Our ambassador is gearing up to cover every one of the five thrilling days of the Goodwood Festival, starting with an electrifying opening day on Tuesday that features the prestigious Goodwood Cup. The highlight on the agenda is the much‑anticipated showdown between Scandinavia and Trawlerman in the Al Shaqab Goodwood Cup (3.35) on the first day of the Qatar Goodwood Festival.
This contest is one of the races I am most eager to watch, as it promises to set the tone for an unforgettable week across the rolling Sussex Downs. Scandinavia, trained by Aidan O'Brien, entered the Gold Cup at Royal Ascot as the reigning champion and emerged victorious after a hard‑fought duel with Godolphin’s seasoned veteran. That win cemented his superiority in Group 1 company, and the Goodwood Cup now appears poised to become a two‑horse duel once again, with Scandinavia looking to replicate the feat achieved by O'Brien’s own Kyprios.
At four years younger and arguably in even better form this season, Scandinavia could become the second horse to claim the Goodwood Cup twice, delivering Aidan O'Brien his fourth triumph in the race in five years. Roger Varian’s Yorkshire Cup winner Rahiebb also adds intrigue to the mix. While Rahiebb showed great promise in the Yorkshire Cup, he struggled to stay the marathon distance in the Gold Cup and may find the shorter Goodwood trip more to his liking. Even though he is stepping back a half‑mile, I doubt he will be able to challenge the market leaders, but his presence certainly adds depth to the field.
For those who want the latest updates, Sky Sports Racing continues to provide horse‑racing news, interviews, and feature stories throughout the festival. Turning to the other card, the HKJC World Pool Lennox Stakes (3.00) at Goodwood will see Qirat break from the gate.
If he gets a good start, I don’t see any of his rivals able to pull him back, especially after his impressive performance in the Group 3 Criterion Stakes at York, where he wore a tongue‑tie for the first time and still produced a front‑running display. Hollie Doyle also hinted that Thunder Call could play a role in the Shergar Cup at Ascot, which will be broadcast live on Sky Sports Racing on Saturday. The Shergar Cup will feature five horses from Jamie Lynch’s stable as international stars clash in a thrilling contest. In other news, former Premier League striker Kevin Doyle is now chasing Cheltenham Festival glory with his horses Augusta Kate and La Bague Au Roi, while at Ascot Kalpana triumphed over Calandagan in the King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Stakes.
Legendary jockey Ryan Moore was recently awarded an MBE in the King’s Birthday Honours, a fitting recognition of his contributions to the sport. Meanwhile, the Derby field is shaping up with Benvenuto Cellini leading a four‑horse Aidan O'Brien contingent for the Epsom Classic.
Scandinavia could still improve further in a race that may not demand a massive effort this year, and I would back him ahead of Andrew Balding’s Marvelman. Marvelman ran a stunning race in the Chipchase Stakes at Newcastle last month after a long break and should be sharper now. He is already a Group 2 winner and needs to take the next step, making him a serious threat. Witness Stand, who won this race for me last year, looks stronger than his Chester performance suggested and could mount another bold bid.
I also highlighted Pikachu as a horse to watch after his impressive run at Newmarket, and I won’t overlook his re‑appearance in the Coral Vintage Stakes (2.25) at Goodwood. Charlie Johnston’s Amo Racing colt, who finished strongly in the Superlative Stakes after encountering a flat spot, may finally break his maiden over the seven‑furlong distance. Never miss a story: the latest racing news, interviews and features are available on your mobile device.
Al Hudaiba appears to be the likely favourite, showing high class when he beat Pikachu in a Group 2 race. However, his connections are experimenting with blinkers to sharpen his focus, adding an extra layer of intrigue.
A more dependable option might be Aidan O'Brien’s Haffner, a promising son of Justify who built on his Curragh debut with a maiden win at Newmarket earlier this month. Though the competition is tougher, Haffner represents the Ballydoyle brand for a reason. Listed winner Liberty Lane, who secured a victory at Goodwood, has dropped to an attractive handicap mark and poses a danger to all contenders in the opening Coral Chesterfield Cup Handicap (1.50) at Goodwood. Karl Burke’s 2024 Cambridgeshire winner, who has not raced off this mark in nearly two years, is well drawn in stall four under trainer Clifford Lee.
He hinted at a return to form at Sandown when fitted with cheekpieces for the first time, and those pieces remain for this assignment. My husband Tom’s Marquand‑trained mount Yabher also has the potential to make a bold statement after a strong performance over this course and distance in May, despite a disappointing run at York last time. The Coral Rewards Shaker Handicap (4.10) at Goodwood promises to be fast‑paced and could be won by the rapid Lexington Blitz, who delivered a huge effort in the Epsom Dash last month. Robert Cowell’s four‑year‑old, a proven course and distance winner, looks well‑placed to take the race even with a slightly higher weight, but Richard Spencer’s Run Boy Run and Twilight Calls should not be underestimated.
Spencer has a knack for winning big sprint handicaps, and his partnership with Ryan Moore’s son Toby, who claims a valuable 7‑lb allowance on Run Boy Run, adds extra interest. Run Boy Run draws stall 17, while Newmarket winner Twilight Calls carries a respectable mark of 90 with in‑form jockey Saffie Osborne aboard. I will return on Wednesday with my analysis of the next day’s action at Goodwood, which includes the Group 1 Visit Qatar Sussex Stakes and the exciting juvenile sprint, the Group 3 Molecomb Stakes. Hollie Doyle recently spoke with Sky Sports Racing’s Simon Mapletoft, providing further insight into the festival’s storylines.