SUPERB SEPTET DECLARED FOR CANTOR SPREADFAIR SUSSEX STAKES - LATEST GOING UPDATE
A select field of seven, including two classic heroes and a previous winner, is set to go to post for the summer's premier all-age mile race, the £300,000 Group One Cantor Spreadfair Sussex Stakes at Goodwood on Wednesday, August 2.
The three-year-old challenge is headed by the Jeremy Noseda-trained Araafa, who will bid for a Group One hat-trick following his two-length defeat of the brilliant George Washington in the Irish 2,000 Guineas at the Curragh in May, and his scintillating victory over a high-class field in the St James's Palace Stakes at Royal Ascot.
Araafa will face stiff competition from a fellow classic hero, the Aidan O'Brien-trained French 2,000 Guineas winner Aussie Rules, who was beaten only a length when an admirable fourth to David Junior in the Group One Coral Eclipse Stakes over 10 furlongs at Sandown on July 8.
The duo, the only three-year-olds in the contest, have history on their side, as 29 of the last 40 runnings of the prestigious mile contest have gone the way of the younger generation, including last year, when Noseda saddled Proclamation to success.
The Newmarket handler will bid to become the first trainer to win back-to-back renewals of the race since Vincent O'Brien saddled Artaius and Jaazeiro to victory in 1977 and 1978 respectively.
James Fanshawe's brilliant five-year-old mare Soviet Song, successful in 2004 and runner-up to Proclamation 12 months ago, will make her third appearance in the Cantor Spreadfair Sussex Stakes as she bids to become the first horse to win the contest twice.
Court Masterpiece, trained by Ed Dunlop, was successful in the highest grade when winning the Prix de la Foret at Longchamp in October, and ran his best race since when runner-up in the Group One Queen Anne Stakes at Royal Ascot, a length and a half behind Ad Valorem.
Godolphin supplemented Echo Of Light for the race following his victory in the Group Three Ladbrokes Summer Mile Stakes on Lingfield's Polytrack on July 18. The son of Dubai Millennium will attempt to give trainer Saeed bin Suroor his third victory following Aljabr (1999) and Noverre (2001).
The Sir Michael Stoute-trained Rob Roy won the Group Two Betfred Mile at Sandown in April before disappointing on soft ground when sixth to Peeress in the Group One Lockinge Stakes the following month.
Stoute won the race with Sonic Lady in 1986 and saddled the brilliant Zilzal to victory three years later. Rob Roy would be the Freemason Lodge trainer's fourth success, following on from Among Men's 1998 triumph.
The field is completed by the Andrew Balding-trained Vanderlin, who was beaten only a neck when second to Host on firm ground in the Grade One Shadwell Turf Mile at Keeneland in October.
The Cantor Spreadfair Sussex Stakes is the highlight of the Glorious Goodwood Festival and has been won by some of the greats of the turf. The exceptional Brigadier Gerard took the prize in 1971, while other brilliant recent winners include Kris (1979), Chief Singer (1984), Warning (1988), Marling (1992), Giant's Causeway (2000) and Rock Of Gibraltar (2002).
Seamus Buckley, Clerk of the Course at Goodwood, commented today: "We are delighted with the quality of the field for the Cantor Spreadfair Sussex Stakes. As you would expect with a top Group One race, there are some marvellous horses competing for the prize, and I am particularly delighted that Soviet Song is coming.
"We also have Araafa and Aussie Rules, the French and Irish 2,000 Guineas winners, so we are really pleased with what looks like being a typically competitive race."
Buckley and his groundstaff are renowned for producing going conducive to top-class racing and the Clerk of the Course gave his latest bulletin on the condition of the Goodwood turf after walking the course this afternoon.
He reported: "We had three millimetres of rain this morning, which we are delighted with, but we are continuing to water on the round course. The going is officially good to firm and if we had another three millimetres of rain we would probably go good in places in the straight.
"I walked the course this afternoon and the ground is good to firm everywhere, and we are expecting a shower or two of rain tonight, which will help our cause.
"The going stick reading is 9.0 which is indicative of the going description. That's slightly better than good to firm - a good to firm reading is 10 and good is 8 to 10, so we are exactly in between.
