Tag Archive for: Goodwood

British Midsummer Bonus set up to tempt international runners

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Ascot, Goodwood and York have teamed up to offer bonuses of up to £1million to connections of horses trained outside of Europe who challenge for three of the biggest Group One prizes of the British summer.

The British Midsummer Bonus will be available to trainers and owners sending horses for both the King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Stakes at Ascot and the Qatar Sussex Stakes at Goodwood, with the £1m prize secured should the winners of both races hail from the same stable or run in the same colours.

If the horses are placed in both races, a £250,000 bonus will be paid and there is a further enhancement to the cash on offer to winners of either the King George or Sussex Stakes, as York will pay a £250,000 appearance fee should such victors then run in the Juddmonte International.

Any horse placed in the Ascot or Goodwood contests that also goes on to run at York will get a £150,000 fee for turning up on the Knavesmire, with £50,000 available for all horses travelling under the scheme and running in the 10-furlong feature.

Nick Smith, director of racing and public affairs at Ascot, said: “We have been collectively considering how to maximise global attention on the midsummer period in Britain, when there are less major overseas events taking part than at other times of the year.

“The thinking behind the Midsummer Bonus is that the opening races are, effectively, the same week, and this presents an opportunity to promote the whole week and all its international options as one entity.

“By linking the high-summer flagship races at Ascot, Goodwood and York and promoting them together, with bonuses, we are hoping that there is a greater incentive to travel horses to the UK for this significant spell of racing, with seven Group Ones.”

The Middle East is counted as European for the purposes of the scheme, but challengers from the likes of Australia, America and Japan would qualify.

Yoshito Yahagi, the leading Japanese trainer who has bagged Breeders’ Cup prizes, a Saudi Cup and the Cox Plate outside of his homeland, would be eager to have a crack at the new bonus.

He said: “I am excited to hear the news about this original bonus scheme, which is very attractive for owners and trainers in Japan.

“Ascot, Goodwood and York racecourses are adored by Japanese trainers, and this new scheme will certainly mean we give consideration to the venture when we plan our international programme.

“I hope I can become the first trainer to win the King George and Sussex Stakes in the same year.”

Novus digs deep for Goodwood Listed glory

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Novus returned to winning ways with a gutsy display in the the Foundation Stakes at Goodwood on Wednesday.

Gary and Josh Moore’s filly outbattled George Boughey’s 2-1 favourite Botanical to register a short-head verdict in the Listed feature on the card, the four-year-old’s first victory of the 2024 campaign.

Ridden by Rhys Clutterbuck, the 11-2 chance relished the soft underfoot conditions on the Sussex Downs as she overcame a slow start to show all her battling qualities, and could now head to Newmarket to defend the Pride Stakes title she won in 2023.

Novus, returned to winning ways at Goodwood
Novus, returned to winning ways at Goodwood (Bradley Collyer/PA)

“She’s a very good filly, a tough filly, and she got her ground today,” said Gary Moore.

“It’s maybe not quite as soft as everyone is making out, but she was still able to win after giving them a few lengths head start.

“She probably hasn’t had the ground she really wants this season and I’ve probably overfaced her a few times as well. But she is very, very good.

“She will either go to France or go to the Group Three she won last year at Newmarket, wherever the ground is in her favour. Newmarket would be her next race as far as I’m concerned.”

There was a historic moment for owners Wathnan Racing as Hamad Al Jehani and Faleh Bughenaim registered their first UK victory in unison with Solar Aclaim in the six-furlong Heineken Handicap.

Al Jehani and Bughenaim have joined forces to provide Wathnan with a Derby winner in their native Qatar, but Solar Aclaim was a first British winner as a team.

“It was a tremendous result for us this afternoon and Solar Aclaim becomes the first Qatar-trained and Qatar-ridden thoroughbred winner in the UK,” said Wathnan’s Richard Brown.

“Our sport has been going a very long time and firsts are hard to come by, but that is a momentous moment during Hamad’s first year training and he has done an incredible job. It is a huge moment for Wathnan and all credit goes to Hamad and Faleh.”

The 16-1 outsider also gave Bughenaim his first winner from just a handful of rides since joining Al Jehani at his satellite base in Newmarket.

Brown continued: “Faleh has been champion jockey in Qatar and rode the Qatar Derby winner for Wathnan, Jeff Koons formally trained by John Gosden and now trained by Hamad. He’s been over here riding out and is a real talent and I thought he gave Solar Aclaim a fantastic ride.”

Hollie Doyle brings up landmark 1,000th career success

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Hollie Doyle brought up a landmark 1,000th career winner in steering Leyhaimur to victory at Goodwood on Tuesday.

Doyle has rewritten the history books since registering her first success 11 years ago, breaking the record for the number of winners ridden by a female jockey in 2019 by chalking up 116 triumphs.

She has enjoyed big-race glory at home and abroad since, just last month registering her ninth European Group One win aboard Bradsell in the Nunthorpe at York.

After drawing a blank from six rides at Brighton on Monday, Doyle headed to the Sussex Downs in need of a double to achieve the four-figure mark and struck first aboard the Robert Cowell-trained Almaty Star in the five-furlong handicap.

