Tracking the Horses – Glorious Goodwood

It’s Glorious Goodwood week! This week, Tracking the Horses will bring you coverage of the world renowned Glorious Goodwood festival taking place near Chichester, West Sussex, England. Tracking the Horses is a weekly column that will provide the latest news, updates, recaps, and big race previews of some of the finest horse racing in the UK and Ireland. Look out for our picks! 

We have had some big news regarding the reinstatement of jump racing at Windsor racecourse, whilst there have been further amendments to penalties in regards to whip rules. Last weekend we had some brilliant racing from the King George weekend at Ascot as Hukum took the victory in the feature race. We will recap the big race below. 

Moreover, we are excited to bring you coverage from Glorious Goodwood! The five-day festival kicked off this week and day one saw some excellent racing on show. Below we recap some of the best races from the opening day of the festival, including the Goodwood Cup. 

We also recap the feature race of the week in the Qatar Sussex Stakes that took place on Wednesday. Finally, we finish off the column this week with a preview of the big race on Saturday in the Coral Stewards’ Cup. Who will be crowned the winner? Find out who we think below!

Latest News

Jump racing to return to Windsor 

It was announced earlier this week that jump racing will return to Windsor next year. Jump racing came to a close at Windsor in 1998 and top trainer Nicky Henderson has hailed it as “seriously good news.” Despite hosting some of Ascot’s fixtures in 2005 and 2006, Windsor has failed to permanently host National Hunt racing for 25 years.  

The 2024-25 season will see the return of a National Hunt fixture at Windsor in December 2024. The Berkshire track currently only hosts flat races. Monday Night Racing is the current highlight of the course. 

Changes to whip rules 

Further changes to whip rules have been introduced, despite big changes already being made earlier this year. The penalty structure handed to jockeys is set to undergo changes after a six-month review by the British Horseracing Authority. 

The original changes saw the number of strikes that jockeys were permitted to use in Flat racing reduced to six and seven in jumps races. It was also concluded that those in breach of the new rules could face tougher penalties. Recent changes, however, have eased the penalties that jockeys could face.

King George Recap

It was a disappointing race for Auguste Rodin who we tipped to shine. Aidan O’Brien’s horse failed to deliver after previous success in the Irish Derby at Curragh and in the Epsom Derby. 

The King George proved to be a blowout for Auguste Rodin and O’Brien has yet to offer an explanation as to why the three-year-old failed to deliver. It remains to be seen what the issue was but, ultimately, it was hugely disappointing for a horse that looked at the top of his game prior to the race. 

After the victory for Hukum in the King George, many will be keen to track where he goes next. The Group 1 Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe in Paris, France will be a big target for him in October. 

After recovering from a serious injury, following a victory over 2022 King George winner Pyldedriver at Epsom last June in the Coronation Cup, Hukum was able to follow up the Epsom victory in his return back in May earlier this year. That saw him triumph over last year’s Derby winner Desert Crown at Sandown before going on to secure victory in the King George.

Glorious Goodwood

This week has signalled the start of Glorious Goodwood!. Check out last week’s edition of Tracking the Horses to find all the information and background you need about the festival. 

We have already had some superb action take place at the festival but there is still plenty more to come. Stay tuned to find out our Glorious Goodwood picks! 

Wednesday saw the big race of the week take place in the Qatar Sussex Stakes. We tipped Paddington for success in this one, looking to back up his victory in the Coral-Eclipse at Sandown Park at the beginning of July. However, we also took a look at Nostrum and Modern Games. Check out our recap of the race below.

Glorious Goodwood Day One Recap

Day one at Goodwood Festival kicked off a fantastic week of top quality British horse racing. The going for day one was good to soft (soft in places) and the highlight of the day was the Goodwood Cup. However, with the heavy rain throughout the week, the course is getting softer as the week progresses. The going for day two was officially declared soft. 

One of the earlier races from day one at Glorious Goodwood saw the Class 2 British EBF 40th Anniversary Maiden Stakes. Array was the starting favorite and was heavily backed at just under evens. The Andrew Baling-trained horse was pushed all the way by Mansa Musa and it was the Diego Dias-trained two-year-old who provided the shock 20-1 winner by a short head. 

The 15:25 Group 2 Class 1 Nicholson Gin Vintage Stakes was also a highlight as Haatem was the favorite at 11-4. The two-year-old had won just one of his five starts prior to the race, picking up the victory at Bath in May earlier this year. However, he was able to get the win here, holding off a late charge by Iberian. 

Iberian looked a strong bet too as his price was cut to 7-2 before the start of the race. The Charles Hills-trained horse had won in its only start at Newbury prior to the race here. It was a tough start for the two-year-old as he had to move from the back but fought back well to finish in second.

What is the Goodwood Cup?

Finally, we summarise the Group 16:35 Goodwood Cup Stakes. The Goodwood Cup is one of the leading races for longer distance runners and is run over 2 miles, being considered one of the best races at Glorious Goodwood by some.  

