Hukum stamped himself as a world-class talent with narrow victory over Westover in last Saturday’s Group 1 King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Stakes. Relishing the rain-affected ground, Hukum showed his quality and is now expected to be prepared by Owen Burrows for the Group 1 Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe in Paris in October, when his chances could again be enhanced by soft going.
Following the dramatic running of the King George VI at Ascot last weekend, we will be simulcasting the first three days of ‘Glorious Goodwood’, which features a string of Group 1 contests headlined by star runners such as Courage Mon Ami and Emily Dickinson (Goodwood Cup), Paddington and Inspiral (Sussex Stakes) and Blue Rose Cen and Nashwa (Nassau Stakes) from 1 August to 3 August.
Goodwood is one of the most spectacular and unique racecourses in the world. Veteran trainer John Gosden pointed out that Goodwood has its own demands – they swing left, right, up and down. It is considered a sharp track which demands a lot of agility.
The Group 1 Goodwood Cup over 3208m is the sixth (S1-6) of eight races in our Goodwood simulcast day on Tuesday (1 August) and will be run at 11:35pm local time. For Champion jockey Frankie Dettori, his ride on Courage Mon Ami will be a chance to win a sixth Goodwood Cup before retiring. The lightly-raced Frankel gelding has proven track record at Goodwood and is still improving. He is my win and place selection.
The Andrew Balding-trained Coltrane is not only a steady performer but also a high class stayer. He is a place chance under Oisin Murphy. Aidan O’Brien is represented by Emily Dickinson and ridden by Ryan Moore, the four-year-old filly is currently in fine form and is also a place chance especially on rain-affected ground.
The Group 1 Sussex Stakes over 1600m is the highlight of Wednesday night’s (2 August) racing from Goodwood and Aidan O’Brien is chasing his sixth win in the race with Paddington. Already the winner of three Group 1 races this season – the Irish 2000 Guineas, St James’s Palace Stakes and Eclipse Stakes – Paddington is unbeaten over a mile.
Aidan has made no secret of his admiration for Paddington, whose only defeat in seven starts came as a two-year-old in 2022, and he is my win and place selection under Ryan Moore.
Frankie Dettori has won the Sussex Stakes five times, stretching back to Second Set in 1991, and he will bid for another victory in the feature aboard Inspiral for John & Thady Godsen. Runner-up in the Group 1 Queen Anne Stakes at Ascot last month, Inspiral has not won since August, 2022 but is clearly a classy galloper at her best and is a place chance.
Aldaary rises to Group 1 level for Jim Crowley & William Haggas and is also a place chance along with talented French raider Facteur Cheval.
Lastly, I would like to update the status of Vincent Ho who has been transferred to Tokyo and is making progress in his recovery. We will do whatever we can to give him support, in particular to bring him back to Hong Kong when circumstances permit.
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