She was out of luck in the following race, finishing eighth of 10 on Shimmering Spin, but was soon back in the winner’s circle as David Simcock’s 6-1 shot Leyhaimur ran out a two-and-a-half-length winner of the fillies’ nursery.

“Never when I started off my career did I imagine I would ride this many winners,” a jubilant Doyle told Racing TV.

“I’m just really grateful for all the support I’ve had so far; from trainers, owners, my agent – they’ve done a great job for me so far, even though I’m probably a nightmare to work for.

“Now all I can think about is the next thousand!”

Hollie Doyle after riding Scarlet Dragon to win the Duke of Edinburgh Stakes at Royal Ascot
Hollie Doyle after riding Scarlet Dragon to win the Duke of Edinburgh Stakes at Royal Ascot (Alan Crowhurst/PA)

Doyle has ridden more than 100 winners every year since 2019, with her best tally so far totalling 172 in 2021, and she has already broken the century for this season.

In 2020 she made the breakthrough on the biggest stage, celebrating her first Royal Ascot winner when Alan King’s Scarlet Dragon landed the Duke of Edinburgh Stakes. She also rode a five-timer at Windsor and secured her first Group-race success on Dame Maillot in the Prince of Wales’s Stakes and became retained ride for Derby-winning owner Imad Al Sagar.

Perhaps even more significantly, Doyle became the first woman to ride a winner on Qipco British Champions Day at Ascot through her old ally Trueshan, before recording a landmark first Group One success when making it a double on Glen Shiel in the Champions Sprint.

Other major achievements include being named Sunday Times Sportswoman of the Year, as well as taking third place in the coveted BBC Sports Personality of the Year Award.

Bradsell and Hollie Doyle winning the Nunthorpe at York
Bradsell and Hollie Doyle winning the Nunthorpe at York (Mike Egerton/PA)

Doyle is now thoroughly established at the top of the riding ranks, having secured further Group One gold on Trueshan, The Platinum Queen, Nashwa and Bradsell, while in 2022 she was joint-second in the jockeys’ championship – riding the same amount of winners as her husband, Tom Marquand.

She has also enjoyed success on foreign soil, riding 13 winners during a two-month spell in Japan, winning the Italian Oaks on Shavasana and partnering True Self to victory for Willie Mullins in the richly-endowed Neom Turf Cup in Saudi Arabia.

Doyle is not the first British-based female jockey to enjoy 1,000 career victories, with Hayley Turner having accomplished the feat last year.

However, while Turner took 23 years – including some hefty injury absences and a period of retirement – to reach the mark, Doyle has taken less than half that time.

She added: “I was riding for about six years or so before I really got going, so it feels like an age to me, but obviously statistically it’s all happened in a short period of time and it feels like two minutes ago since I had my first ride.”

Northumberland Plate Festival – Day Three – Newcastle Racecourse
Trueshan with Hollie Doyle after winning the Northumberland Plate (Richard Sellers/PA).

Reflecting on her biggest triumphs, Doyle said: “I’m really lucky, I’ve come across some really nice horses, so I’ve been very blessed, but I suppose my first Group One on Glen Shiel was a big day and then Nashwa came with my first Classic winner, so they are days I’ll never forget.

“But the Goodwood Cup here (on Trueshan) was a pretty good day as well and hopefully I’ve got plenty more good days to look forward to as well.”

Trueshan has provided Doyle with 10 of her winners and she continued: “We’ve had our ups and downs, some days haven’t gone as planned, but we’ve had some great days in the sun, including this year.

“He’s hopefully just as effective as he has been in previous years and I look forward to seeing him back out.”

Her partnership with Archie Watson has gone from strength to strength, but Doyle is also grateful to other handlers.

She said: “Archie has been a huge supporter of mine, but I started off with Dave Evans, who gave me a really good grounding, then I went on to Richard Hannon’s, where I rode my claim out and they gave me a great education and prepared me for life as a professional jockey.

“I took the step into Archie’s yard and it’s just progressed from there really.”

As for future ambitions, Doyle declared: “Obviously, I want to ride as many Group One winners as I can, I think that’s every jockey’s dream.

“My ultimate dream was to be champion, but I know that’s very hard. I want it enough and I’ve got the work ethic for it, it’s just whether I’m capable or good enough.”

Estrange has the wow factor when winning at Goodwood

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David O’Meara appears to have a hugely exciting prospect on his hands given the manner in which Estrange won on her debut at Goodwood.

Owned by Cheveley Park Stud, the filly is related to St Leger winner Logician but was only making her first start at the back end of her three-year-old season in the Darley EBF Maiden Fillies’ Stakes.

Ridden by Danny Tudhope, she had shown signs of greenness through the race but as the pace quickened, she moved ominously into contention.

It was what she did in the final two furlongs that set her apart from the rest, however.

Moving into overdrive, she effortlessly pulled further and further clear to win by an eased down five and a half lengths from the 78-rated Lasting Love.

Tudhope told Racing TV of the 11-4 joint-favourite: “She was very professional beforehand. We were drawn out wide but she travelled round good.

“She just needed a bit of help going around the top bend and down the hill a bit, but when I got stuck into her, she came good on me – it was an impressive performance.

