The successful XI.
Overcast and cooler in Newmarket but not too bad on the south coast.
The Goodwood XI gained a last-gasp success against the Lord’s Taverners after racing yesterday, chasing down the target off the final ball of the game. The skills of the captain must have made the difference…
Oasis Fantasy turned in a frustrating performance in the Summer Stakes. He didn’t have the clearest of passages when the pace increased but he took a while to pick up and it didn’t make any difference to the result. Cheekpieces might be called for.
Prince Gagarin goes in the Gordon Stakes this afternoon and hopefully he can provide more cheer for Mrs Patino. Genuinely good ground should be perfect for him and we have been looking forward to stepping him up a mile and half. He has something to find with Medrano on their Hamilton encounter, while Highland Reel and Disegno are serious opponents, but he should run his race.
Three declarations this morning with Red Avenger on course to defend his crown in the Betfred Mile here on Friday. The drying ground will be perfect for him but stall 19 is a headache that requires a double dose of Anadin. Justice First and Tartoor also go to Newmarket.
Six entries for Chelmsford on Tuesday including God Willing in the mile handicap. He has three options in the coming days and it is now a case of picking the right race.
Finally, the Sussex Stakes may not be quite the race it promised to be through the defection of Gleneagles, but Solow is one of the best horses in the world at the moment and it will be a pleasure to see him this afternoon. He should win comfortably on all known form, but the idiosyncrasies of Goodwood can throw up some strange results. Nevertheless, let’s hope he extends his winning sequence to eight.
Ed