Ratings Update: Glorious Goodwood

The 2019 Glorious Goodwood Festival kicked off last Tuesday and Pinatubo (up 13 lb to 125p) set the week alight with a scintillating effort to win the Vintage Stakes by five lengths, confirming the Chesham form with Lope Y Fernandez (105 from 102p) and putting up easily the best performance in the race this century. It is rare to see a two-year-old operating at this sort of level at this stage of the season, Pinatubo also recording an excellent timefigure, and he’ll continue to take all the beating, with the step up to Group 1 company in the National Stakes the obvious next step (yard successful in the same race last year with Quorto).

Pinatubo remains unbeaten, winning the Qatar Vintage Stakes in convincing style for @the_doyler, Charlie Appleby and @godolphin

👏👏#GloriousGoodwood#QGF pic.twitter.com/ipDbfBGxAy

— Goodwood Racecourse (@Goodwood_Races) July 30, 2019

The time recorded by Pinatubo was over a second faster than the one recorded 35 minutes later by the older horses in the Lennox Stakes, which was won for the second year running by Sir Dancealot (121 from 111+), who was able to score more comfortably this time round, partly due to his main rivals being poorly placed – Zaaki (down 1 lb to 120) couldn’t get in from a wide draw, whilst both Suedois (remains on 117) and Speak In Colours (up 2 lb to 117) met trouble on the way through. Sir Dancealot will be fresher for the Prix de la Foret than he was when fifth last year, but he will need to progress again to make his mark at Group 1 level.

It was the best ever running of the Goodwood Cup, with three of the first four home in the Gold Cup at Royal Ascot reopposing, and, despite a truer gallop than at Ascot – influenced somewhat by the free-wheeling Wells Farhh Go (remains on 116) – the trio finished in exactly the same order, Stradivarius (remains on 127) confirming without doubt his superiority over both Dee Ex Bee (remains on 125) and Cross Counter (remains on 124). It was Stradivarius’ third successive win in the race – emulating Double Trigger but doing it in just three seasons – going about his business with more zest than is often the case and winning with more authority than the neck margin would suggest. An astoundingly consistent sort who has now won eight races on the bounce, he is now just one more race away from landing the 'Stayers' Million' for a second year running.

Performance of the week? Stradivarius makes it an outstanding three Goodwood Cups in a row, and he might not be finished there! #QGF #GloriousGoodwood pic.twitter.com/GLMA2ikwxp

— Goodwood Racecourse (@Goodwood_Races) August 4, 2019

The Molecomb Stakes was won by the John Quinn-trained Liberty Beach (up 1 lb to 106p), who had already shown form good enough to win an average renewal of the race and duly made the most of a good opportunity. She didn't need to improve to land the spoils, overcoming trouble and ultimately better than the result, along with the runner-up Alligator Alley (107p from 96p), who found even worse traffic problems as those who had raced up with the strong pace began to wilt. Liberty Beach was the first filly to win what was once a fillies-only race since 2007, and she could pitch up in the Lowther at York next, while the Flying Childers is presumably an alternative option. Alligator Alley is a grand type physically and rates the type to go on improving for a while yet.

The Sussex Stakes was another closely fought out renewal, with Too Darn Hot (remains on 127) supplementing his win in the Prix Jean Prat and getting his season back on track with a vengeance, for all that he didn’t need to be at his best to prevail back at a mile. He won only narrowly, but the signs are there that he can emerge at the head of this division as the summer progresses. Too Darn Hot holds entries in both the Sprint Cup and the Irish Champion Stakes, but a campaign at around this trip is surely the best option, with the Jacques Le Marois or the Moulin plausible options, likely to take the beating in either, while the Breeders' Cup Mile is apparently the end-of-season aim.

Too Darn Hot! In a duel with Circus Maximus the Frankie Dettori-ridden three-year-old won a scintillating Sussex Stakes in the sun. #QGF #GloriousGoodwood pic.twitter.com/l0VjxVgAvm

— Goodwood Racecourse (@Goodwood_Races) July 31, 2019

On Thursday, the Richmond Stakes featured a representative field thanks to the presence of four colts who’d shown up well in the Coventry Stakes at Royal Ascot, and that form proved key in the end, with Golden Horde (up 9 lb to 114p) turning the tables on both Threat (up 2 lb to 110) and Guildsman (remains on 108), the latter one of a few who didn't get the rub of the green as the field congregated down the near rail.  The winner looked more polished than has usually been the case and is progressing with each start, so remains one to keep on the right side.