“She’s got a nice way of going; she doesn’t overdo things, she just does what she has to do and she makes your job a bit easier, she’s got a great mind on her. There’s a lot to like about her.”

Ice Max swoops late to spark Goodwood Celebration

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Clifford Lee was a cool customer aboard Ice Max as he pounced late to take the William Hill Celebration Mile Stakes at Goodwood.

Karl Burke’s gelded son of Dark Angel looked a progressive operator earlier in the season but has had his momentum checked in deep waters the last twice.

However, he regained the winning thread in great style on the Sussex Downs, relishing testing conditions as he denied Simon and Ed Crisford’s Poker Face who ultimately showed his hand too early as he tried to make all.

Sent off at odds of 5-1, Burke was always confident about Ice Max’s chance once the rain arrived and was thrilled to see his charge scoop Group Two honours.

“The more rain that fell, the more confident we were,” said Burke.

“He is a progressive, talented horse and when he learns to settle better will stay further. We are delighted with his performance.”

Anshoda booked her ticket to the Breeders’ Cup by claiming the William Hill Prestige Fillies’ Stakes for David Loughnane.

An impressive winner on debut at Lingfield, she outran huge odds to finish second in the Listed Star Stakes at Sandown and proved she is a filly on the rise after scoring at 4-1 in the hands of Billy Loughnane.

She was cut to 16-1 for Newmarket’s Rockfel Stakes and 20-1 for the bet365 Fillies’ Mile by Paddy Power following the Group Three success, but a trip to Del Mar in November is uppermost in connections’ thoughts.

Loughnane said: “I’m delighted and it’s our first runner for Gary Barber and Team Valor, who bought the filly after she won at Sandown, so it’s a huge result in that respect and a great start to the relationship.

“I bought her in the Guineas breeze-up from Diamond Bloodstock and Rodrigo Goncalves recommended her. She was a cheap buy but Rodrigo did a great job with her and told us to mind her until the seven-furlong races start and then she will win first time.

“She’s tough and hardy and they all had to go on that ground, but we were hopeful that with her attitude she would get through it fine. She crept through it beautifully, hit the line strong and I’m over the moon.

“She’s American-owned now and the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies’ Turf will very much be her target and we will work our way back from there. She has a few entries between the Rockfel and the Fillies’ Mile and I always felt getting her up to a mile is when you would see her true ability – she’s tough and she grinds it out and over a mile, hopefully she will be even more impressive.”

Raqiya camp facing conundrum over suitable next step

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Owen Burrows has got his thinking cap on with regards to Raqiya’s next target now she is a Group Three winner.

The Shadwell-owned filly was awarded the Oak Tree Stakes at Goodwood by the stewards having had her run blocked initially by first-past-the-post Jabaara.

Having proved her stamina over seven furlongs in Sussex, she has opened up more options, but with a Group Two the next logical step, connections cannot see an obvious option against fillies.

“She’s fine, she’s obviously not done too much but she seems in good nick,” said Burrows.

“We’re not sure where she’ll go next, we’re in discussions with Sheikha Hissa, Angus (Gold, racing manager) and Richard (Hills, assistant racing manager) about what the next plan is for her, time will tell.

“Having won her Group Three, there isn’t an obvious next step, which is the trouble with our programme, there aren’t too many options.

“She’s improving, it was interesting she stayed the seven furlongs so well, as she has always shown plenty of speed but she is out of a Dansili mare, so it was encouraging that she hit the line strong.

“Fast ground is important to her, we’ve run her a couple of times on slightly easier ground at Ayr and York the run before, and she wasn’t quite at her best, so we’re just in the process of where to go next.”

Hott Shott and Spell Master cannot be split at Goodwood

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Hott Shott and Spell Master shared the honours after the judge was unable to split the pair in the British Stallion Studs EBF Maiden Stakes on the final day of the Qatar Goodwood Festival.

A field of 11 runners went to post for the seven-furlong contest and entering the final furlong it looked like the two horses at the top of the market, Ralph Beckett’s 2-1 favourite Consolidation and Andrew Balding’s 4-1 chance Spell Master, would fight out the finish.

However, Rossa Ryan was not far behind the pair in third aboard the Richard Hughes-trained Hott Shott (5-1), who had finished third at Kempton on his only previous start, and he was the one that was finishing best of the trio as the post loomed.

Spell Master got the better of his protracted duel with Consolidation under Oisin Murphy, but was joined on the line by Hott Shott and after checking the photograph, a dead-heat was confirmed.

“It wasn’t easy to watch. I thought he was beat,” said Hughes.

“He stuck his head out and a stride after the line he was a neck in front.

“I was trying to make him into a Chesham horse, but when he walked into the paddock at Kempton, I truly believed that I had gone a month too soon.

“He looked a bit tall and there was a lot of daylight under him, so we’ve given him loads of time since and this has been his target for a long time.

“He’s one of my best (two-year-olds) but that doesn’t mean much. We don’t have that many.

“He’s been a very nice horse from the start, he’s got a great attitude and loves fast ground.”

