Glorious Goodwood: Day Two Review & Day Three Preview

Before we begin with Glorious Goodwood, I think it is pertinent to remember a popular stayer after the sad passing overnight of Defoe (Dalakhani). A winner of nine races and seven minor placings from 22 career starts, he was a horse that always strengthened the middle-distance and staying division here. Last seen when running third in the Group 2 Hardwicke Stakes at Royal Ascot just over a month ago, his crowning achievement was a Group 1 victory in the Coronation Cup at Epsom last year. Bred and raced by Darley’s Sheikh Mohammed Obaid Al Maktoum and trained by Roger Varian, the horse struck up a great partnership with jockey Andre Atzeni. The ultra-consistent 6yo gelding had more to give and will be sorely missed.

The soft parts of the track had dried out and the sun was shining bright, showing Goodwood in all its glory. We had races at all ranges of distance, from 5f to 2 1/2 miles.

There was one race that stood out, billed as the race of the season. It delivered in spades.

Qatar Sussex Stakes (Group 1, 1m)

Sometimes when a race is built up to boiling point, the reality can flop. The 2020 Sussex Stakes shaped to be the best contest of the season, and it did not disappoint. What a horse race!

The best milers in Europe were assembled, there were seven participants, we had two classic winners, a dual Royal Ascot Group 1 winner and between them they had gained £2.3million in prizemoney.

There was a horse that had not yet tasted Group 1 success, but profiled up as one that should’ve. Or at least as one that would soon do. It was Mohaather (Showcasing) and he put in a sensational performance at Goodwood today.

Mohaather was simply brilliant. Photo: Racing Post

There was no out-and-out pacemaker in the race, but the feeling was that Circus Maxiumus (Galileo) would more than likely take up that role. He did, working his way quietly to the lead as they worked up hill for the first 2f of the contest.

Goodwood is such a tactical track, the nature of it means you can get into serious hot water if trapped on the rail. It was a cagey affair as the two other Coolmore runners Vatican City (Galileo) and Witchita (No Nay Never) sat outisde their stablemate and leader.

Kameko (Kitten’s Joy) sat one back on the rail, probably not where Oisin Murphy wanted to be, but still OK if Circus Maxiumus could draw him into the race.

Mohaather sat more or less in the one-one, seemingly a good position.

Sisikin (First Defence) and the roughie San Donato (Lope De Vega) sat at the rear.

When things got serious 2f from home things started to get messy for a two runners in particular as the Coolmore 3yo’s made a nuisance of themselves.

This is what makes this win by Mohaather quite brilliant, he had the equal-worst passage in the race. When Vatican City came screaming back on him, Jim Crowley had to look for another passage to take. He found San Donato immediately to his left, going backwards after having launched a suicidal early bid. He would have to essentially circle the field and make his run widest of all. Against these rivals and with a never-say-die customer rolling out in front, this would rely on a devastating turn of foot. He more than delivered on that front.

This 4yo Colt had dug himself out of significant peril to scream down the outside and score going away from these high class rivals. This was a serious, serious performance under these conditions. Given a clear passage he would’ve won by a great deal more.

It continued a remarkable season for owner Sheikh Hamdan Al Maktoum, such a brilliant supporter of the game. His team had six winners at Royal Ascot.

Jockey Jim Crowley by association with Al Maktoum continues his brilliant run as well, he his firmly in the top echelon of jockeys you will find anywhere.

For trainer Marcus Tregonning, such a well spoken genuine man, it was his first Group 1 success since Sir Percy won the Derby in 2004.

Mohaather was a £115,000 purchase from Book 2 of Tattersalls October 2018. He is the ninth foal from Inchinor mare Roodeye. Seven of those have been winners, most notably Prize Exhibit - who is also by Showcasing - a winner of £425,000.

Showcasing. Photo: Whistbury Stud Manor

Often underrated in both Hemisphere’s, this is a huge success for the sire Showcasing. Since his first crop hit the racetrack I have always been a big fan of his. You know what you will get: a very forward, robust horse who shows a great turn of foot - evidenced in the most brilliant fashion today by his son Mohaather. Well known as a producer of precocious 2yo’s, he is the only sire to have fathered more than one Commonwealth Cup winner - a Group 1 contest at Royal Ascot for the 3yo sprinters. He sired triple Group 1 winner Advertise and has a 10% black type to runners record throughout his stallion career. In this Hemisphere he has also sired the likes of Quiet Reflection (a multiple Group 1 winner) and the multiple black type winning colts in Soliders Call and Capella Sansevero. No longer shuttling to Haunui Farm in New Zealand, he of course consistently stood at the business end of premierships there.

Circus Maximus lost absolutely no admirers in second. It is the tallest of orders leading up a field of this stature and he battled in trademark fashion bravely to the line. There is more success in this triple Group 1 winner before he heads to stud. I love racehorses like him.