Nayef Road (up 2 lb to 114) caused a minor shock in the Gordon Stakes later on the card, his experience counting for plenty in a messy race where several were caught out by the track, also well positioned to strike when the time came. It wasn’t the strongest renewal of the race, however, the St Leger waters no less murky after, and, for all that Nayef Road is now entitled to take his chance on Town Moor in September, he would need to improve further to be competitive there.

It was a high-quality field that assembled for the Nassau in terms of the three-year-old contingent, with dual Guineas heroine Hermosa (remains on 119) not the only European classic winner in the field, while both Mehdaayih (118 from 111p) and Maqsad (111 from 113p) had both shaped promisingly when mid-field in the Oaks, so it was obviously a shock when it went to a five-year-old trained in Japan. Deirdre (120 from 111+), who became just the second Japanese-trained horse to win at Group 1 level in Britain (the first being Agnes World in the 2000 July Cup), was clearly better suited by the faster ground and the way the race developed, her stamina (stays further) coming into play at the end of a well-run race.

#QGF Throwback, we think Japan might have enjoyed this one... Deirdre scoots up the inside of Mehdaayih to win the Group 1 @Q_Rec Nassau Stakes 🙌 #GloriousGoodwood pic.twitter.com/dXsuZrii1x

— Goodwood Racecourse (@Goodwood_Races) August 5, 2019

Last year’s 1000 Guineas winner Billesdon Brook (up 1 lb to 110) made it C&D win number three when winning a good renewal of the Oak Tree Stakes on Friday. She was well suited by the demands of the race and enjoyed a much clearer run through than the third Jubiloso (remains on 114p), who was arguably an unlucky loser. Billesdon Brook is yet to repeat her Guineas-winning form, and this looks her level now, whereas Jubiloso remains a very smart prospect.

Duke of Hazzard (up 1 lb to 119) stood out on form in the Thoroughbred Stakes and duly delivered, overcoming trouble in-running and showing a smart turn of foot to settle matters. He has taken his form up a notch since being fitted with blinkers (has won both starts) and could rate even higher yet judged by this performance. The runner-up Turjomaan (114p from 98p) is also worth mentioning, having tanked his way to the front in first-time blinkers, before being headed only in the final 50 yards. He coped admirably with the significant step up in grade and remains a colt with potential (has plenty about him physically).

In the King George Stakes, Battaash (remains on 133) had little trouble resuming winning ways and recording a third successive win in the race, not quite posting the sort of rating he has in the previous two renewals but still showing his trademark exuberance as he saw off a field of largely second-rate sprinters by pattern-race standards. An intriguing clash of generations in the Nunthorpe now awaits, though it's unlikely that connections of Ten Sovereigns will be unduly concerned by this performance, particularly as Battaash has failed to give his running in both previous attempts in that race.

Three King George @Q_REC Qatar Stakes for the King of Speed, Battaash!

Jim Crowley guides the @cbhills trained champion to a comfortable victory #QGF #GloriousGoodwood pic.twitter.com/oaM3n3hze9

— Goodwood Racecourse (@Goodwood_Races) August 2, 2019

It was just the second running of the Lillie Langtry Stakes as a Group 2 and Enbihaar (116+ from 113) won it in impressive fashion, making good headway on the bridle three furlongs out and storming clear in the final furlong to win by five lengths. She has progressed with each start this season and looks a high-class stayer in the making, with plenty of options for her from a mile and a half and upwards (likely to stay two miles).

In the Stewards’ Cup, it was the three-year-old Khaadem (up 9 lb to 123 lb) who produced a high-class performance to spread-eagle a field of good-quality handicappers, doing so from a 5 lb higher mark than the other two members of the classic generation to win this race this century. The race was run at a relentless gallop, which suited him well and meant that traffic problems were relatively low for a race of this nature. Khaadem’s performance has to rate up with some of the very best in the race’s history, and he looks a bona-fide Group 1 performer on this showing; the Sprint Cup at Haydock is likely to provide him with a good opportunity to prove as much.

Khaadem charges to victory, becoming the third three year old in five years to win the race, for @cbhills and @JimCrowley1978, who scores a quick-fire double

👏👏@unibet #GloriousGoodwood#QGF#QatarGoodwoodFestival pic.twitter.com/bE0vlreg4G

— Goodwood Racecourse (@Goodwood_Races) August 3, 2019