Sky Sports Racing ambassador Hollie Doyle shares her perspective on the marquee handicap of the weekend – the Stewards’ Cup at Goodwood – and highlights a few of the horses and connections she believes could make an impact. The spectacle of twenty‑eight thoroughbreds thundering down Goodwood’s steep downhill finish is one of the most iconic images in the sport, and this year’s Coral Stewards’ Cup (run at 3.35) lived up to its reputation. The race always produces a chaotic, thrilling finish, and the field this time was no different, offering plenty of intrigue for punters and fans alike. While the contest is truly open, Doyle says she cannot look past James Owen’s leading contender, Far Above Dream.
The four‑year‑old has shown a strong turn of foot and the right blend of form, experience at the course, and a favourable draw. He produced a career‑best performance when he finished a close fourth in the Wokingham, just behind his talented stable‑mate Soldier’s Tree, after having already proven himself over the same distance at Goodwood in May. Doyle believes the horse has progressed nicely up the handicap ladder and can repeat the same rating he carried at the Royal Meeting, making him a serious threat in a race that rewards speed and the ability to navigate a crowded field.
Another name on Doyle’s shortlist is Ollie Sangster’s Tuco Salamanca, a promising youngster who will be piloted by the Irish rising star Dylan Browne‑McMonagle. Although Tuco’s recent victories have come on all‑weather surfaces – including a solid win at Newcastle last month against respectable opposition – he also possesses a respectable record on turf and draws a convenient middle barrier, which could prove advantageous in a race where positioning is crucial.
Doyle also recalls her previous blog where she singled out Charles Hills’s lightly‑raced seven‑year‑old Mitbaahy as a ‘Hot Shot’. Given the horse’s impressive second‑place finish in the Group Three Hackwood Stakes at Newbury, she expects Mitbaahy could surprise the market at long odds, especially if he can replicate that form against a strong handicap field.
The article then shifts to a series of brief racing news items, ranging from Kevin Doyle’s pursuit of Cheltenham Festival glory with Augusta Kate and La Bague Au Roi, to Kalpana’s triumph over Calandagan in the King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Stakes at Ascot, and Ryan Moore’s recent MBE award in the King’s Birthday Honours. Other headlines mention Benvenuto Cellini leading Aidan O’Brien’s four‑horse contingent for the Epsom Derby, Kevin Blake’s Derby day picks for At The Races, and the unfortunate case of former jockey Levi Williams, who was jailed for manslaughter after a violent incident outside a pub.
Returning to the day’s racing action, Doyle highlights Santorini Star, a five‑year‑old mare trained by William Haggas, as a strong candidate for the Group Two Qatar Lillie Langtry Stakes (3.00). The mare has already captured two Group Two titles – the Park Hill Stakes at Doncaster and the Jockey Club Stakes at Newmarket – and despite a minor setback in the Hardwicke Stakes at Royal Ascot, she is well‑suited to the Goodwood trip and has demonstrated the stamina and class required for the contest. Her main rival is expected to be the Owen Burrows‑trained Waardah, the 2022 winner of the same race, who has struggled to match the top‑class form of Group One winner Estrange in a recent Group Three at Carlisle.
Doyle feels that, while Waardah is making a return after a long lay‑off, Santorini Star’s overall résumé makes her the more compelling choice. In the Group Three Coral Glorious Stakes (2.25) on Saturday, Haggas again holds the reins with market favourites Al Aasy and Opportunity. Doyle predicts that the veteran will secure a third consecutive victory in the race, noting that Tom Marquand will likely try to replicate Jim Crowley’s successful tactics from the previous year, and that the Shadwell‑owned Sea The Stars gelding remains in excellent form and should be able to out‑finish the Duke of Edinburgh Stakes winner Opportunity, who, despite a brilliant Royal Ascot performance, may find the step back to Group level challenging. Godolphin’s Valedictory is also well‑supported in the Highclere Castle Gin Summer Handicap (1.50).
However, Doyle backs Irish runner Aeronautic, who finished third in the same race last year, to improve his placing. She points out that Joseph O’Brien’s five‑year‑old, who ran fourth in the Copper Horse Stakes at the Royal Meeting, has shown he can be competitive at a rating of 97, even though he has not won for a while. Valedictory, who won over the same distance in May after being equipped with cheek‑pieces, will have to overcome a three‑pound penalty from his narrow Newmarket win, making the contest tighter.
Among the other prospects, Charlie Johnston’s Align The Stars, a past Northumberland Plate champion, could be a factor despite never having won with a triple‑digit rating. Promising apprentice Jack Nicholls may also make a name for himself in the Phase Eight Handicap (4.10) aboard Naval Light for trainer Karl Burke, taking advantage of his three‑pound claim and the three‑year‑old’s relatively light weight.
Richard Hughes’s claimant Startled, now partnered with Harry Vigors, looks well‑placed after a solid second‑place run over the same course and distance in May, and could be in the mix as the race unfolds. The article concludes with a note on Bow Echo’s spectacular victory at the Qatar Goodwood Festival, where the colt displayed a blistering turn of foot to win the Group One Visit Qatar Sussex Stakes (4.10) and extend his unbeaten record to six.
Doyle praises both the horse’s natural talent and the composure of his young jockey, Billy Loughnane, who handled a tricky situation on the Downs with poise, delivering a ride that will be remembered by racing enthusiasts. Finally, Doyle shares a personal health update: after a fall in May, she has been using a hyperbaric oxygen chamber installed at home as part of her rehabilitation. The increased air pressure delivers 100 % oxygen to the bloodstream, aiding recovery. She spends about an hour daily in the chamber, continues her gym work and physiotherapy at Oaksey House in Lambourn five times a week, but admits that a definitive return date to racing remains uncertain.