Qatar Goodwood Festival

John Quinn seems perennially capable of producing a sprinter to make a mark in Pattern company and in partnership with son Sean he pulled off the feat again on Friday with Jm Jungle (Bungle Inthejungle) in Goodwood's feature G2 King George Qatar Stakes. A proven lover of downhill tracks, Epsom's Dash Handicap winner was in his element far side under Jason Hart and asserted from the furlong pole to hold the fillies She's Quality (Acclamation) and Time For Sandals (Sands Of Mali) by a neck and half a length respectively....

Highclere Thoroughbred Racing's autumn dreams stayed alive against suitably dramatic Sussex skies on Thursday with the progressive Merchant (Teofilo) fighting his way through the G3 HKJC World Pool Gordon Stakes. Held up by Tom Marquand after the day's first flag start, the 6-5 favourite had to work to get by Wimbledon Hawkeye (Kameko) but may have had the most aptitude of the pair late on to prevail by a nose, with a gap of seven lengths back to the solid yardstick Windlord (Dubawi) in third. "It was tough and the...

Making the most of the absurd situation of starting a Group One race by flag, Ryan Moore seized an instant advantage on Whirl (Wootton Bassett) in Thursday's Qatar Nassau Stakes and never looked back. With Goodwood's officials unwilling to allow the fillies into the starting stalls due to the persistent threat of thunder, a ragged start saw the 6-5 favourite romp into a clear advantage with See The Fire (Sea The Stars) notably slowly into her stride. The winner's compatriot Cercene (Australia) looked the most potent threat heading to two...

With a hefty storm brewing overhead Goodwood, Highfield Farm's Coppull (Bated Breath) showed his rivals a clean pair of heels in Thursday's G2 Markel Richmond Stakes. Third in the Coventry last month, David Armstrong's homebred was 5-1 to provide Clive Cox with a third renewal of this six-furlong contest in seven years and was always happy in front of the group racing towards the stands under David Probert. Finding the fence late on, the colt named like most of the owner-breeder's horses after a Lancashire village kept up the momentum...

Things like 150-1 pacemakers winning the G1 Visit Qatar Sussex Stakes aren't supposed to happen, but as a rare reminder of the vagaries of horse racing, on Wednesday Juddmonte's Qirat (Showcasing) pulled off the shock outcome as Field Of Gold (Kingman) failed to fire. Only Rosallion (Blue Point) emerged from the pack of big favourites to threaten the upset late, but the Ralph Beckett-trained half-brother to Bluestocking kept producing to extend his Goodwood record to three-for-three. A neck separated them at the line, with 2 1/4 lengths back to Henri Matisse (Wootton...

In a renewal of the G1 Al Shaqab Goodwood Cup marred by a fatal injury sustained by the veteran stayer Trueshan (Planteur), Ballydoyle finished on top with the one-two led home by the three-year-old Scandinavia (Justify). While the race heralded the arrival of a new staying star, it was the loss of the 2021 winner of this prize, Trueshan, who suffered a fractured pastern six out that echoes out of this sad renewal. In terms of the end result, the illustrious homebred Scandinavia who had burst onto the scene with...

Insulted at 8-1, Zavateri (Without Parole) stepped up again as he had at Newmarket to make light of a three-pound penalty in Tuesday's G2 Vintage Stakes at Goodwood. Impressive in the G2 July Stakes, Mick and Janice Mariscotti's great-grandson of Zarkava was again forced to race wide without cover but once more produced that emphatic turn of acceleration for Charles Bishop to swamp the leaders a furlong out and hold Morris Dancer (Palace Pier) by a short head. Do Or Do Not (Space Blues) was in the frame for the...

A pair of Group 1 contests to be staged during next week's Qatar Goodwood Festival will earn their winners automatic berths into races on the 2026 Pegasus World Cup Day program at Gulfstream Park on Jan. 24. The Visit Qatar Sussex stakes over a mile on July 30 will serve as a qualifier for the $1-million GI Pegasus World Cup Turf, while the Visit Qatar Nassau Stakes going 10 panels on July 31 will earn the winner a spot in the field for the GII Pegasus World Cup Filly &...

The likely line-up of riders for the 2025 Markel Magnolia Cup in support of The King's Trust International's Project Lehar has been announced. Fifteen riders are in contention for the final field of 12 to be selected for the 5.5f race at Glorious Goodwood on Thursday, July 31. They are: Charlotte Emery, Christy Cashman, Elizabeth Hiscox, Jaimee Broadley, Jasmine Watts, Kate Hutchins, Lauren Griffiths, Lois Logan, Madeleine Bunbury, Matilda Alexander, Nina Barbour, Philippa Hartrick-Morris, Sabaya Verger, Sienna Anderson, and Sophie Forsyth. Goodwood racecourse director James Crespi said, "Every year the inspirational women...

The 2024 Markel Magnolia Cup has raised £313,233.62 for local charity My Sisters' House Women's Centre, Goodwood Racecourse announced on Thursday. The all-female annual charity race, which takes place at the Qatar Goodwood Festival, was conceived over a decade ago and has now raised over £2.5 million for charitable causes since its inception. This year's race was won by Lizzie Jelfs and her mount Reins Reigns Rains, trained by Harry Eustace. My Sisters' House Women's Centre is the beneficiary charity, with all net proceeds going to support the work they...

Taking his revenge on his Royal Ascot conqueror Asfoora (Aus) (Flying Artie {Aus}), Big Evs (Ire) (Blue Point {Ire}--Hana Lina {GB}, by Oasis Dream {GB}) returned to winning ways in Friday's G2 King George Qatar Stakes on Goodwood's fast downhill five-furlong strip over which he had won the 2023 G3 Molecomb Stakes. Third to the Australian runner in last month's G1 King Charles III Stakes, last year's GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf Sprint hero was sent off the 13-8 favourite and raced in second early under Tom Marquand with Ponntos...

Aidan O'Brien knew he still had a top-class filly on his hands despite Opera Singer (Justify--Liscanna {re}, by Sadler's Wells) missing out on all the early-season mile monuments and the late Evie Stockwell's homebred who had wowed in the G1 Prix Marcel Boussac duly delivered up in trip in Thursday's G1 Qatar Nassau Stakes at Goodwood. Able to control the 10-furlong contest from the front throughout, the 9-4 second favourite really turned it on passing the three-furlong pole and had to be brave late as the 16-1 shot See The...