Siskin had the dream card into the race, was far from disgraced in third but was perhaps entitled to be in second. He went eye-to-eye 1f out with Circus Maximus, and there is only ever going to be one winner there.

The real hard luck story went to Kameko in fourth, who was taken down by the Goodwood trap. When Witchita held him in on the rail, he just couldn’t find any room and was denied a run right to the finish. Jockey Oisin Murphy after the race was lamenting his ride, but there has been plenty of jockeys tripped up on this track. With a clear run, it would’ve made it interesting, but the winner would not have changed for mine. This son of Kitten’s Joy is still high class and you can scratch that run completely. He will pick up more top level success - like Roaring Lion I believe it will come over 1m 2f.

The 2020 Sussex Stakes can stand proud against others from years gone by, it was enthralling.

Markel Insurance Molecomb Stakes (Group 3 2yo, 5f)

To pick up 2yo at the breeze-ups for €28,000, give him a couple of pieces of sharp work, win a maiden and then pick up a Group race at Glorious Goodwood is the absolute perfect scenario. That’s what occurred in this years running of the Molecob when Steel Bulls (Clodovil) was a strong winner in this contest for young Irish trainer Michael O’Callaghan.

It was a bold move to bring this colt across the Irish Channel after just a maiden victory, but with this race lacking in depth it turned out to be a very shrewd piece of training.

Steel Bulls was first sold as a foal in Ireland at the 2018 Tattersalls Ireland Flat Bloodstock sale for €5,000, was then sold at the Tattersalls Ascot Yearling sale for £15,000 before then being sold at Goffs & Arqana Breeze-Ups to the owner / trainer Callaghan.

Bred for speed out of Equiano mare MacArthurs Park, a listed place getter at 2 over 5f, she was a sister to 2yo 5f winner Marietta Robusti and a half-sister to 5f Listed winner Three Sea Captains, with the family going back to a Group 1 6f winner in Lavinia Fontana.

Standing in Ireland at Rathasker Stud for €8,000, the sire Clodovil was a high class racehorse trained by Andre Fabre in France and a son of Danehill. His progeny have now featured over 50 stakes performers, headlined by Group 2 winner Gregorian who achieved a top rating of 116, now standing at stud beside his father.

You would have to expect that this colt will be sold for a fourth time, this time for a lot more than the low five-figures.

The Handicaps

The Unibet You’re On Handicap is an idiosyncratic 2 1/2m endurance event, the longest of the carnival. The nature of the Goodwood Racecourse means that these gallopers start with no stalls - you could be forgiven for thinking you’re watching the start of the Grand National! They run up the home-straight the opposite way, working themselves to the back of the racecourse before switching back to race right-handed for the journey home. It gives the opportunity for dual-purpose trainers to mix it with specialist flat trainers. It was a victory at 25/1 odds for Just Hubert, a son of Dunaden who we remember so well as the Melbourne Cup winner of 2011 in that incredibly close photo-finish with Red Cadeux. It was another win for jockey Tom Marquand, who goes to within four wins of Oisin Murphy at the top of the premiership. His exploits in Melbourne earlier in the year, where he picked up two Group 1’s with Adeyybb, has seen his riding career rise to a new level. Trainer William Muir rates the gelding highly, and mentioned the Melbourne Cup after the race! He’d certainly have the stamina, but I doubt he’d have the class!

Being a 3yo Handicap over 1m 4f, the Unibet 3 Boosts A Day Handicap is exactly the kind of fixture in this country that can produce progressive staying horses to watch. Not considered quite good enough to compete at the elite 3yo level just yet, these types of horses are just below this level but can certainly train on. Fittingly, in the same silks as the now late Defoe raced in for the same owner and same jockey Andrea Atzeni, it was Mambo Nights (Havana Gold) who prevailed in a tough performance here. This colt was a €250,000 yearling purchase at Tattersalls October Book 1 2018 and is a half brother to the Group 2 winner in Spectre (Siyouni). The dam, herself a listed 1m winner, is a half sister to German 2000 Guineas winner and Hong Kong Group 2 winner Irian (Turtellian) and OTI owned Australian galloper Ibicenco (Shirocco) who was trained by Peter Moody and clocked up close to AU$700,000 in prize money. Equally as impressive in third was Sound Of Cannons (Nathaniel) who was keen at the back before rocketing down the outside with more to give. To the eye this looked a very strong race and it would be no surprise to see any number of these train on to greater things.

The action doesn’t stop, as we have some high class racing to come on Day Three. We take a look at the Group races….

Qatar Nassau Stakes (Group 1 Fillies & Mares, 1m 2f)

The Nassau Stakes has established itself as a premier middle-distance event for the females in Europe. Established in 1841, it rose to Group 1 status in 1999 and has grown legs since then.