Trainer Andrew Balding at Goodwood
Trainer Andrew Balding at Goodwood (Zac Goodwin/PA)

Balding, who had saddled three horses to pick up silver medals earlier in the day, added of Spell Master: “I’m relieved he didn’t come second like the others!

“He’s a grand horse who’s improving with every run and should keep progressing. Kamekos are very similar and seem to thrive on their racing and try very hard.”

Witness Stand was a 40-1 winner of the Whispering Angel Handicap for Tom Clover and Kieran Shoemark.

Successful on his racecourse debut at Chester last summer, the Expert Eye gelding had failed to add to his tally since, but had run some sound races in defeat – notably filling the runner-up spot in the Group Three Horris Hill Stakes at Newmarket in November.

Witness Stand was an impressive winner at Goodwood
Witness Stand was an impressive winner at Goodwood (Andrew Matthews/PA)

He kicked off his three-year-old campaign by finishing last of five behind 2000 Guineas and Sussex Stakes hero Notable Speech at Kempton and then chased home Never So Brave at Chester, but a bitterly disappointing run in soft ground at the same venue last time left him with questions to answer.

Back on a sound surface and with cheek pieces applied for the first time, Witness Stand showed his true colours on the Sussex Downs, readily accounting for Piz Nair by three lengths.

Clover said: “He’s been second in three of his last five starts coming into here, so he’s run some very good races behind good horses, and it all worked for him today

“He wasn’t right at Chester last time – there were a few Newmarket horses a bit in and out of form, and he was clearly better than that run.

“He worked well last week and I thought he was a big price today.”

The Coral We’re Here For It Handicap brought the meeting to a close and it was 8-1 shot Paradias who emerged victorious.

Completing a double on the day for Rossa Ryan, Alan King’s 8-1 shot came home strongly to beat 7-4 favourite Native Warrior by a neck.

Ryan said: “It took a fair effort to do that with 10st 2lb, especially after being slowly away.

“If he didn’t run in the John Smith’s Cup when the ground went against him, he’d have been bang up in the market.

“He’s a good, honest character and it was good to see him do that.”

Get It makes all to claim Stewards’ Cup glory

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Get It produced a superb front-running display to claim a surprise victory in the Coral Stewards’ Cup at Goodwood.

Following a winter campaign in Bahrain, George Baker’s sprinter made a fine start back in Britain with back-to-back wins at Windsor and Epsom, but was well held on his most recent outing at Ascot.

As a result, the six-year-old was a 40-1 shot for one of the most competitive sprint handicaps of the season on the Sussex Downs, but he roared back to form in some style in the hands of Pat Cosgrave.

Drawn highest of all in stall 28, Get It was smartly out of the stalls and blazed a trail against the stands’ rail for the duration of the six-furlong contest.

There were plenty still in with a chance entering the final furlong, with horses spread across the track, but Get It stuck to his guns to claim the first prize of almost £129,000 by half a length.

Apollo One picked up the silver medal in second, with the well-fancied Billyjoh third and Mostabshir in fourth. The 9-2 favourite Purosangue was well beaten.

“It’s an old cliche but I couldn’t believe what price he was this morning. Forget about his last run, he hates Ascot – it was a £100,00 race but we shouldn’t have gone for it, as five furlongs doesn’t suit a front-runner,” said Cosgrave.

“He won well at Epsom and I love it when we get drawn on the fence because he likes to jump and get over for a furlong, and then you can ride him after that. I’m not saying that I thought he would win today, but I didn’t think that he was a 40-1 shot.

“It’s tough in the UK because there are a lot of good jockeys, but I am riding for some really good people this year and it’s going along nicely.

“It’s a nice handicap today, but back to work tomorrow. It’s great for George, who’s very enthusiastic about the game.”

Pat Cosgrave celebrates after winning the Stewards' Cup on Get It
Pat Cosgrave celebrates after winning the Stewards’ Cup on Get It (Andrew Matthews/PA)

Baker said: “Being a Sussex man, I’ve been coming to this race since I was five, six, seven – and I watched it for many years before I became a racehorse trainer, so to go and win this race on my doorstep means a huge amount. It really does tick a massive box for me.

“It’s a massive team of wonderful owners and we’ve had a lot of fun with this horse in Bahrain, but I think this party might go on a little bit longer!

“I’ve got local friends here. We’ve got a house full for a week, it’s been a long week, having a party that started on Tuesday and probably won’t end until next Tuesday! It’s magical.

“I couldn’t believe how well he was going. I was delighted we drew that draw. He came out second out of the hat and Pat and I talked about it. Look, it was pretty simple.

“I kept looking around and thinking something is going to come, because you don’t expect to win the Stewards’ Cup, but I’ve just won the Stewards’ Cup!”

Part-owner Mark Tracey added: “We’ve come to Goodwood for 31 years racing horses and we’ve never had a ‘Glorious’ winner. It’s a fantastic feeling. He’s won in Bahrain, he’s won in the Racing League, and he’s now won the Stewards’ Cup!”

Term Of Endearment times it right for Lillie Langtry win

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Term Of Endearment successfully stepped up in class in the Qatar Lillie Langtry Stakes at Goodwood.

