Latest horse racing news from UK, Ireland, and around the world.

Wonderful Whirl powers to Nassau Stakes glory

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Aidan O’Brien’s Whirl dominated the Qatar Nassau Stakes at Goodwood, to record her second Group One success of the season.

The previous race, the Gordon Stakes, was subject to a small delay due to a torrential downpour and when almost 30 millimetres of rain fell in half an hour, the going was changed to heavy.

With lightning in the area, too, the starting stalls were deemed too dangerous to use and following a flag start Ryan Moore took the bull by the horns and sent the Oaks runner-up into the lead.

The Musidora and Pretty Polly winner, who lost out only narrowly at Epsom to stablemate Minnie Hauk, was always in control and while See The Fire briefly looked a threat, Moore had saved plenty and Whirl pulled five lengths clear as the 6-5 favourite. Cecerne, a surprise winner of the Coronation Stakes, kept on well for second on her first run over 10 furlongs.

O’Brien said: “It’s incredible really, she’s a home-bred filly by Wootton Bassett who has all the options in front of her. She could go to the Arc, the Arc trials, and the Breeders’ Cup as well.

Derrick Smith congratulates Ryan Moore aboard Whirl
Derrick Smith congratulates Ryan Moore aboard Whirl (PA)

“In the spring when the fillies worked it was Whirl who came up in front. Minnie Hauk is a great traveller, a great cruiser, and we won’t see the best of her until she goes up in class against older horses.

“Even when she was following this filly at Epsom she was finding it very easy to follow her, but listen, we don’t know what this filly is yet either. We saw what happened at Epsom, where Ryan (on Minnie Hauk) was very confident that he was going to go and get her but she just kept coming with him.

“When they do come together we will find out who is the best.”

Merchant sets sail for Gordon success at rain-soaked Goodwood

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Merchant pulled out all the stops to deny Wimbledon Hawkeye in a thrilling finish to the HKJC World Pool Gordon Stakes in attritional conditions at a gloomy Goodwood.

An impressive winner in the King George V Stakes at Royal Ascot, William Haggas’ improving son of Teofilo was sent off the 6-5 favourite to enhance his growing reputation with a Group Three success.

With the threat of lightning meaning a flag start it was Gary and Josh Moore’s Too Soon who led them along, with the Highclere Thoroughbreds-owned market leader among those held up at the rear of the field along with Aidan O’Brien’s Galveston and Andrew Balding’s recent Sandown winner Windlord.

With the runners edging over to the stands side with the two-furlong pole approaching, it appeared as though James Owen’s Wimbledon Hawkeye would take some reeling in, but Merchant’s jockey Tom Marquand had a brave ally when he needed him, with the colt bridging the deficit to register a nose verdict in the nick of time.

Whether it proves to be at home or abroad, exciting options now await for Merchant, who was bred by Jim Bolger. Doncaster or Paris appears to be the discussion to be had regarding the autumn.

Haggas said: “Tom said he didn’t enjoy the ground, but he kept going and that’s what I like about him the most.

“His temperament is brilliant, he doesn’t give a monkey’s about anything. That is one of his great attributes for the future.

Tom Marquand celebrates after winning the Gordon Stakes
Tom Marquand celebrates after winning the Gordon Stakes (Andrew Matthews/PA)

“They all had to cope with the conditions, it was going to be messy whatever happened with the flag start. He’s only won a nose and James’ horse ran a fabulous race.

“He really dug in well, he’s a very good horse. Desert Hero won this race and then ran in the St Leger and I don’t think he was ever quite the same afterwards.

“I’m worried about stretching this horse out to a mile and six too soon, I think he is really a horse for next year, too. We think he’s very good.

“However, if he didn’t like the ground there then he may not like the ground in France in autumn. I’m not saying the Arc is definitely not going to happen, but it’s not definitely not going to happen either.”

Merchant toughed it out
Merchant toughed it out (Andrew Matthews/PA)

Highclere’s Harry Herbert added: “I’m not sure we’ll go for the Leger, the plan – so long as he comes out of this race fine – is to go to York (Great Voltigeur Stakes)

“We’ll see how that goes, if York went well and we had good ground at York we’d see what this horse can do on perfect ground.

“Tom said he was spinning his wheels the whole way, it’s extraordinary that he’s won. If he happened to go through York OK then the trainer has talked more about the Arc, which is quite bold.

