The Power Of Youth

On the whole, the 3-year-olds have dominated Goodwood's G1 Sussex S., with six of the last eight renewals going their way, and the betting for Wednesday's Qatar-sponsored edition only serves to enhance the impression that the latest one will follow that trend. The first three home in Royal Ascot's G1 St James's Palace S. June 14, Galileo Gold (GB) (Paco Boy {Ire}), The Gurkha (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) and Awtaad (Ire) (Cape Cross {Ire}) are all here alongside the G3 Jersey S. winner Ribchester (Ire) (Iffraaj {GB}) to make up a fortress of talent that the exposed older brigade will have a daunting task attempting to break down. This St James's Palace rematch takes place on contrasting ground, with the rain-softened conditions at the Royal meeting now a thing of the past, and it is not easy to predict which way it will go. Galileo Gold, who had previously won the G1 2000 Guineas at Newmarket Apr. 30 before finishing runner-up to Awtaad in the Irish equivalent at The Curragh three weeks later, held the trump card at Ascot, which many attributed to a canny ride from Frankie Dettori, but that may be underselling the winner's class edge.

“His work has been good since Ascot, he's got physically stronger and we know he handles the track because he won well there last year in the [G2] Vintage S.,” trainer Hugo Palmer said. “He is going to run on faster ground than he's been running on this year, but then that's the same for all of them. There's no hiding place in a race like this and it's great for racing having these three leading milers taking each other on.”

The Gurkha is a quandary, having stormed to glory in Deauville's G1 Poule d'Essai des Poulains May 15 and started favourite for the St James's Palace only to look unlucky when a late-closing second there prior to another defeat in the G1 Coral-Eclipse S. Meeting ground on the soft side on both occasions, Derrick Smith's colour-bearer had his stamina stretched to the limit by Hawkbill (Kitten's Joy) in Sandown's 10-furlong feature. He remains capable of more at this trip and it will be interesting to see if the weight of support that traditionally accompanies Ballydoyle's is behind him as he encounters the quickest surface he has yet to race on.

“Obviously we have not done much since the Eclipse. I think he traveled well that day but I suppose the ground was softer than ideal,” trainer Aidan O'Brien commented. “I thought he ran a good race. We think he is a hardy horse at home and he has been taking his races very well so far.”

Awtaad, who beat Galileo Gold by 2 1/2 lengths in the Irish 2000 Guineas, was 1 3/4 lengths behind him in third at Ascot appearing to have no excuses, but trainer Kevin Prendergast has long held the opinion that he will be better on a sounder surface. “He's going there in good shape,” the County Kildare-based trainer said. “We've been very happy with him at home. It might have just been one run too many in a short space of time at Ascot, but we think he's in very good form now. I don't think we could have him any better and I've no worries about anything.”

Ribchester was third in the 2000 Guineas prior to his impressive performance in the Jersey over seven furlongs June 15, but this demands something extra from Godolphin's challenger. He has the pace for sprint trips, as he had previously demonstrated when successful over six furlongs in the G2 Mill Reef S. at Newbury in September, but should stay this mile on pedigree. “Ribchester is in great order and we are happy with him,” trainer Richard Fahey said. “Having won the [G3] Jersey S., you would have to say that we made the right decision in going for that race, although it does leave a question mark as to what might have happened if he had run in the St James's Palace. The 3-year-olds seem to come forward throughout the season, but Ribchester has definitely improved. It's just a question of how much the others have improved as well.”

Ribchester has stronger claims than the other Godolphin representative Toormore (Ire) (Arakan), a Group 1-winning juvenile who seems destined to just miss out on a Group 1 prize now but who reserves his best for this course on which he has won a G2 Vintage S. and G2 Lennox S. “If he can win a Sussex against a good crop of 3-year-olds, that will be a real feather in his cap,” trainer Richard Hannon said. “I know the weight-for-age is quite big, but he's a hard horse and will make them work.”

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