John and Thady Gosen’s Courage Mon Ami was the favorite at 7-4 and was set for a rematch with Andrew Balding-trained Coltrane after the pair battled it out at Royal Ascot in the Group 1 Gold Cup last month. Courage Mon Ami won by three quarters of a length in that one as jockey Frankie Dettori secured his ninth Gold Cup triumph. 

Nevertheless, we saw a real shock in the Goodwood Cup. 16-1 Quickthorn and jockey Tom Marquand burst out of the gate and at one point had a lead of over 20 lengths. The expectation was that the others could close but Quickthorn ran a stupendous race to secure the victory by six lengths.

Qatar Sussex Stakes Recap

So, Wednesday saw the main feature race of Glorious Goodwood take place in the Qatar Sussex Stakes. The Group 1 race is one of the most prestigious of the week and last week we previewed the race. We backed Paddington to take the glory.  

It was Paddington who immediately took the lead in the race but Inspiral was pushing the Aidan O’Brien-trained horse midway, trying to apply some pressure. Inspiral failed to keep up the challenge and didn’t get on with the ground but then it was the turn of Facteur Cheval to try and push Paddington all the way. 

Paddington held on and fought off both Inspiral and Facteur Cheval for his sixth victory of the season. It was an encouraging performance by Facteur Cheval but Paddington was always going to be the winner. What a horse! 

Having already won the Group 1 Irish 2000 Guineas, St James’s Palace Stakes and Coral-Eclipse, Paddington has now added the Sussex Stakes to the list. Yet another terrific ride by the three-year-old.

Saturday at Glorious Goodwood – Stewards’ Cup Preview

The Coral Stewards’ Cup will conclude a magnificent week of British flat racing at Goodwood. The heritage handicap is a Class 2 flat race that takes place in Britain for horses aged three-years-old or older. It is a yearly event at Glorious Goodwood and is run over a distance of six furlongs and was first run in 1840. 28 horses are set to take the field on Saturday. 

Typically, horses aged three and four have had success in the race and those that are relatively new to racing. Michael Dods-trained Commanche Falls has recorded successive victories in the Stewards’ Cup, having won in 2021 and 2022. 

Just three out of the last ten winners have been considered the favoritie heading into the race and the last three victors have all been considered outsiders. The last time the favorite won the race was in 2019, with Khadeem becoming a 4-1 winner. 

Here’s a list of all the races coming up on Saturday at Glorious Goodwood:

• 13:50 – Coral Stewards’ Sprint Handicap (Class 2) (3YO plus) 6f
• 14:25 – Coral Summer Handicap (Class 2) (3YO plus) 1m 6f
• 15:00 – Qatar Lillie Langtry Stakes (Fillies’ & Mares’ Group 2) (Class 1) (3YO plus) 1m 6f
• 15:35 – Coral Stewards’ Cup (Heritage Handicap) (Class 2) (3YO plus) 6f
• 16:10 – Racing Welfare Handicap (Class 2) (3YO only) 7f
• 16:45 – British EBF 40th Anniversary Maiden Stakes (Class 2) (2YO only) 7f
• 17:20 – Coral Handicap (Class 3) (3YO plus) 1m 1f

Coral Stewards’ Cup Preview

Orazio for Charlie Hills looks to be a good shout for the victory here. Despite finishing in sixth in the Class 2 heritage handicap Wokingham Stakes at Ascot, he won in the Peroni Nastro Azzurro “Live Every Moment” Handicap at Ascot back in May. That saw the four-year-old beat Sir Thomas Gresham by two and a quarter lengths. 

Victory on soft ground at Ascot will bode well for Orazio here due to the continuing rain at Glorious Goodwood this week. Hills is looking for a third triumph in the Coral Stewards’ Cup and Orazio is the current favorite at 9-2. 

Hills also has Tanmawwy running in the race who is currently priced at 12-1. The five-year-old won at Windsor in his last outing, beating Lethal Nymph by one and a half lengths in the Class 2 Fitzdares Sprint Series Handicap. Hills last won the race in 2019 with Khadeem. 

The rain this week will enhance the prospects for 16-1 Aleezdancer. The Kevin Ryan-trained four-year-old finished last in his previous two outings at Pontefract and Newcastle last month. However, Aleezdancer loves soft ground and won at Doncaster in April earlier this year. He has run five times on either soft or heavy ground, winning in every race, and so will relish the prospects at Goodwood this week. 

2020 winner Summerghand is also an interesting prospect and will once again run in this race. This time, Jason Watson will ride the nine-year-old and is currently priced at 18-1. That was trainer David O’Meara’s last winner in this race and he will also have Aberama Gold running in this one. The six-year-old won at York in his last race, beating Manila Scouse by a neck in the Class 2 Sky Bet Dash Handicap. 

Who will win the 2023 Coral Stewards’ Cup? 

The soft ground should play a big role in determining the winner for this race. Therefore, favorite Orazio looks like a good bet, especially due to Hills’ previous success in the race. That would also follow the trend of either three or four-year-olds winning the race. However, we can’t ignore Aleezdancer who will have a great chance if the going stays soft by Saturday. He could be a good EW bet. 

Best Bet: Orazio 9-2 / Aleezdancer 16-1 EW