“He’s worried about going a mile and six as a three-year-old, he sees him as having a very big future. He’s a master with this type of horse.”

Day three of Goodwood hit by torrential rain

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The third day of the Qatar Goodwood Festival was hit by a huge downpour, leaving racegoers running for cover.

After the first two days took place in pleasant weather, the forecast always suggested conditions on day three could take a turn for the worse.

The first race passed on good to firm ground, but as the runners gathered at the start for race two, the Markel Richmond Stakes, the storm clouds were gathering.

As Clive Cox’s Coppull crossed the line in front, the heavens had opened and an almighty downpour ensued.

It took no time at all for puddles to form in the paddock and clerk of the course Ed Arkell took the decision to call a temporary halt to proceedings.

After a 20 minute dousing, the rain began to ease off and the meeting was allowed to get back under way. However, with lightning in the area the Gordon Stakes was started by flag, rather than stalls.

There was also a delay to the feature Qatar Nassau Stakes with the course keen for the day’s main attraction to begin via starting stalls, with Arkell telling ITV Racing: “We’ve had 26mm in 20 minutes or so and we’ll make a ground change and it will probably be heavy.

Racegoers ducking for cover at Goodwood
Racegoers ducking for cover at Goodwood (Andrew Matthews/PA)

“We might have a delay to the Group One while they get the lightning out of the way so they can use the stalls with it being a Group One. It’s very important for the integrity of the race but it’s a decision for the stewards, the starters, the jockeys and myself.

“If we can possibly use starting stalls by holding a race up by five minutes or so that would be great.

“Your guess is as good as mine as to how much more rain is to come, there’s some more about and we weren’t forecast this, but I’m not sure the forecast is that reliable at the moment.”

Coppull braves Goodwood downpour in Richmond Stakes

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Clive Cox won the Markel Richmond Stakes for the third time in seven years as Coppull ran out a comfortable winner at Goodwood, in a race run in torrential rain.

Following on from Golden Horde in 2019 and Supremacy 12 months later, Cox bided his time with the son of Bated Breath after a meritorious run at Royal Ascot.

He finished third behind Gstaad in the Coventry Stakes there and paid the winner a handsome compliment, always looking in control under David Probert.

Aidan O’Brien’s Puerto Rico finished second for the third race in a row, but never looked like getting on terms with the two-length winner.

Eve Johnson Houghton’s Havana Hurricane was last at the halfway stage and while he did make plenty of progress, his run eventually flattened out and he finished third.

Cox said: “I was worried about soft ground because he’s got such a beautiful action on a nice surface. He’s very quick and did that really well.

“I’m still not sure he’ll go on really soft ground so if we’d been in the next race it would have been harder work, but he’s still very good and he showcased that today.

“I think he’s very gifted and he’s a proper six-furlong horse so usual plans from here, Middle Park will be the end goal.”

O’Brien said of Puerto Rico: ‘‘I’m very happy with that. It was a lovely run and I’d say he’d be happy going up to seven furlongs.”

Johnson Houghton felt the rain had already got into the ground, blunting Havana Hurricane’s speed.

She said: “The ground was just a bit loose and that impacted on his turn of foot, but he’s run a lovely race.

“I’m really pleased, the horse in front is rated 102 and the horse in front of him is rated 104 – we’ve turned the form around with Maximised so I’m happy.

“He tries really hard, he’s an absolute legend and we love him.”

Five jockeys involved in light aircraft drama

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Five jockeys based in the north of England were involved in a dramatic emergency landing on Thursday, after the light aircraft they were travelling in to Goodwood suffered what is thought to have been an engine problem.

Rowan Scott, Callum Rodriguez, PJ McDonald, Tom Eaves and Jack Garritty were flying from Bagby Airfield near Thirsk in North Yorkshire when the pilot was forced to turn back.

Scott’s agent Niall Hannity said: “They set off from Bagby and something went wrong with the plane so they started to get a bit panicky, as you can imagine.

“The pilot, who has 25 years’ experience, said nothing like it had ever happened to him but they were able to get turned round and land back at Bagby, which must have been frightening.

“The main thing is they got back down and they are all safe now.

“Rowan was sending me messages in the air asking me to let John Quinn and Alice Haynes know he wouldn’t be able to ride their horses today and I was telling him not to worry about that in the grand scheme of things!”

