Glorious Goodwood produced a string of world-class performances this week, including the surprise G1 Sussex Stakes (1609m) triumph of QIRAT under a brilliant ride by Hong Kong-bound Richard Kingscote, the familiar excellence of Ryan Moore and Aidan O’Brien and the considerable resilience of all participants in the face of an incredible rain storm.
As one of World Pool’s most popular meetings, Glorious Goodwood is a celebration of high-class international horse racing and we are accustomed to see Aidan excel and he did so once more with SCANDINAVIA’s victory in the G1 Goodwood Cup (3209m) under Wayne Lordan, upstaging Ballydoyle stablemate and race favourite ILLINOIS.
Aidan has now won this race on five occasions, having previously scored with outstanding stayers YEATS (2006 and 2008) and KYPRIOS (2022 and 2024) and impeccably-bred SCANDINAVIA, who is by JUSTIFY out of top-line GALILEO broodmare FABULOUS, appears to have a bright future at the highest level.
QIRAT’s victory in the Sussex Stakes at 150/1 clearly caught many people by surprise as he defied his role as pacemaker for the favourite FIELD OF GOLD, who was found to be lame after finishing fourth, but it was a tremendous tactical display by Richard Kingscote.
Richard showed impressive application and skill when in Hong Kong last season and I look forward to his return for the start of the 2025/26 season, which starts on 7 September at Sha Tin. Richard displayed incredible judgement on QIRAT, who is extremely well-bred as a son of SHOWCASING and a half-brother to G1 Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe (2400m) winner Bluestocking.
Followers of Hong Kong racing are familiar with the challenges occasionally presented by torrential rain and the brilliant way in which Sha Tin and Happy Valley cope with exceptional downpours and Goodwood endured a similar test on Thursday (31 July) when 28.6mm of rain fell very quickly in a thunderstorm.
The threat of lightning strikes prompted officials to employ a flag start instead of using the barrier stalls for the G1 Nassau Stakes (1984m), which was run in heavy rain and easily won by WHIRL for Aidan and Ryan. By WOOTTON BASSETT out of a GALILEO mare, WHIRL took control under Ryan at the start and careered to a five-length win.
With the opening of trackwork for the 2025/26 Hong Kong season at Sha Tin on Friday (1 August), the appearance of several leading trainers including Tony Cruz, Caspar Fownes and Frankie Lor served as a signal another much-anticipated campaign is imminent.
Before the season-opener next month, our World Pool operation continues to provide outstanding entertainment.
This Sunday (3 August), we will simulcast Preis der Diana—German Oaks Day from Dusseldorf Racecourse in Germany and Prix Rothschild Day from Deauville Racecourse in France.
Dusseldorf Racecourse is one of the most beautiful racecourses in the world, set in the middle of a forest but it is a very demanding course which not every horse can handle, especially the last four furlongs which feature a steep uphill section and a very tight bend leading into the straight.
The 2200m start for the Preis der Diana—German Oaks is very close to the first sharp right-handed bend and one has to be careful not be carried wide or to be shuffled back, especially being drawn on the inside with horses with not much gate speed but moreover drawn wide is a disadvantage, while horses with experience at the course can have a significant advantage.
The first of three races is scheduled for 7.22pm while the G1 Preis der Diana is carded as S1-3 and run over 2200m at 9.40pm. The track is currently rated soft.
The international challenge is strong this year with Ryan and Aidan combining with GARDEN OF EDEN, who easily won the G2 Ribblesdale Stakes (2392m) at Royal Ascot but has drawn barrier 12 and will need luck as a place chance.
Charlie Appleby is represented by SPIRITED STYLE (William Buick), who has drawn perfectly in barrier one and recently won the Listed Aphrodite Fillies’ Stakes (2400m) at Newmarket. SPIRITED STYLE is a win and place chance.
Leading German trainer Henk Grewe has three runners – INNORA (Lukas Delozier), MEERESBRISE (Nina Baltromei) and STUGARDIA (Jack Mitchell) – and there is confidence INNORA can run well from the front of the field.
Andreas Wohler has won this race six times dating back to 1991 and saddles LADY CHARLOTTE (Adrie de Vries) and RAPOSA (Eduardo Pedroza). LADY CHARLOTTE suffered the first defeat of her career in the G1 Deutsches Derby (2400m) but is expected to be hard to beat.
The first of eight races will be simulcast from Deauville at 7.56pm with the G1 Prix Rothschild carded as S2-5 and run over the straight 1600m course at 10.40pm. The track is currently rated soft.
As one of the most important races in Europe from a breeding and racing perspective, the Prix Rothschild has been won by some champion fillies and mares, including GOLDIKOVA who won the race from times in a row from 2008 to 2011.
Several British and Irish trainers feature in this year’s contest, including Karl Burke who is chasing his second win in the race with 2024 G1 Irish 1000 Guineas (1600m) winner FALLEN ANGEL (Daniel Tudhope), having won this race with LAURENS in 2019.
FALLEN ANGEL bypassed the Nassau Stakes on Thursday for this race and is a place chance.
Aidan has two runners – JANUARY (Christophe Soumillon) and EXACTLY (Wayne Lordan) – and JANUARY, runner-up in the Falmouth Stakes, is improving and a win and place chance.
In a quality field, GODSPEED (Alexis Pouchin) is also a winning chance as Alexis bids for his third straight win in the race, while START OF DAY (Aurelien Lemaitre) has been supplemented into the race and is also a leading contender. MATILDA (Maxime Guyon) is also among the chances.
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