:05 18:40 19:15 19:50 20:20
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 17:45 18:15 18:50 19:25 20:00 20:30
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 17:55 18:28 19:03 19:38 20:13 20:43

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Determined Dunum delivers again at Galway

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Dunum showed his liking for Galway once more with a tremendous front-running effort in the COLM QUINN BMW Mile Handicap.

Not that sharpest away but quickly to the front nonetheless in the hands of Seamie Heffernan, the Natalia Lupini-trained was pressed all the way through the final furlong by Bear Profit.

The 12-1 winner would not give way, however, as he made it three career wins at the Ballybrit festival.

Lupini said: “We couldn’t dismiss Galway and have been working towards both this race and the Ahonoora on Sunday. He did well today and Seamie is a great asset for a small yard like ours. Having a jockey of his calibre is a massive help.

“The horse usually jumps out smart, Seamie wasn’t going to give away his position and the horse enjoyed himself. He loves the downhill run into the dip and he battled well towards the line.

“We’ll see how he is at home, but hopefully he’ll also run in the Ahonoora.”

Joe Murphy and Gary Carroll have a big day booked at Goodwood on Thursday and warmed up in style with a runaway success for Pivotal Attack in the COLM QUINN BMW Irish EBF Fillies Maiden.

The trainer-jockey combination will team up with Royal Ascot heroine Cercene in the Nassau Stakes and were in the winner’s enclosure courtesy of this 9-2 chance, who fairly sprinted by hot favourite Amelia Earhart when asked.

Murphy said: “Our filly was very professional, she relaxed and when he asked her, she quickened. I think we have a nice filly going forward.

“I don’t know where we’ll go next, but the curve will be upwards anyway. I don’t know the calibre of race it was and the O’Brien-horse (Amelia Earhart) was a bit unlucky, but it was the way our filly did it – she did it very well.

“She is out of a Pivotal mare and we think she is stakes class.”

Cormac Farrell’s Sticktotheplan was sent off the 22-1 outsider of the seven-runner COLM QUINN BMW Novice Hurdle but shot through against the rail to win in good style.

The Willie Mullins pair of Vicar Street and La Note Verte seemed sure to fight out the finish approaching the last but the race changed drastically in complexion.

Emily Love was challenging, as was Timeless Treaty, but it was Sticktotheplan and Ricky Doyle who quickened up best of all to win by two and a quarter lengths.

“We fancied him and had a few quid on as we’ve always thought he was a very smart horse. It has taken time for the penny to drop and to race correctly. His jumping has come together and he has a huge future,” said Farrell.

“I tried to sell him on several occasions but nobody would buy him so I’m delighted, as I’ll be properly paid for him at some stage! I’m a big fan and he is a very exciting horse. He is a fine horse and that ground is as good as he’d want.

“It is so exciting to be in Galway as we don’t get many winners so to have a nice horse to run in a Listed race is great.”

Dubai Treasure strikes for Bin Suroor and Murphy

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Saeed bin Suroor and Oisin Murphy teamed up to win a Group One in Germany on Sunday and were on the mark again in the Goodwood finale on Tuesday with Dubai Treasure.

The lightly-raced filly was having her first run over six furlongs since August 2023, yet despite that the race looked over from some way out. Under The Twilight did close to within a neck, but the 85-40 favourite was value for much more.

Bin Suroor said: “She shows plenty of speed. I was going to run her at Doncaster in the seven-furlong Group Three, but when I talked to Oisin he said to keep her at six furlongs.

“She shows that speed in the mornings when she works. Now we’ll look for a nice race for her.

“She hasn’t run over six since she was two. She has the class for Group races.

“I think we’ll have to look for a nice race over six furlongs. She had a setback when she was in Dubai.”

Murphy was completing a double having earlier won on Andrew Balding’s Stellar Sunrise.

Westridge continued his progression with a wide-margin win in the Coral Chesterfield Cup Handicap.

Trained by John and Thady Gosden and ridden by Billy Loughnane, the four-year-old has been faring well in handicaps recently and started a 6-1 chance in a field of 18.

From stall eight he hit his stride quickly and after a prominent passage through the race he took up the lead in the final furlong, then pulling clear of the chasing pack to score by an eventual three and a quarter lengths.

“He enjoyed the space around him today and Billy gave him a lovely ride. It is not easy in a big handicap field but he broke well and made use of him,” said John Gosden.

“He is owned by Glen Manchester, my wife and Nicholas Wrigley, so it’s a proper partnership.

“We did have him in the July sales but wisely we chose to take him out three days before the sale, thank God we did that.

“He’s a grand horse and he’s done well, the handicapper will get him now but to win the Chesterfield Cup is a dream come true because Glen is very much Goodwood orientated.

“It’ll have to be York now though I’m not sure which race, Mr Wrigley will demand it. Rachel is just the silent partner, she does whatever they want!”

Ruth Carr’s Brazen Bolt made the long journey from Yorkshire to Sussex worthwhile with success in the Coral Golden Rewards Shaker Handicap, where he prevailed by a nose at 28-1 under Warren Fentiman.

Peter Furr, Doncaster-based winning owner-breeder, said: “He has been an unbelievable horse. We have bred a few horses but nothing like him. He went to Bahrain and won last year and when he came back he was not very well.

“He had ulcers, a bad tummy, stress, everything. Me and my daughter got him back and had him on a nebuliser. We took him to Ruth this season and she has been fantastic.

“We didn’t expect to win at York last time and we came here today thinking it would be really firm ground and when it wasn’t we didn’t expect this again. It doesn’t happen to people like us.”

Roger Varian’s Protest built on recent Listed efforts to make a winning handicap debut in the Ridgeview Fillies’ Handicap over a mile.

The Cheveley Park Stud owned and bred chestnut struck at 11-2, steered by Silvestre de Sousa to a one-length win.

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