Henry de Bromhead’s mare had already won twice at Group Three level this season, landing the Give Thanks Stakes at Cork and most recently the Bronte Cup when providing Grand National and Cheltenham Gold Cup-winning jockey Rachael Blackmore with a notable success on her first ever visit to York.

Testing the water at Group Two level for the first time on the Sussex downs, Term Of Endearment was a 15-2 shot in the hands of Billy Lee and finished with gusto over the one-mile-six-furlong trip to get the better of Night Sparkle by three-quarters of a length.

River Of Stars was third, with Caius Chorister weakening into fourth after making much of the running.

For the second year in succession, Free Wind proved bitterly disappointing as the 11-4 favourite, this time trailing home last of eight runners.

Lee said of the winner: “She’s done it well. She jumped nicely and got me into a good rhythm the whole way.

“It’s my first time here but I was following Oisin (Murphy, on Night Sparkle) – I tracked him through and this filly picked up well down the hill.

Team Of Endearment (centre right) on her way to victory at Goodwood
Team Of Endearment (centre right) on her way to victory at Goodwood (Andrew Matthews/PA)

“My only worry was this is the quickest ground she has been on, but she cruised into the race. I was probably there a bit too soon but I knew that she would stay and she’s as fit as a flea from Henry’s.

“I think she is maybe improving. She handled that ground really well and even a step up to two miles might not be out of her reach. It would be nice to see how far she can get.”

De Bromhead added: “I’m delighted for Carmel Acheson (owner). We picked this race after York, we said that we would have a go – the owners are good sports people and I’m delighted to do it.

“It’s my first runner here, we’ve had a lovely time, we’ve been well looked after and we’re having a great day.

“I’m not sure I ever go anywhere with confidence but she had won a couple of Group Threes, so it seemed like the natural progression.

“All options are open and we’ll see. She’s in the Irish St Leger and I think there is a nice race at York, so we’ll see.”

Align The Stars enters Leger picture after game success

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A tilt at the St Leger could be on the agenda for Align The Stars after digging deep to complete his hat-trick in the Coral Summer Handicap at Goodwood.

The record-breaking Mark Johnston had saddled four of the last 10 winners of the one-mile-six-furlong contest before fully handing over the reins to his son Charlie last year.

Align The Stars was a 100-30 joint-favourite to strike gold for the current licence holder at Kingsley House following successive wins at Thirsk and Haydock and he refused to bend under a typically well-judged ride from Joe Fanning.

Having been sent straight to the lead, the challengers were queuing up to have a pop at the Sea The Stars colt halfway up the straight and he briefly looked in trouble after being passed.

However, with the far rail to help, Align The Stars gritted his teeth to wrestle back the advantage and he had just enough in the tank to repel the other joint-favourite Fairbanks by a neck.

“He’s a grand horse. He wasn’t doing a lot up the straight until Oisin (Murphy, on Fairbanks) came to me, then he picked up and was always just doing enough,” said Fanning.

“He’s won well in the end and hopefully there is more to come. He has a great attitude.”

Charlie Johnston at York
Charlie Johnston at York (Mike Egerton/PA)

Johnston said: “It was good, but it certainly wasn’t plan A and they aren’t tactics (front-running) we’ll look to replicate again.

“He’s huge, for a start, and quite literally he barely fits in the stalls. If you look back at his races at the start of the year, he was really struggling with the first 50 yards to get out and get into stride, and as a result he was always finding himself in pretty difficult positions.

“That definitely cost him races at York and Hamilton.

“He’s got better in that regard but Joe still has to be very aggressive in that first 50 yards to get a good position.

“It wasn’t the plan to be making the running and it was only when horses actually came to him and didn’t get away from him that I knew he was going to come back strong – and so he did.”

Paddy Power cut Align The Stars, whose full-brother Al Aasy won the preceding Glorious Stakes, to 20-1 from 25-1 for next month’s St Leger – and his trainer is keen on a crack at Classic glory.

“I was quite prepared to run him in the Gordon if it was the only option available to us, but I think a mile and a half on this ground would have been too sharp a test for him, so when there was the option to run over a mile and six on this ground, we felt we could away with it,” he added.

“Tony (Farmer, owner) has always dreamed of York and if you had asked us at every stage this season, the Melrose was probably the pinnacle for this year, but he’s probably gone beyond that race now.

“He’s in the Voltigeur, the Lonsdale Cup and he’s in the St Leger. It’s going to require another fair step up to be competitive at that level but I have enough faith in the horse that it’s a realistic aim.

“He still hasn’t raced over a relentless mile and six and I think stamina is what is going to bring this horse to the next level.”

Al Aasy sneaks through for Glorious triumph

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Al Aasy overcame a troubled passage to claim top honours in the Coral Glorious Stakes at Goodwood.

The William Haggas-trained gelding was a 3-1 shot to claim his fifth victory at Group Three level, with Karl Burke’s Aimeric the marginal favourite at 5-2.

Al Aasy, who came close to Group One glory when narrowly beaten by Pyledriver in the 2021 Coronation Cup, was travelling comfortably best of the five-strong field as the race hotted up, but was all dressed up with nowhere to go a furlong out in the hands of Jim Crowley.