We have some wonderful past winners of this event.

Ouija Board & Alexander Goldrun. Photo: Racing Post

Alexander Goldrun (Gold Away) took out the event in 2005, she was a brilliant mare. A winner of five Group 1 races in four different countries, she was a winner of the Hong Kong Cup the year prior to her Nassau success.

The phenomenal Ouija Board (Cape Cross) won in 2006 engaging in a tremendous battle with Alexander Goldrun from 2f out, prevailing in a desperately close photo finish. She was a seven-time Group 1 victor - a two time winner of the Breeders Cup Fillies & Mares Turf, an English and Irish Oaks winner, a Hong Kong Vase winner and a Prince of Wales winner.

Another five-time Group 1 winner Midday (Oasis Dream) achieved an historic hat-trick in the race in 2007, 2008 & 2009 for Juddmonte. She was also a winner of the Breeders Cup Fillies and Mares Turf as well as a Yorkshire Oaks and a Prix Vermaille in France.

Off the back of victories in the 1000 Guineas and the Oaks, the outstanding Minding (Galileo) was successful in 2016. She fashioned an unbelievable record of six Group 1 victories to be crowned Cartier Horse of the Year.

Coolmore and Ballydoyle made it back-to-back successes in 2017 when the equally high class Winter (Galileo) beat an extremely strong field to notch her fourth Group 1 of the season after the English and Irish 1000 Guineas and the Coronation Stakes at Royal Ascot.

This year we see a brilliant renewal of the contest, in a field with some real rising stars.

The regally bred Coolmore filly Fancy Blue (Deep Impact), who’s dam Chencikova (Sadlers Wells) is a full sister to High Chaparral, comes into this off the back of a great win in the Prix de Diane Longines (French Oaks) at Chantilly. That day she beat Alpine Star (Sea The Moon) who had been a terrific winner of the Group 1 Coronation Stakes at Royal Ascot and Peaceful (Galileo) who she had finished third to in the Irish 1000 Guineas. That is a superb profile to bring into this race and will make her extremely tough to beat.

You can hardly fault Nazeef (Invincble Spirit) who is a mare that looks the real deal as well. She was a brilliant winner of the Group 1 Falmouth Stakes at Newmarket on the 10th of July and has fashioned an extremely impressive record of six wins from seven starts. The comment after the Falmouth was that she will relish the step up in trip and she is sure to be right in the finish.

Another Coolmore runner with a superb chance is Magic Wand (Galileo). This 5yo mare has racked up £3.7million in prizemoney across the world and Australasian readers will be familiar with her as being a mare who saw off Melody Belle (Commands) in the Group 1 Mackinnon Stakes at Flemington last year. Coming off the back of a fourth in the Coral Eclispe (where she was a level behind the first three home in that), she has a magnificent record and has experience on her side.

The Japanese raider Deidre (Harbinger) became a real fans favourite in this country after her victory in this race last year. She has since proven that performance to be no fluke as she was close up to the outstanding Magical (Galileo) later in the season. The firm ground will suit her and this 127 rated 6yo mare will bring a stout defence of her crown.

The chances don’t stop there with Queen Power (Sharmadal) and One Voice (Poet’s Voice) looking very progressive fillies, meaning this years edition of the Nassau Stakes will do more than justice to the race’s illustrious history.

John Pearce Racing Gordon Stakes (Group 3 3yo, 1m 4f)

Established in 1902, The Gordon Stakes is a race for the 3yo stayers. It often serves as a superb guide to the Group 1 St Leger as nine horses have achieved the double through the years.

Again, in recent times this race has a superb honour roll.

The now well-known sire Sixties Icon (Galileo) won this race in 2006 and would later go on to win the St Leger of that same year. He was a six time group winner who retired with a record of eight wins from 17 starts.

The brilliant Conduit (Dalakhani) was crowned the winner in 2008. He would later go on to win a St Leger and a King George IV & Queen Elizabeth Stakes. His is most famous internationally for being the only horse to claim two wins in the Breeders Cup Turf.

Harbinger (Dansili) won in 2009, before going on to become the world’s top rated racehorse of 2010 after his victory in the King George IV & Queen Elizabeth Stakes.

Frankel’s full brother Noble Mission (Galileo) took it out in 2012, he would become a Group 1 winner in the Tattersalls Gold Cup of 2014.

Highland Reel. Photo: Racing Post

The great stayer in Highland Reel (Galileo) was the victor in 2015. In his brilliant career he raced in Ireland, Britain, France, America, Australia, Hong Kong and Dubai, and recorded seven victories at Group 1 or Grade 1 level in the Secretariat Stakes, Hong Kong Vase (twice), King George VI & Queen Elizabeth Stakes, Breeders' Cup Turf, Coronation Cup and Prince of Wales's Stakes. He was also placed in the Prix du Jockey Club, Cox Plate, International Stakes, Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe and Champion Stakes. He holds the record for the greatest amount of prize money earned by a racehorse trained in Europe.