"We are delighted with the ground and we are hopeful we will get a shower overnight just to keep a bit of juice in the ground. We expect to be racing on perfect flat racing ground."
NOVELLARA ON LILLIE LANGTRY TRAIL - BOTTI RELISHING GOODWOOD CHALLENGE
Novellara, Henry Cecil's unexposed half-sister to 1997 Vodafone Oaks winner Reams Of Verse, looks likely to step up to a mile and six furlongs as she bids for her first Group Three success in the £50,000 Lillie Langtry Fillies' Stakes at Goodwood on Thursday, August 3.
Khalid Abdulla's promising twice-raced Sadler's Wells filly made a winning debut in a 10-furlong Salisbury Maiden in May, before taking a massive leap in class on her next start, the Group Two Ribblesdale Stakes at Royal Ascot, on June 22.
Cecil's charge, who did not relish the quick underfoot conditions that day, was not disgraced in finishing under three and a half lengths eighth of 11 behind Mont Etoile in the high-class race, which saw subsequent Darley Irish Oaks runner-up Scottish Stage take second.
David Lanigan, assistant trainer to Cecil, reported today: "The plan is to step Novellara up to a mile and six furlongs in the Lillie Langtry Stakes. She's doing very well and came out of Ascot fine.
"We're just hoping that there's a tiny bit of give in the ground, that's the only reason we haven't run her since. They produce decent ground at Goodwood every year because they have a good watering policy so hopefully it won't be a problem.
"She's ready to race and is in great order. We've had her ready to go for a while and have just been keeping her ticking over, so hopefully she'll give a good account of herself."
Patrick Haslam hopes to run Ribblesdale Stakes third, Maroussie's Wings in the Group Three contest, but no final decision has been made on the three-year-old's participation.
The Middleham trainer revealed: "Our filly should relish the extra distance. She's bred to stay and if we go for the race we'd expect her to run well. She wouldn't be running to make up the numbers, we're looking for a win for her.
"Maroussie's Wings would be among the leading contenders, which look like being Scottish Stage, Guadalajara and Intrigued, but if Scottish Stage were to run then I'd have to have a think about it because she beat us fair and square at Ascot and ran a good race in Ireland.
"Also, we're keen to run Maroussie's Wings on soft ground. If it rained heavily, which it can do at Goodwood, that would influence the decision hugely, because she'd definitely run if that happened.
"If Scottish Stage ran, we'd only want to take her on if the ground was to our advantage."
The Sir Michael Stoute-trained Scottish Stage has improved with each run this season and the Darley Irish Oaks runner-up could head to Goodwood on Thursday, but also holds an engagement in the Prix de Pomone at Deauville at the weekend.
Godolphin trainer Saeed bin Suroor may saddle recent Newmarket winner Gudalajara in the classy contest. The twice Group Two placed five-year-old found the two and half miles of the Group One Ascot Gold Cup beyond her before defeating Ouninpohja by two and half lengths at Newmarket on July 28
The Lady Herries-trained Tartouche took the prize last year and the five-yer-old soft ground lover, successful in a mile and a half Newmarket handicap in May before finishing fourth in a two-mile Group Two contest at Baden Baden in June, is entered for a repeat win.
Sir Mark Prescott could saddle Italian Oaks third Souvenance, as well as Intrigued, who was fourth to Divine Proportions in the Group One Prix Marcel Boussac at Longchamp in October 2004 but missed last season, before returning with a third-placed effort in a heavy ground Haydock Listed contest on May 27.
Other possible runners include the Aidan O'Brien-trained pair of Sacrosanct and Kushnarenkovo, while Listed winners Art Eyes, Sirce and Power Girl could line up.
BOTTI RELISHING GOODWOOD CHALLENGE
First season trainer Marco Botti, who has sent out two winners so far from his base at Saffron House Stables in Newmarket, is looking forward to saddling his first-ever runners at Goodwood at this week.
The 29-year-old Italian plans to run Penfection in the Weatherbys Bank Fillies' Handicap over nine furlongs on Wednesday, August 2, and Rumsfeld in the 10-furlong ladbrokes.com Handicap a day later, although he is hoping for some rain to fall with both three-year-olds showing a preference for give in the ground.