However, just when another Goodwood hard-luck story was being written, a gap opened up on the far rail and Crowley’s mount quickened up smartly to take it and he was ultimately well on top as he passed the post with a length in hand over Relentless Voyager.

Phantom Flight was a neck further behind in third, with Aimeric a little disappointing in fourth.

“It was a messy race,” said Crowley. “We went very steady, which we knew we would. I got a bit closer at the top of the hill and then I was quite happy when he was in a pocket.

“William said to ride him for luck and if it opens up, it opens up. We just needed that gap and I was very fortunate to have got up the rail.

“There wasn’t a lot of room up the rail and, in fairness to the horse, he was very brave. Once he was in there, it was game over really.

“He’s just as good over 10 furlongs as he is over a mile and a half. He has been a bit unlucky because that’s his run style.

“Obviously, he has been called a few names in the past for not being a battler. He is just one of those horses who has to be produced at the last minute.

“William said if you get beat riding for luck, it’s one of those things. When a trainer says that to you, it takes the pressure off a little bit.”

Angus Gold was pleased to see Al Aasy resume winning ways
Angus Gold was pleased to see Al Aasy resume winning ways (Mike Egerton/PA)

Angus Gold, racing manager for owners Shadwell, added: “It was always going to be a hard race for Jim to ride because William is adamant that this horse likes to have something to aim at and he doesn’t want him making the running or being too handy.

“We knew there wasn’t going to be much pace and you need all the luck to go with you on those occasions.

“As Jim said, they slowed it up coming up the hill, so he didn’t want to be single file sitting out the back if they quickened, so he let him slide up the inside but then you are in the hands of good fortune and the racing Gods, particularly here.

“The horse has still got the class and luckily when he did squeeze through, he quickened up and doesn’t even know he’s had a race.

“William has always had a huge opinion of the horse. People keep knocking him but he’s won nearly £400,000 and I wouldn’t mind a few more like that.”

Hamad Al Jehani celebrates landmark Wathnan winner

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Hamad Al Jehani celebrated his first ever British turf victory after Haunted Dream claimed the Regent Seven Seas Cruises Bentinck Conditions Stakes at Goodwood.

Qatari trainer Al Jehani, who is based in Newmarket, made the move to the United Kingdom in April to join Wathnan Racing’s ever-expanding team.

He had a near miss on Thursday as The Strikin Viking was a half-length runner-up to Black Forza in the Group Two Markel Richmond Stakes, but he finally made his mark thanks to the grey’s triumph at 4-1.

Jockey James Doyle bided his time aboard Haunted Dream in a prominent position behind pacesetter Prague in the one-mile-and-one-furlong contest.

Once Prague began to fade in the closing stages, the son of Oasis Dream kicked clear of the challenging Cairo to prevail by half a length with 6-4 favourite My Prospero finishing strongly in third.

“Haunted Dream always does a very good job. He is an honest horse and we were really confident that he would do his job,” a relieved Al Jehani said.

“I think the race was perfect for him, that pace was great for him, James dealt with him very well and we were very happy – we deserved that for all the team, to be honest, after that disappointing day yesterday.

“Today we deserved to have one of our runners win, so hopefully we might have more.”

Doyle was delighted to help deliver Al Jehani’s landmark win, feeling he had been at fault in the saddle for The Strikin Viking’s second-placed finish.

Haunted Dream, second left, won the Regent Seven Seas Cruises Bentinck Conditions Stakes
Haunted Dream, second left, delivered a half-a-length success at Goodwood (Andrew Matthews/PA)

“He’s a tough horse, isn’t he? He’s had a whole season here last season, then he had a season in Qatar and now he’s come back, so he’s been a busy boy, but he seems to have thrived on it,” Wathnan’s lead jockey said.

“Full credit to Hamad Al Jehani and his team. They felt like we should go again and they were 100 per cent right.

“It’s a key moment for Hamad in his career. His horses have been turned out impeccably, and they’ve run with great credit throughout all the big festival meetings.

“These are sort of tried-and-tested horses and it hasn’t been easy, but they’ve all run good races at Ascot, the Derby meeting… To come here and get a winner has been very important, especially after what happened yesterday with The Strikin Viking.

“We should have been stood over here (winner’s spot) and not in the second spot, and that was purely my fault – unfortunately I pressed the button sooner than I probably should have done, and I really felt for Hamad, because we all felt that would be his first winner.

“It was important today. I know it doesn’t smooth what happened yesterday, but it was important we got one on the board.”

Wathnan were soon celebrating once again when Artagnan landed the Hawes & Curtis Nursery Handicap by one and a half lengths to shed his maiden tag.

Karl Burke’s runner went off at 16-1 under David Egan and made his move inside the final two furlongs to sit alongside leader Ardennes.

They were neck and neck in the closing stages but once the son of Mehmas got his nose in front with half a furlong to go, there was no stopping the charging colt to secure another two-year-old success for the Spigot Lodge handler this season.

“He’s done that very well. I said to Richard Brown from Wathnan that I was a little bit nervous that he’d had a longish break from Ascot to here, but he got it right,” Burke said. “The way he’s been working at home, I thought he was well-handicapped.