In 2016 we saw Ulysses (Galileo) stride to victory, he would go on to become a top class race horse with Group 1 wins in the Coral Eclispe and Juddmonte International. He now stands at Stud at Cheveley Park.

Well documented in my past columns, the brilliant Crystal Ocean (Sea The Stars) was the winner in 2017. He would go on to become a Group 1 winner in the Prince of Wales Stakes at Royal Ascot. He enjoyed some titanic battles with Enable until he suffered a career ending injury.

In 2018, Cross Counter (Teofilo) would take out the contest and would later become the Melbourne Cup winner of that same year.

Last year, the spoils went to Nayef Road (Galileo). A horse I have extensively highlighted, after his great performance behind Stradavarius yesterday the best of him is yet to be seen.

I mentioned that horses from this years Derby would not have been out of place in this years King George IV & Queen Elizabeth Stakes, they all decided to give it a miss and it became a three runner track gallop for Enable. The King George’s loss is the Richmond Stake’s gain as we see a cracking select field assembled this year.

We have six runners, four of them contested the Derby last time out:

English King (Camelot) I believe will become a horse worthy of mentioning in the same breath as previous winners I have highlighted above. He was as dominant a winner of the Derby Trial to be seen in that race and in the bizarre running of the Derby was the horse making the most eye-catching progress towards the finish. I highlighted the need for a stallion to come through and compete with Galileo at this distance and with this one Camelot has a real chance of creating one to do that. In the same colours as Stradavarius for owner Bjorn Nielsen, I can’t see him beat.

Khalifa Sat (Free Eagle) was another superb performer in the Derby. With the eventual winner being a day ahead in that race throughout the running, it was up to this colt to essentially lead the field. In a tough staying performance he never conceded that position to finish as the runner up. A previous winner on this course, he will push English King hard.

The £3.4million yearling purchase Mogul (Galileo), a full brother to Group 1 winning Japan, has been somewhat of a “excuse horse” thus far. After a disappointing run at Royal Ascot where he looked very short of a gallop, he put in his best performance to date in the Derby. He finished sixth but certainly stayed the distance and looked to have more in hand. On pedigree alone, he is more than capable of rising to the occasion here.

Al Aasy (Sea The Stars) is a horse who didn’t contest the Derby, but is building a formidable profile. From the same family as the great sire Pentire, he will offer plenty here. He was fifth to eventual French Derby winner Mishriff on his return in June, after that he destroyed a good field by 10-lengths at Newmarket before winning the Group 3 Bahrain Trophy Stakes over 1m 5f in great style. He is hard to line up against the three I’ve already mentioned, but could be comprehensively better than them.

In Highland Chief (Gleneagles) and Subjectivist (Teofilo) you have two other worthy runners as well. The latter is by a son of Galileo out of a son of Danehill, couple this with the trainer being Mark Johnston and you are left in no doubt he will stay.

Qatar Richmond Stakes (Group 2 2yo Colts & Geldings, 6f)

The Richmond Stakes is another 2yo affair, this time over 6f for the Colts & Geldings.

Established in 1841, prior to 1950 it had good success with horses going on to win Classics of the followinbg year. It is not a race with a hugely notable honour roll, but has produced the likes of Shaala (Invincible Spirit) who fashioned an unbeaten 2yo record which included two Group 1’s.

Last years winner was Golden Horde (Lethal Force), this years winner of the Group 1 Commonwealth Cup who after his third in the July Cup against older rivals looks a very promising sprinter.

This year there are six runners, all who bring some solid form to the party.

The deserved favourite is Yazaman (Kodiac), who comes into this looking strong. He has now twice beaten everything bar Tactical (Tornado) in Group 2 contests at Royal Ascot and Newmarket. Bred for speed by Kodiac out of an Acclamation mare, he is another owned by Hamdan Al Maktoum. He was a £195,000 yearling purchase and is closely related to 6f Group 1 winner Red Clubs (Red Ransom).

He’ll be challenged by fellow Al Maktoum runner Qaader (Night Of Thunder), who also has close up form in Group 2 events. He is a close relative to the high class racehorse and now stallion Shirocco.

Coolmore run Admiral Nelson (Kingman), who flopped went sent out favourite in a Group 2 contest at Royal Ascot after his impressive debut win. A £440,000 yearling, as you’d expect he is superbly bred out of an Exceed And Excel mare.

Supremacy (Mehmas) has an interesting pedigree. His dam is a half sister to dual Hong Kong Group 1 winner Xtension (Xaal) and to the dam of the brilliant sprinter in Harry Angel (Dark Angel).

As with all of these 2yo fixtures, especially in this years truncated season, we will know a lot more after they hit the wire!