Scottish‑bred speedster American Affair rebounded impressively to capture the King George Qatar Stakes at Goodwood, delivering a much‑needed triumph for trainer Jim Goldie. The horse, a familiar name after winning the King Charles III Stakes at Royal Ascot the previous summer, had endured a lengthy lay‑off due to injury and was looking to prove that his class remained intact.
After a respectable second‑place effort behind the newly‑rising Night Raider in the Temple Stakes at Haydock in May, many observers believed American Affair still possessed a good deal of ability. However, his subsequent performances had been mixed: he finished last when attempting to defend his Ascot title and later ran unplaced in a Listed race at York. Those results left him at 12‑to‑1 odds for his latest Group Two assignment, making his victory all the more surprising. Riding from the rail side of the track, American Affair settled comfortably behind the early pace.
As the field turned into the home straight, his regular jockey Paul Mulrennan asked for a decisive finish. The horse responded with a powerful late surge, edging past Rumstar and Time For Sandals on the inside.
Australian‑bred Asfoora, who had been traveling well all day, completed the order in fourth place, delivering her best performance of the meeting. Goldie's senior partner remained at Musselburgh, unable to travel with his son George, who spoke on his father's behalf: "My dad is at Musselburgh, we couldn't both come here, but I think he'll be sorry to have missed out! My daughter rides him every day; he's a gentle, talented horse.
We always believed he could return to top form after the setback at the end of last year." George continued, "We saw a glimmer of his old brilliance at Haydock three runs ago, but Ascot was a disaster – he pulled too hard. At York he ran well despite a poor draw, so we arrived at Goodwood with real optimism.
He's been finding his rhythm again and finishing strongly, and today the conditions suited him perfectly." Looking ahead, George outlined the trainer's plans: "Our next target is the Nunthorpe, then perhaps a trip to the Curragh. He could also stretch out to six furlongs for the Haydock Sprint Cup. We haven't entered him for the Abbaye yet, but the Flying Five at the Curragh after the Nunthorpe looks more likely." Sky Sports Racing highlighted the significance of the win, noting that the victory restores confidence in a horse that many thought might never regain his previous level. Mulrennan, a stalwart of the weighing‑room, praised the effort: "He did everything right today.
Touch wood, he’ll keep improving. We’ll enjoy the Nunthorpe next, and maybe an American campaign would be nice." He added a personal reflection on his long career: "At this stage I probably have more years behind me than ahead, but I still feel strong.
It’s a highly competitive sport and I only had one ride this week, so making it count means a lot. My wife Adele was with me; the last time I won this race was on Moviesta, and Adele rode me then.
I’ve won it twice before, and I feel we should have added a couple more victories – Easton Angel and Moviesta were unlucky, so today feels like redemption." Wendy McGrandles of Barraston Racing, co‑owner of American Affair, reflected on the horse’s journey from a modest foal to a Group winner: "He’s had a few setbacks, but we always believed he was as good as he was last year. For small breeders like us, this is a once‑in‑a‑lifetime moment.
I remember when he was a foal we even considered a future in eventing if he didn’t have the speed for racing. He was broken in for eventing initially because we weren’t sure of his size or speed.
Now he’s proved he can excel on the track, and he’ll always have a second career option if needed." The article also shifted focus to another race card, noting Karl Burke’s plans for his colt Shayem after a narrow defeat to Talk Of New York in the HKJC World Pool Thoroughbred Stakes. Shayem, the recent Listed Sir Henry Cecil Stakes winner, had been positioned well behind the pacemaker Catullus and seized the lead in the final half‑furlong, holding off the favourite by half a length under jockey Clifford Lee. Burke explained his tactics: "We didn’t need to lead, but we knew Billy (Loughnane on Catullus) would give a strong gallop, and Cliff was the only one who could keep tabs on the leader.
Last year Shayem was thought to prefer soft ground, but this year he’s shown versatility. He handled Newmarket’s undulations beautifully, and Abdulrazaq Mohamdi, the owner, will be delighted – he’s a home‑bred from Dubai." Looking ahead, Burke mentioned potential targets in the United States: "There’s a nice race at Kentucky Downs in September and another at Colonial Downs. They aren’t Grade Ones, but they’re valuable and could fit his program. If we don’t go there, we might return for the Celebration Mile." Meanwhile, Charlie Appleby’s Talk Of New York, after a disappointing run in the same race, will be given time to recover before his next campaign is plotted.
Appleby summed up the performance: "The horse is intelligent and loves the track, but the mile stretched him out too much. Catullus couldn’t sustain the distance, and the front two made a good move.
We’ll review his trip and consider whether a step up in distance is appropriate, while also working on his settling habits." Overall, American Affair’s Goodwood victory not only restores his own reputation but also provides a morale boost for the Goldie family and their small‑scale breeding operation. The win underscores the resilience of a horse that overcame injury, inconsistent form, and a challenging race schedule to re‑establish himself among Britain’s elite sprinters, setting the stage for an exciting autumn campaign that could include the Nunthorpe, the Curragh sprint races, and perhaps even a trans‑Atlantic venture.