“This has been the plan since Ascot. It’s an important meeting for Wathnan, so this was the target. We’ll see what the handicapper does as to where we go next.”

Egan added: “It was very nice to get the last-minute call-up to ride, and Mr Burke was very confident about the horse. He came here in tremendous form carrying a low weight, and won very nicely.”

It was close to a treble on the day for Wathnan in the concluding Coral Play Racing-Super-Series For Free Handicap, with Doyle and the William Haggas-trained Wafei having to settle for second to the Oisin Murphy-ridden Assailant (John and Thady Gosden) in the colours of Bjorn Nielsen, who enjoyed so many great days at this meeting with Stradivarius.

Owner Paul Teasdale revels in emotional Big Evs win in King George

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The heart-warming Big Evs story continued at Goodwood on Friday afternoon, as Mick Appleby’s star sprinter darted to a super victory in the King George Qatar Stakes.

A rapid juvenile who flew home to land the Windsor Castle at Royal Ascot on his second start last year, the colt then encountered totally different going at a damp Goodwood this time 12 months ago.

Soft ground could not stop him from landing the Molecomb, and although he was not able to serve it up to the older sprinters in the Nunthorpe he bounced straight back to form in the Flying Childers at Doncaster next time out.

A trip to Santa Anita resulted in an unforgettable success in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf Sprint, and he silenced the usual questions good juveniles face about their ability at three when winning the Westow Stakes at York on his debut this year.

At Royal Ascot he held his own in the King Charles III Stakes, but missed out to the Australian raider Asfoora, who prevailed by a length with Regional behind her and Big Evs a further half-length back in third.

At Goodwood the Australians were back to claim more prize-money, but fan favourite Big Evs was the 13-8 market leader on good to firm ground with Tom Marquand on board.

In a contest that was perhaps slightly undersold by its Group Two status, Appleby’s colt blazed along, but faced a late challenge as Asfoora loomed up beside him in the final half-furlong.

In a neck and neck battle to the line it was Big Evs who just had the upper hand, doing connections proud once again in claiming victory by just a short head.

For Paul Teasdale, who owns the horse with his wife Rachael, the win was another chapter in an emotional story as Big Evs is named after a cherished late friend in Paul Evans.

“It means so much to us,” said Teasdale, who on Wednesday won this year’s Molecomb with the Appleby-trained Big Mojo.

Tom Marquand returns victorious aboard Big Evs
Tom Marquand returns victorious aboard Big Evs (PA)

“He’s amazing. He means everything to me. Because of who he is named after it’s always an emotional day, it’s quite tough now with the level of expectation.

“He’s fantastic. The good thing about him is he can take the early speed and then he can stay there, he can cruise at that speed.

“He can always finish as well, even when Asfoora came up to him, who is a great horse, we were pretty confident about getting across the line first.”

There will be more to come, and although the colt is set to bow out at the end of the season there is still a top-level campaign to be enjoyed as he makes his way back to the Breeders’ Cup in November.

“I think he’s quicker than he was last year, I think he’s got Breeders’ Cup written all over him,” said Teasdale.

“He’s going to the Nunthorpe and then we’ll go the Abbaye if the ground is right, then the Breeders’ Cup.”

Big Evs holds off Asfoora in King George thriller at Goodwood

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Big Evs just held off a late challenge from Asfoora to exact revenge in King George Qatar Stakes at Goodwood.

Australian raider Asfoora had bolted up to win the King Charles III Stakes at Royal Ascot, with the Mick Appleby-trained Big Evs back in third – but it was a different outcome on the Sussex Downs.

Winner of the Molecomb here 12 months ago, Big Evs led early as they burst clear of the stalls for the Group Two feature, although it was the Czech runner Ponntos that took it up.

As they approached the final furlong Big Evs rose to the challenge for Tom Marquand, with Asfoora well off the pace and seemingly out of it, before being shaken up by Oisin Murphy and finishing like a train on the outside.

Big Evs had done enough, though, holding on to secure victory by a short head as the 13-8 favourite. The highly-consistent Believing ran on well to take third.

Appleby said of his winner: “He’s a star, he’s an amazing horse. He’s one in a million, the best I’ve trained by a long way.

“Of course I expected him to win! I knew it’d suit him a lot better here than at Ascot, the ground was a lot quicker as well.

“He had everything in his favour here today and I thought he’d do it. He’s done it well.

“He’s massive to me, he will be retired at the end of this season so we’re trying to enjoy it. He’s been great for the yard, for everybody, great for Paul (Teasdale, owner) as he spends a lot of money and we love having him on board.”

It has been quite a week for Appleby, with this his fourth winner of the meeting and his second at Group-race level after Big Mojo’s victory in the same colours in Wednesday’s running of the Molecomb Stakes.

Big Evs disappointed in the Nunthorpe at York after his Goodwood win in 2023, but he looks set for another tilt at Group One glory on the Knavesmire on August 23.

Appleby added: “It’s unbelievable really, to think where I was 10-15 years ago to where we are now. We have some great owners now that support the yard – they spend the money and I get results like this. We have a great team at home that work very hard.

“They could both (Big Mojo and Big Evs) go to the Breeders’ Cup, it’s looking very possible.

