Glorious Goodwood | Horse Racing Free Tips

Kyprios And Stradivarius Among Goodwood Cup Nine

Kyprios (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) and Stradivarius (Ire) (Sea The Stars {Ire}) are set to renew their rivalry in Tuesday's G1 Al Shaqab Goodwood Cup after a field of nine were confirmed on Sunday.

While Moyglare Stud, Coolmore and Westerberg's G1 Gold Cup winner and Bjorn Nielsen's four-times Goodwood Cup hero are set fair for the two-mile contest, Alan King will be watching the weather again for Trueshan (Fr) (Planteur {Ire}) and Mick and Janice Mariscotti's impressive Listed Esher S. winner Coltrane (Ire) (Mastercraftsman {Ire}) is another notable in the list.

Nielsen is convinced Stradivarius still has what it takes. “He hasn't lost any of his ability or enthusiasm and if things had gone the right way at Ascot last month I have no doubt that he could have won another Gold Cup, as when they turned in the others were all being ridden along and he was sitting there with a double handful,” he said.

“The way the races have been run, really since October 2018, the tactics have been to put Stradivarius in a pocket and that's a lot easier to do at Ascot as it's a short straight, whereas at York they can't hem him in as it's a long straight and they come up the middle. It happened the last time he won the Goodwood Cup too, as he was held in a pocket there until Frankie got out just in time.

“That's been the strategy and that's the way it is, but Andrea [Atzeni] knows the score. He's ridden him three times and won every time. It could be his last run, of course, but it depends on his performance now and he seems in really good form.”

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Gold Cup Hero Kyprios Set for Goodwood as O’Brien Readies Strong Squad

Aidan O'Brien is readying a strong squad for Goodwood, which will be spearheaded by Kyprios (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) and Order Of Australia (Ire) (Australia {GB}).

Kyprios is a warm order to build on his G1 Gold Cup triumph at Royal Ascot when he lines out in the G1 Al Shaqab Goodwood Cup while Order Of Australia is on course to run in the G1 Qatar Sussex S.

O'Brien said, “We are happy with Kyprios and the Al Shaqab Goodwood Cup has always been the plan since Ascot.

“The plan is for Order Of Australia to run in the Sussex S., provided everything goes well between now and then. He has come out of the Curragh well.”

O'Brien has a number of high-class entries across the week, with Concert Hall (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire}) set to tackle Thursday's G1 Qatar Nassau S. after finishing fourth in the GI Belmont Oaks earlier in the month, while New York City (Ire) (Invincible Spirit {Ire}) could move up in trip for the seven-furlong G2 World Pool Lennox S. after coming home last in the G2 Sapphire S. over the minimum trip last Saturday.

Irish Oaks fourth Emily Dickinson (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire}) is another who could make a swift return stepping back up to 14 furlongs in the G2 Qatar Lillie Langtry S.

O'Brien said, “The plan at the moment is for Concert Hall to run in the Nassau. She is just back from America and seems very well, so we are thinking of letting her take her chance.

“New York City has a couple of entries and, if he is to go anywhere, it would probably be the Lennox. We will speak to Ryan [Moore] closer to the time and see what the race looks like.

“Emily Dickinson is a possible for the Lillie Langtry. She only ran last weekend and we are just going to see how she is, but she is in good form and the trip will suit.”

O'Brien has three contenders for the G2 Japan Racing Association Vintage S., headed by last Saturday's impressive Curragh scorer Hans Andersen (GB) (Frankel {GB}).

Age Of Kings (Ire) (Kingman {GB}) was a beaten favourite in the Tyros S. on Thursday evening, with his other entry Greenland (Ire) (Saxon Warrior {Jpn}) yet to get his head in front.

O'Brien added, “We have not decided about the Vintage S. yet. Hans Andersen only won last weekend whereas Greenland is still a maiden and the other horse [Age Of Kings] ran at Leopardstown last night. We will decide nearer the time.

“The Vintage S. is a prestigious race and we like to have something good for it. If a horse does go to stud, it looks very good on their CV.”

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Wonderful Tonight The Saturday Star

With Goodwood Saturday centred around the Stewards Cup for the sprinters, the G2 Qatar Lillie Langtry S. is the sole black-type contest on the closing card but it features one of Europe's best in Wonderful Tonight (Fr) (Le Havre {Ire}).

Christopher Wright's G1 Prix de Royallieu, G1 QIPCO British Champions Fillies & Mares S. and G2 Hardwicke S. heroine was forced to miss last Saturday's G1 King George VI and Queen Elizabeth S. due to the fast surface and despite the ground drying out all the time here, she is committed to run under her three-pound penalty. Trainer David Menuisier is taking nothing for granted.

