Features

In a week when the world’s eyes were focusing on London, Glorious Goodwood managed to put on a display to rival even “the greatest show on earth.”

The five-day festival started on Tuesday, with Sir Henry Cecil and Tom Queally getting off to a flyer by landing the bet365 Gordon Stakes with Frankel’s full brother Noble Mission and the bet365 Lennox Stakes with Chachamaidee.

Wednesday saw the pair team up again with the legend that is Frankel. The best racehorse on the planet was bidding to make it 12/12 career wins and although he had only three opponents (one being his own pacemaker, Bullet Train), he made light work of beating Farhh by six lengths and becoming the first ever horse to win back-to-back renewals of the QIPCO Sussex Stakes. This may well be the last time we see Frankel run at a mile as he now heads up to York for the Juddmonte International over a mile and a quarter before taking in the QIPCO Champions Stakes over the same distance.

The long distance Artemis Goodwood Cup was the feature contest on Thursday, with Irish challenger Saddler’s Rock winning it by a length from Askar Tau and Gold Cup winner Colour Vision. This race formed the fifth leg of the Long Distance category of the QIPCO British Champions Series, with the next leg of this division coming in the shape of the St Leger at Doncaster. Hopefully, Camelot will line up for that race in a bid to become the first Triple Crown winner for more than 30 years.

Friday will go down in the history books as both the RSA Thoroughbred Stakes and the Betfred Bonus King Bingo Handicap were called as dead heats. Trumpet Major and Archbishop shared the spoils in the former contest, while Jwala and Lady Gibraltar passed the finishing post at exactly the same time later on the card.

The Saturday of Glorious Goodwood hosts the second Group 1 contest of the week, the Markel Insurance Nassau Stakes for fillies and mares over a mile and a quarter. The race was won by the John Gosden-trained filly The Fugue, who is bred and owned by Lord Andrew Lloyd Webber. The Blue Square Bet Stewards Cup, one of the most spectacular sights in racing with 27 horses charging down the Goodwood hill, was won this year by Hawkeyethenoo with ex-jump jockey Graham Lee in the saddle.

The Festival drew to a close with the QIPCO Future Stars Apprentice Stakes, which was won by Landaman. Funnily enough the four-year-old had also won the first race of the week and he rounded off a fantastic week for northern-based trainer Mark Johnson, who was crowned leading trainer at the meeting with a haul of seven winners over the six days.

To see the Facebook album of photos from the week, CLICK HERE.