Trainer Mick Appleby was delighted with the victory of Big Evs
Trainer Mick Appleby was delighted with the victory of Big Evs (Joe Giddens/PA)

“Big Evs will go to York, that’s the plan at the moment. He had a very hard race before York last year and it probably came too soon after the Molecomb, he was taking on the older horses as well.

“It was probably a mistake to go there, but we wanted to try to win it at two.

“Obviously I’ll have to have a chat with Paul to see where we go. We’ve got the Nunthorpe, possibly the Abbaye if the ground came up quick, which is probably unlikely.

“I would imagine that whatever happens we’ll be topping it off back in America.”

Tom Marquand and Mick Appleby following the victory of Big Evs
Tom Marquand and Mick Appleby following the victory of Big Evs (Andrew Matthews/PA)

Marquand said: “He’s fantastic. He’s literally got too much speed!

“Obviously, Ponntos has exceptional off-the-blocks boot early on and, to be honest, from the three to the two, he was eating up ground.

“I was trying to get half a breather in before I went and took the race. He just doesn’t want restraining. He’s got so much raw boot and trying to tame that, it almost feels like there is no point, because he grits down for you as well in that last 100 yards. You don’t need to save an awful lot on a track like this for him.

“He’s an exceptional racehorse and to come back at three as good as he was at two is pretty special.”

Dark Trooper searching for Wokingham compensation in Stewards’ Cup

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Royal Ascot runner-up Dark Trooper will seek some valuable compensation when he heads to Goodwood seeking to give owners Wathnan Racing a first victory in the Coral Stewards’ Cup.

Alban de Mieulle’s speedster – who is well known from his time in Britain with Ed Walker – narrowly failed to build on his win in Saint-Cloud’s Prix Wizz Kid when half a length adrift of William Haggas’ Unequal Love in the Wokingham Stakes.

Having been sent off the 4-1 favourite on that occasion, the four-year-old is set to be of warm order once again on the Sussex Downs, with his connections optimistic of a bold showing.

“He ran a tremendous race at Ascot and we were delighted with him,” said Richard Brown, European racing adviser for owners Wathnan Racing.

“I think if he had been closer to where the pace was, the result might have been different in the Wokingham.

“This was the target immediately after and Alban seems very happy with him, so we’re looking forward to it.

“It’s a big race at a prestigious meeting and it’s exciting to have one with a chance in it.”

Dark Trooper – who has won seven times in 19 starts – will exit stall 23 as he bids to give his Qatari-based owners another victory this week on the Downs.

Brown added: “I think we’re happy with 23, we wanted to be high and it looks like we’re going to be in between some of the pace, so we’re happy.

“It’s a big race at a prestigious meeting and it’s exciting to have one with a chance in it.”

Archie Watson’s Albasheer was eighth in this when the race was run in heavy ground last year and looks for rapid-fire back-to-back victories having struck at Ascot last week.

He competes here under a 6lb penalty in the hands of Hollie Doyle, while Mick Appleby’s Billyjo is another making a quick return to the track having finished second over seven furlongs at Goodwood earlier in the week.

Albasheer winning at Ascot last Saturday
Albasheer winning at Ascot last Saturday (Steven Paston/PA)

Andrew Balding’s Purosangue has been plying his trade in Group company this term having ended his two-year-old season with a Listed win in the Rockingham at York.

He was last seen finishing second to Ed Walker’s in-form Makarova in the Coral Charge and now makes his first start in handicap company.

A touch of quality is also provided by Seven Questions – who is one of two for George Scott and Victorious Racing along with Rocket Rodney.

The three-year-old won the Palace House Stakes earlier in the season and is another to try his hand in handicaps after campaigning in some of the very best sprint events so far this term.

“He finds himself in slightly calmer waters, but on account of his win in the Palace House earlier in the year he has plenty of weight to carry for a three-year-old,” said Scott.

“I think six furlongs is really going to suit him and if it is a strong pace, there will be plenty of runners to aim at.

“It is a matter of will the real Seven Questions please stand up, if you know what I mean. He’s a little in and out and has a very strong character so if everything goes to plan and the prelims go well then he is perfectly capable of showing up well in a race like this.”

The consistent Apollo One dipped his toe into deeper waters at Sandown and is back amongst the handicap ranks, while Epsom Dash winner Dream Composer has a course and distance win to his name despite his best form coming down at five furlongs – he will have the assistance of Tom Marquand.

Dream Composer winning the Dash at Epsom
Dream Composer winning the Dash at Epsom (Steven Paston for the Jockey Club/PA)

“He’s had a good season so far and ran well last time out at Ascot in a competitive sprint there,” said trainer James Evans.

“He’s come out of that well and we’ve got a chance of a run in it and he’s probably earned it. He does run well at Goodwood and he’s a course and distance winner – there aren’t that many course and distance winners in it.

“We’re realistic about our chances and there is some lovely unexposed types at the top of the handicap there, but hopefully he can go and run well.”

Karl Burke’s Lethal Levi and Richard Fahey’s pair of Ramazan and Strike Red give Yorkshire a strong hand, with David O’Meara represented by the evergreen 2020 Stewards’ Cup winner Summerghand.