Glorious Goodwood

After 35 years of perfect attendance at Saratoga, I decided to play hooky, and I headed over to England to goof off this summer. Being a horse racing junkie, after a few weeks of abstinence, I needed to get a fix. So off we go to the British equivalent of the Spa: Glorious Goodwood. "Glorious," indeed. First of all, there is a language barrier for American horseplayers to overcome. As Winston Churchill said "America and Britain are two great nations divided by a common language." Each Way, Nap, Forecast, Placepot,...

With the massed ranks of Coolmore, Godolphin and Amo Racing in behind, owner-breeder Julia Rosier and her son Charlie sealed the dream of a lifetime to have a major winner at their local track during Glorious Goodwood.  The Rosiers bred Dr Rascal from their unraced Zoffany mare Little Miss Rascal, a purchase Charlie said was made "in the pub in Waterloo after a few beers, after a boozy client lunch". It is already looking like a shrewd decision, even if it wasn't made with the clearest of heads.  He continued,...

Is there a better week of racing? Doubtful. The Goodwood Festival kicks off on Tuesday and here are five things to look out for ahead of what promises to be another unmissable meeting that is jam-packed full of potential talking points.  No Cakewalk For Dorset It shouldn't take long for the temperature to rise as the G2 Coral Vintage Stakes looks a corker on Tuesday. The Aidan O'Brien-trained Dorset (Wootton Bassett) looked the business in earning TDN Rising Star status when getting off the mark second time up at Curragh...

After Newmarket received a proper drenching on Thursday, Goodwood hopefuls Docklands (Massaat) and Asfoora (Flying Artie) took to the soft turf of the July Course for a spin ahead of their major-race targets next week. Partnered by Ted Durcan, the five-year-old Docklands, hero of last month's G1 Queen Anne Stakes, looked relaxed both pre- and post-work and had an easy stretch over Newmarket's undulations, making the most of a rare chance in an otherwise dry, hot summer to gallop on grass.  "It was as much a mental exercise for him...

Henry de Bromhead trainee Term Of Endearment (GB) (Sea The Moon {Ger}--Miss You Too {GB}. by Montjeu {Ire}) accounted for Night Sparkle (Ire) (Postponed {Ire}) and River Of Stars (Ire) (Sea The Stars {Ire}) in May's G3 Bronte Cup at York and doubled up in game fashion to lead home a repeat trifecta in Saturday's G2 Qatar Lillie Langtry Stakes at Goodwood. Positioned behind the leaders in fourth until well beyond the halfway mark in this 14-furlong stamina test, the 15-2 chance made continued headway in the straight to gain...

Juddmonte's homebred 3-year-old Lead Artist (GB) (Dubawi {Ire}--Obligate {GB}, by Frankel {GB}) hit the board behind the reopposing Al Musmak (Ire) (Night Of Thunder {Ire}) in last month's Listed Sir Henry Cecil Stakes at Newmarket and made a smooth transition up to pattern-race level with a polished display in Friday's G3 Bonhams Thoroughbred Stakes at Goodwood. The John and Thady Gosden trainee, sent postward at odds of 9-2, was swiftly into stride from the inside gate and gained an immediate lead. Unflustered on the front end shaken up with 2...

Coolmore and Westerberg's 'TDN Rising Star' Jan Brueghel (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}--Devoted To You {Ire}, by Danehill Dancer {Ire}) followed up an eighth-length debut tally at the Curragh with a black-type breakthrough back there in June's G3 International Stakes and, penalised three pounds for his narrow success in the latter, dipped into deep reserves to maintain his perfect record with a battling performance in Thursday's G3 John Pearce Racing Gordon Stakes at Goodwood. The 4-5 favourite allowed this track's Listed Cocked Hat Stakes victor Meydaan (Ire) (Frankel {GB}) establish a clear...

Eleanora Kennedy's Black Forza (Complexity--Harlee Honey, by Harlan's Holiday), a £220,000 Goffs UK Breeze-Up graduate, shed maiden status at Fairyhouse last month and stepped forward to notch a landmark win for his Airdrie Stud-based freshman sire (by Maclean's Music) in Thursday's G2 Markel Richmond Stakes at Goodwood. A share in the stallion will be auctioned at Fasig-Tipton's August Sale next week. The Michael O'Callaghan trainee was steadied after the break and settled several lengths off the tempo in seventh through the early fractions of this six-furlong dash. Coming under pressure...

Goodwood, UK -- In a near-repeat performance of last year, a Mick Appleby-trained 'Big' horse by a first-season sire, running in the red and blue silks of Paul and Rachael Teasdale's RP Racing Ltd, scorched to success in the G3 Molecomb Stakes.  What came next for Big Evs (Ire) (Blue Point {Ire}) was several victories moving up through the grades and rounding off his juvenile season in the GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf Sprint. It is a pretty safe bet that with each new victory came larger and larger offers...

The RP Racing-Michael Appleby axis annexed last year's edition of Goodwood's G3 Jaeger-Lecoultre Molecomb Stakes, with GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf Sprint hero Big Evs (Ire) (Blue Point {Ire}), and connections struck again as the maiden Big Mojo (Ire) (Mohaather {GB}--Jm Jackson {Ire}, by No Nay Never) edged a three-way thriller in this year's renewal of the five-furlong dash. The 175,000gns Tattersalls December foal, who posted a debut second going five furlongs at Beverley earlier in the month, raced off the tempo in rear through the early stages. Making a...

Goodwood Racecourse and Qatar have extended their partnership in a multi-year agreement that will begin in 2025. Currently, the 10-year sponsorship between the course and Qatar Racing & Equestrian Club runs through 2024. The new partnership will be between Goodwood and Visit Qatar as the main event sponsor. Visit Qatar will be the main sponsor of the meeting, and will also sponsor the feature race each day during the iconic five-day stand. The legacy of the Qatar International Stakes for purebred Arabians will be preserved, and it serves as the...

Shadwell's homebred Listed Cathedral Stakes victrix and G3 Summer Stakes sixth Raqiya (Ire) (Blue Point {Ire}--Rihaam {Ire}, by Dansili {GB}) flashed past the post a head adrift of Jabaara (Ire) (Exceed And Excel {Aus}) in Wednesday's G3 Visit Qatar Oak Tree Stakes at Goodwood, but was awarded the seven-furlong distaffers' heat in the stewards' room after that rival was deemed to have caused interference in the closing stages. The Owen Burrows trainee, sent postward as a 7-1 chance, found a smooth rhythm along the fence in a handy third through...