Penfection, fourth in a Group Three event at San Siro in May, ran a close fourth last time out under top weight behind Caressed in a mile handicap at Salisbury on July 15, having previously finished fifth to Pictavia on her British debut in the 10-furlong Listed Hopping Stakes at Newcastle in June.
Botti said this morning: "Penfection was not beaten far last time. They went a slow pace early on and she wants a better gallop - hopefully she will get that at Goodwood.
"At Newcastle the time before she did not quite stay the mile and a quarter, but a mile and a furlong I don't think will be a problem.
"She's come out of the race in great form, has improved for the run and looks fantastic. I'm very pleased with her and I expect her to go well."
Rumsfeld, who won three times in Italy as a juvenile, went down by a neck to Hazeymm in a 10-furlong conditions race at Newbury in April and is bidding to bounce back from a disappointing effort last time in the Italian Derby at Capannelle on May 21, when he finished 11th behind the Andre Fabre-trained Gentlewave.
The trainer explained: "Rumsfeld came back stiff from the Italian Derby as the ground was too quick. The mile and a half was too far for him and the drop back to 10 furlongs will suit him.
"He's been working well and is in good shape but he'll need a lot of luck in that big field - it's a very competitive handicap.
"I'm really looking forward to having my first ever runners at Glorious Goodwood, and hopefully my pair will run well."
GREAT 13 IN VODAFONE NASSAU STAKES
Thirteen high-class fillies go forward today for Saturday's £200,000 Group One Vodafone Nassau Stakes which looks set to be a cracking contest.
Heading the list of acceptors is Lord Derby's multiple Group One winner Ouija Board, who will be bidding to bounce back to success after a frustrating run in the Coral Eclipse at Sandown last time.
Ireland could be represented by the Jim Bolger-trained Alexander Goldrun, last year's scorer who enjoyed a recent success in the Pretty Polly Stakes at the Curragh, and her stablemate Tropical Lady. Aidan O'Brien could run Coronation Stakes fourth Race For The Stars, while Con Collins has Chelsea Rose, the neck runner-up behind Alexander Goldrun last time out, still engaged.
Rajeem, shock 50/1 winner of the Group One Falmouth Stakes at Newmarket last time, is set to represent trainer Clive Brittain, while Sir Michael Stoute has Echelon, second behind Soviet Song in the Windsor Forest Stakes at Royal Ascot and Red Bloom going forward.
Cheveley Park Stud, owners of Echelon and Red Bloom, are triple-handed at this stage with the John Gosden-trained Nannina, heroine of the Group One Coronation Stakes at Royal Ascot, also a potential starter.
Godolphin's remaining entry is Reunite, a Listed winner at York last time.
AMAZING 84 FOR VODAFONE STEWARDS' CUP
A total of 84 horses remain in the £100,000 Vodafone Stewards' Cup, run at Goodwood on Saturday, August 5, at today's confirmation stage.
The great six-furlong handicap is traditionally one of the hottest betting contests of the whole year and ante-post favourite Firenze stands her ground for the James Fanshawe stable.
David Nicholls, successful last year with Gift Horse and in 2000 with Tayseer, has the largest entry of any trainer with 19 horses, including leading fancy Tax Free, and half-brothers Fire Up The Band and Strike Up The Band, both previous winners at Goodwood.
Improving three-year-old Bentong, trained by Paul Cole who hit the bullseye with Calibina back in 1977, is another to figure prominently in the betting, along with last year's runner-up, Fonthill Road, for North Yorkshire handler Richard Fahey who sent out Superior Premium to victory in 1998.
Other fascinating contenders include Borderlescott, trained by Robin Bastiman, the Sir Michael Stoute-trained Tawaassol, Desert Commander, from the Kevin Ryan stable, and Intrepid Jack, trained in Berkshire by Hughie Morrison.
The maximum number of runners allowed on Saturday is 28, with those not getting in eligible for a consolation race on Friday (August 4).
The five-day Glorious Goodwood Festival starts tomorrow, August 1.
News of the latest going at Goodwood will be released later today.
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