He added: “It was Rowan’s first time in a private plane – he said it’s also his last.”

To make matters worse for Scott, Haynes’ Naana’s Sparkle (15-2) went and won the Buccellati Handicap under his substitute Charles Bishop.

Haynes said: “Poor Rowan was upset he couldn’t make it. He sounded quite shook up. Thank God they are all OK. I think the engine failed after they had gone 20 minutes.’’

Asfoora carrying plenty of stable confidence for second crack at Goodwood sprint

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Henry Dwyer is confident Australian ace Asfoora is in the perfect place to secure King George Qatar Stakes redemption after being agonisingly denied at the Qatar Goodwood Festival 12 months ago.

The Antipodean speedster stuck around on British soil after her famous Royal Ascot win in the King Charles III Stakes last year and although out of luck at this year’s Royal meeting, her team are confident of bettering last year’s short-head defeat on Friday.

Dwyer said: “The conditions of the race are a lot more suitable this year and she has a bit less weight without the Group One penalty she had last year and the main opposition, Time For Sandals and Big Mojo, both have quite a bit of weight for their age and are dropping back from six furlongs to five furlongs.

“So I think the race sets up well for us, it’s just a case of whether she can find her best and if she finds it, I think she goes very close to winning and if she’s for some reason a length or two below her best, I still think she will still be right there.

“She’s nice and relaxed again after Ascot and we gave her two weeks out in the paddock after that to help her settle in a bit more and she seems in a good space.

“I think there’s definitely more to come and I do think she will improve again in three weeks’ time for York, but she’s on an upward curve and is going the right way and hopefully she is in very good shape for this race.”

It was Mick Appleby’s Big Evs who denied Asfoora in this last year and the Rutland handler, who has formed a great friendship with his Australian counterpart, looks to be a thorn in Dwyer’s side once again with July Stakes runner-up and course and distance scorer Big Mojo.

Big Mojo excelled at Goodwood last year
Big Mojo excelled at Goodwood last year (Andrew Matthews/PA)

“He’s in great order and hopefully we can go and win the race again,” said Appleby.

“He’s got plenty of pace and I think at Goodwood it will definitely suit him dropping back to five furlongs and on form he should have a very good chance.

“Asfoora is probably the one to beat, but I think we will be thereabouts anyway.”

Joining Big Mojo in reverting back to five furlongs is Time For Sandals who was one half of Harry Eustace’s memorable Royal Ascot Group One double when landing the Commonwealth Cup.

Time For Sandals was a Royal Ascot scorer for Harry Eustace
Time For Sandals was a Royal Ascot scorer for Harry Eustace (John Walton/PA)

However, like Appleby, the Newmarket handler has few concerns about the shorter distance and said: “The big question mark is obviously going back to a sharp five for her having won over a stiff six at Ascot.

“Personally, I don’t think it will be a problem and Richard (Kingscote) is pretty positive she’ll be fine over it too, but if we’re going to find her out this year it will be in this race.”

Also expected to thrive on one of the fastest five-furlong tracks in the country is Karl Burke’s Night Raider who is backed to showcase his blistering cruising speed.

“When we were buying him I always thought this was the race for him,” said Richard Brown, racing adviser for owners Wathnan Racing.

“He’s very fast and Goodwood is a very quick five as we know. It didn’t work at Ascot for him, but I do think this will be right up his alley.”

Celandine won the Lowther Stakes last summer
Celandine won the Lowther Stakes last summer (Mike Egerton/PA)

Meanwhile Ed Walker’s Lowther Stakes winner Celandine will bid to make up for lost time after being kept on the sidelines in the first half of the season.

“It’s been a very frustrating year with her so far,” said Walker.

“The plan was to go to Newmarket for the Kilvington as a prep for the Commonwealth Cup. The form from the Lowther was obviously rock solid in the Commonwealth Cup with Time For Sandals winning, so it was pretty heartbreaking being sidelined with a throat infection which dragged on and on.

“We got her back for York in the Summer Stakes, she ran a big race. She was hassled all the way, which wasn’t ideal. She didn’t get the kind of easy lead she likes but still battled on well to finish third and proved that she’s trained on and she’s back.

“She had a good blow and she’ll come on a lot for that run. I’m not afraid to bring her back to five, so I think she’ll be a danger in a wide-open sprint division.”

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.”

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