Scottish sprinter American Affair, owned by the Goldie family, rebounded strongly to secure victory in the King George Qatar Stakes at Goodwood, adding another prestigious win to his record. After a brilliant performance in the King Charles III Stakes at Royal Ascot last summer, the horse was sidelined for the remainder of the 2025 campaign due to a lingering injury. When he returned to the track in May, American Affair produced a credible second‑place finish behind Night Raider in the Temple Stakes at Haydock, suggesting that his class remained intact despite the lay‑off.
However, his subsequent runs were less encouraging: he was unplaced when he attempted to defend his Ascot title and later faded at the rear of the field in a Listed race at York. Those mixed results left him priced at 12‑1 for his next Group Two challenge at Goodwood. On the day of the King George Qatar Stakes, the race unfolded close to the stands rail, a position that suited American Affair’s running style. He settled comfortably behind the early leaders, then, under the skilled hands of his regular jockey Paul Mulrennan, accelerated through the final stages.
He surged past Rumstar and Time For Sandals on the centre of the course, while Australian‑bred Asfoora produced her best effort of the day to finish fourth. Goldie senior, who remained at his home base in Musselburgh, could not travel to the race, but his son George spoke on his behalf: "My dad is at Musselburgh, we couldn't both be here, but I'm sure he'll be disappointed to have missed this win. My daughter rides him daily; he's a gentle horse with obvious talent.
We always believed he could return to his previous level, and after the setback at the end of last year, we have been rebuilding his confidence." George continued, "He showed a flash of his old form at Haydock three runs ago, but Ascot was a disaster – he was pulled too hard and never found his rhythm. At York he ran well despite a poor draw, so we came to Goodwood with optimism.
He’s finally getting back into a smooth racing flow and finishing strongly. We hoped today’s conditions would suit him better, and they did." Looking ahead, George outlined the next steps for the horse: "Our plan is to target the Nunthorpe next, then perhaps a trip to the Curragh, or even stretch him out to six furlongs for the Haydock Sprint Cup.
We haven’t entered him in the Abbaye yet, but the Flying Five at the Curragh after the Nunthorpe looks more likely." In the weighing‑room, veteran jockey Paul Mulrennan praised the performance: "He did everything right today, so fingers crossed he keeps this form. We’ll enjoy the Nunthorpe next, and maybe even try an American campaign later in the year.
At this stage I feel I have more years behind me than ahead, but I’m still going strong. It’s a highly competitive environment, and I only had one ride this week, so I wanted to make it count." Mulrennan added a personal note, "My wife Adele was with me on the day.
The last time I won this race was on Moviesta, and Adele was driving then too. I’ve won this race twice, and I feel I should have added a couple more – Easton Angel and another Moviesta win slipped away.
It’s been a mix of luck and misfortune, but today we got it right." Wendy McGrandles of Barraston Racing, who co‑owns American Affair with the Goldies, reflected on the horse’s journey: "He’s had a couple of setbacks, but we always believed he was as good as he was last season. For us small‑scale breeders, this is a once‑in‑a‑lifetime moment. I remember him as a foal and thinking we might send him to eventing if he didn’t have the speed for racing.
He was broken in for eventing initially because we weren’t sure about his size and pace. Now he has a solid racing career, and if anything, he could still transition to a second career in the sport later on." The meeting also featured a thrilling finish in the HKJC World Pool Thoroughbred Stakes, where Karl Burke’s Shayem edged out the fast‑finishing favourite Talk Of New York. Shayem, a recent winner of the Listed Sir Henry Cecil Stakes at Newmarket, stayed behind the pacemaker Catullus before taking the lead inside the final half‑furlong and holding off Talk Of New York by half a length under jockey Clifford Lee.
Burke commented, "We didn’t need to lead, but we knew Billy (Loughnane on Catullus) would set a solid tempo, and Cliff is excellent at timing his runs. Last year Shayem was thought to prefer soft ground, but he proved versatile this season, handling Newmarket’s undulating track with ease. Abdulrazaq Mohamdi, the owner, will be thrilled – he’s a home‑bred from Dubai and a great supporter of our operation." Burke also hinted at future targets for Shayem: "There’s a valuable race at Kentucky Downs in September and another at Colonial Downs. They aren’t Grade One events, but they carry significant prize money.
If we don’t go there, we could return for the Celebration Mile later in the season." Meanwhile, Charlie Appleby’s Talk Of New York, after a disappointing run in the same race, will now regroup. Appleby said, "The race unfolded as expected – the front two made a good move, but Talk Of New York struggled to find his rhythm in the final furlong. We may need to consider a step up in trip, but he also needs to settle better early on.
The pace was honest, and the horse showed he can still produce a strong finish. We'll assess his next move after the dust settles." Overall, Goodwood delivered a day of compelling narratives: a comeback victory for American Affair, a tightly contested sprint that saw Shayem outpace a favourite, and strategic discussions about future campaigns for several top sprinters. Fans can stay updated with the latest racing news, interviews, and features via Sky Sports Racing, ensuring they never miss a story from the sport’s most exciting moments.