Scottish-bred speedster American Affair rebounded impressively to secure the King George Qatar Stakes at Goodwood, delivering a standout performance for trainer Jim Goldie. The gelding, who had previously captured the King Charles III Stakes at Royal Ascot the prior summer, endured a prolonged lay‑off after sustaining an injury that kept him out for the remainder of the 2025 campaign. Despite the setback, his connections remained confident that he could return to his previous level.
In May, American Affair hinted at his lingering class with a runner‑up finish behind Night Raider in the Temple Stakes at Haydock, suggesting that the horse still possessed a respectable turn of foot. However, his subsequent run defending the Ascot title ended in a disappointing last‑place finish, and a later appearance in a Listed event at York produced another lackluster result. Those performances left him at 12‑to‑1 odds for his latest Group Two assignment, making his Goodwood triumph all the more surprising.
From the start, the race unfolded close to the stands rail, where the pace was brisk and the field bunched tightly. American Affair, ridden by his regular jockey Paul Mulrennan, settled just off the leaders, conserving energy while staying within striking distance. As the field turned into the home straight, Mulrennan guided the horse to the middle of the track and asked for a decisive run. The gelding responded with a powerful late surge, overtaking both Rumstar and Time For Sandals in the final furlong.
Australian‑bred Asfoora, who had been traveling strongly throughout, held on for fourth place, delivering her best effort of the day. Goldie's senior partner was unable to attend the race, having remained at Musselburgh, but his son George offered a heartfelt statement on his father's behalf: "My dad is at Musselburgh, we couldn't both be here, but I know he'll be disappointed to have missed this win. My daughter rides him every day; he's a gentle, talented horse. We always believed he could return to this level, and after the injury at the end of last year, we have been patiently rebuilding his fitness." George continued, explaining the strategic approach taken over the winter months: "We focused on getting him back into race shape gradually.
He showed a flicker of his old brilliance at Haydock three runs ago, but Ascot was a disaster – he pulled too hard and never found his rhythm. At York, despite a poor draw, he ran well, which gave us hope heading into Goodwood. Today the conditions suited him perfectly, and we were optimistic that he could finish strongly." Looking ahead, the Goldie camp outlined their next targets: "Our immediate plan is the Nunthorpe, followed by a possible trip to the Curragh.
We might even stretch him out to six furlongs for the Haydock Sprint Cup. We haven't entered him in the Abbaye yet; the Flying Five at the Curragh after the Nunthorpe looks more realistic." These ambitions reflect a desire to test the gelding at a variety of sprint distances and to see if he can recapture the form that made him a Group One winner.
Mulrennan, a stalwart of the weighing‑room, praised the horse after the race: "He executed everything perfectly today. Touch wood, he'll keep improving. We have the Nunthorpe next, and perhaps an American campaign would be nice.
At this stage of my career I probably have more years behind me than ahead, but I still feel strong. The competition is fierce, and I only had one ride this week, so making it count was vital." He also reflected on his personal history with the race: "My wife Adele was with me when I won on Moviesta years ago.
I've won this race twice, and I feel I should have added two more – Easton Angel and Moviesta were unlucky. It’s been a mix of luck and skill, but today we got it right." Wendy McGrandles of Barraston Racing, co‑owner of American Affair, added perspective on the horse's journey: "He's had a few setbacks, but we always believed he was as good as he was last season. For small breeders like us, this is a once‑in‑a‑lifetime moment. I remember him as a foal and even considered an eventing career if he wasn't fast enough for the track.
He was broken in for eventing initially because we weren’t sure of his size or speed. Now, with a second career always possible, we’re thrilled with his achievements." In other news, trainer Karl Burke discussed his own contender, Shayem, who denied the fast‑finishing favourite Talk Of New York in the HKJC World Pool Thoroughbred Stakes. After a respectable third‑place finish behind Bow Echo and Gstaad in the St James's Palace Stakes at Royal Ascot, Talk Of New York entered the Group Three contest as a 2‑5 favourite.
However, a well‑timed pacemaker, Catullus, set a strong early tempo, and Shayem, positioned just behind, seized the lead in the final half‑furlong. Under jockey Clifford Lee, Shayem held off Talk Of New York by half a length.
Burke explained the tactics: "We didn’t need to lead, but we knew Billy (Loughnane on Catullus) would give a solid gallop, and Cliff could keep tabs on the leader. Last year he was seen as a soft‑ground horse, but he proved versatile this season, handling Newmarket’s undulations with ease." He also hinted at future plans for Shayem: "There’s a nice race at Kentucky Downs in September and another at Colonial Downs. They aren’t Grade One but are valuable. If we don’t go there, we could return for the Celebration Mile." Meanwhile, Charlie Appleby will assess Talk Of New York’s disappointing defeat before plotting his next steps.
Appleby noted, "The horse is no mug; he likes the track, but the mile stretched him out. Catullus couldn’t sustain the mile, and the front two made a good move. We need to consider a longer trip, but also work on his settling. The pace was strong, and they didn’t finish strongly, so there’s room for improvement." Overall, American Affair’s victory at Goodwood not only restores his reputation but also underscores the resilience of a horse and team that have navigated injury, setbacks, and strategic decisions to return to the winner’s circle.
The forthcoming Nunthorpe and potential international campaigns promise further excitement for the Goldie stable and their devoted supporters.