“The opposition obviously is not the same as the King George, but they have to be respected,” he said. “I haven't gone into great detail as to the horses left in the race but there's a 3-year-old carrying next to no weight, which is something you can't discard. She's the favourite and she should be, but we're not going there thinking she's a sure thing. It's a horse race and we know Goodwood offers some upsets at times.”

“I'm not here to put a dampener on it because on sheer ability, there's no race,” he added. “She's a bit buzzy, because she went to Ascot and had to come back but other than that she's fine. It's important she runs at the end of July and it didn't happen last weekend. That's the main point–she needs to run somewhere, because she's really well and fit. I don't want to deceive her by going back home and keep on working her there to get the freshness out of her without racing.”

Weather is always a concern for Menuisier, but there is rain forecast ahead of the race. “Obviously we're still hoping for some rain before Saturday to keep it on the slow side, because it's drying out quickly,” he said. “Good ground would be okay and if we don't get any more rain I think that's what it will be. I just know that on quicker ground she can't reach the levels she does on soft, so then it is a question of opposition.”

Koji Maeda's July 8 G3 Stanerra S. winner Believe In Love (Ire) (Make Believe {GB}) will be in the mix if the favourite fails to fire, while the weight-for-age is a staggering 15 pounds which brings Ballydoyle's June 4 G1 Epsom Oaks third and July 17 G1 Irish Oaks runner-up Divinely (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) into the equation as the sole 3-year-old in the line-up.

“She has developed into a very solid, classy filly and now has two Classic-placed performances to her name,” jockey Ryan Moore said. “She operates on any ground, so the weather can do what it wants and you have to like her chances as the only 3-year-old in here getting a hefty 12 pounds from most and 15 from Wonderful Tonight.”

At Newmarket, Juddmonte's rare jewel Chiasma (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) lines up for the Listed British Stallion Studs EBF Chalice S. The John and Thady Gosden-trained full-sister to Frankel (GB) faces tough opposition in the 12-furlong contest as she bids to build on her novice win at Kempton last time June 30.

“It's a good renewal of the race and some of the fillies in there have got some strong form by their names,” Thady Gosden said. “Chiasma won last time out which was important for her and for Juddmonte. Now we hope to get some black-type next to her name with a pedigree like hers. If the ground is faster it won't be a worry, although it is due to rain and she has already run on soft ground. She shows a great attitude at home and enjoys her work.”

Another Juddmonte runner is the unbeaten Ralph Beckett-trained Yesyes (GB) (Camelot {GB}), who has impressed at Haydock May 28 and Lingfield July 14.

“The mile and a half on the July Course should suit her really well, particularly as they have a drop of rain forecast,” her trainer said. “Her first run has been given a boost and it is lovely form. We've had to be patient with her, as she was slow to come to hand. Last year she was a big filly and was simply not ready to race.”

Godolphin's Sayyida (GB) (Dubawi {Ire}) is a half-sister to Masar (Ire) (New Approach {Ire}) with two course-and-distance wins to her name May 16 and June 26 and Charlie Appleby is looking forward to seeing how she fares in a tough contest.

“We will be slightly on weather watch, as we would like a bit of rain as it was quick enough there on her last start,” he explained. “We are pleased with her preparation and the one thing she does is stay well.”

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Battaash Primed For a Fifth King George

Shadwell's Battaash (Ire) (Dark Angel {Ire}) began his impressive ascent to the top of the sprinting tree in the 2017 edition of the G2 King George Qatar S. and in all his return Goodwood visits he has been unflinching and unbeatable. He returns to the race he has made his own in search of a glorious five-timer on Friday and after Stradivarius (Ire) (Sea the Stars {Ire}) was forced out of a similar bid on Tuesday the onus is firmly on him. Immaculate last term with his three starts culminating in successes here and in Royal Ascot's G1 King's Stand S. and the G1 Nunthorpe S. at York, he was probably a touch short of his peak when fourth behind Oxted (GB) (Mayson {GB}) on his return in the June 15 King's Stand and connections are happy they have him spot-on now. “It was well-documented that he hadn't been back in training long before Ascot, so it didn't surprise me that he needed it,” racing manager Angus Gold commented. “Hopefully he has come on from that. It's an obvious fact he's not getting any younger and at some stage he will start to slow down, but hopefully not yet.”

“He showed us all his old dash was still there [at Ascot]–he seemed very happy to be back at the races, behaved himself well, so there were a lot of positives to take out of it,” Gold added. “They went very, very hard – he sat just behind them, came through to take it up and just blew up and got tired. “It would be very special if he could pull it off. It's already pretty remarkable, four years in a row and it's great for racing. We were blessed last year and sadly no one could witness it, so let's hope we can make up for it this year.”

Taking aim at the King of Sussex is 'TDN Rising Star' Dragon Symbol (GB) (Cable Bay {Ire}), who was stripped of his win in the G1 Commonwealth Cup at Royal Ascot June 18 only to lose out again at the highest level when Starman (GB) (Dutch Art {GB}) proved too strong in the G1 July Cup at Newmarket July 10. Campaigned at this trip only once so far, Yoshiro Kubota's 3-year-old sensation was impressive in a conditions race at Hamilton May 2, the race in which he earned his Rising Star tag. “We're drawn away from Battaash which isn't ideal, but there is pace around us with Good Effort and Ornate,” jockey Oisin Murphy said. “I know it's not been long, but he had a little freshen up after the July Cup. I'm looking forward to coming back to five furlongs with him, his sectionals at Newmarket were very fast. I really respect Battaash, he's obviously a champion, but Dragon Symbol will hopefully give him something to think about if he's at his best.”

Runner-up to Battaash 12 months ago, Bearstone Stud's Glass Slippers (GB) (Dream Ahead) bows to very few having won the G1 Prix de l'Abbaye de Longchamp in 2019, The Curragh's G1 Flying Five in September and the GI Breeders' Cup Turf Sprint at Keeneland when last seen in November. She is facing as tough a seasonal bow as is possible to find in a Group 2 in name only, while King Power Racing's Art Power (Ire) (Dark Angel {Ire}) is race-hardened this term and has been knocking loudly on the door of late. It could be that Goodwood and this trip is an ideal combination for the strong front-runner, who was third in the G1 Diamond Jubilee S. on Royal Ascot's soft ground June 19 and was caught only in the final strides when fourth in the July Cup.

Also on the card are the G3 l'Ormarins Queen's Plate Glorious S. and the G3 Bonhams Thoroughbred S., with the latter hosting a Shadwell representative at the other end of the career spectrum in the unbeaten 3-year-old Baaeed (GB) (Sea the Stars {Ire}). So impressive over this mile trip in the Listed Sir Henry Cecil S. at Newmarket July 8, the full-brother to Hukum (Ire) (Sea the Stars {Ire}) may have an easier task here than on that occasion with Sheikh Mohammed Obaid Al Maktoum's El Drama (Ire) (Lope de Vega {Ire}) held on the form of his win in Chester's Listed Dee S. over an extended 10 furlongs May 6.

“It's a step up and it's all happened quite quickly for him,” racing manager Angus Gold said of the exciting William Haggas-trained homebred. “He's had three relatively quick runs, but from what William and his team can see at home he seems in good shape. He seems to have a good mind on him–he takes it well. The interesting thing with this horse is, from his pedigree, you would think he wanted further and yet he's got the class to be winning so far–including a decent race last time–over a mile. One day, I'm imagining we will be wanting to go a mile and a quarter with him, but equally at the same time you couldn't say the way he won at Newmarket last time he necessarily needed a jump up in trip just yet.”

Connections are keeping an eye on the weather. “There's talk of rain on Thursday night and I think if it was heavy rain and it went back to what it was on Tuesday, there's every chance he wouldn't be there,” he warned. “If it's just on the easy side of good, I can't see that being too much of a problem. When they've done all their winning on faster ground, until you've seen them go on slower you don't know.”

In the Glorious over a mile and a half, Ballydoyle's 'TDN Rising Star' Mogul (GB) (Galileo {Ire}) returns to the course and distance of his success in the G3 Gordon S. at last year's festival. Last seen finishing at the tail of the field in the G1 Coronation Cup at Epsom June 4, the G1 Grand Prix de Paris and G1 Hong Kong Vase hero needs the ground to continue to dry out. If he is compromised, the May 27 G3 Brigadier Gerard S. and July 2 Listed Gala S.-winning veteran Euchen Glen (GB) (Authorized {Ire}) will be on his case. “He won here last season and he would take all the beating if in the same form that saw him take care of In Swoop in the Grand Prix de Paris and win the Hong Kong Vase afterwards,” Mogul's rider Ryan Moore said. “He hasn't hit that note in three runs this year and clearly didn't give his running at Epsom last time, but if the ground dries out sufficiently for him and he runs his race than he is a serious Group 1 horse taking on lesser rivals here.”

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