Suesa proves strongest

FRIDAY at Glorious Goodwood has all been about one horse for the last four years and this year was no different as Battaash arrived for this renewal of the Group 2 King George Qatar Stakes looking for a fifth straight victory. It was not to be for the old warrior as a new sprinting star emerged in the shape of French filly Suesa (117).

In a surprising move, the jockeys shunned the rail and the race developed towards the centre of the track, which undoubtedly helped William Buick establish a good position with plenty of cover from stall seven. However, that was not the making of her superiority over the field.

After gathering stride, Battaash (98) and Aricebo (101) scorched the second furlong in 10.54 seconds to push the quick-striding Ornate who was on the lead, which was a pace the field maintained through the third furlong but no deeper into the race.

It was only the winner who dipped under 11 seconds for the fourth furlong as William Buick manoeuvred from behind a wall of horses to challenge.

At the furlong pole, the George Strawbridge-owned filly was level with Dragon Symbol (112) who materialised as her closest pursuer, at the line the gap was three lengths as the daughter of Night Of Thunder concluded the race with a strong 12.30 second split that no other horse on the day got close to achieving.

The Nunthorpe is next on the agenda when she will bid to follow in the hoofprints of Battaash again by claiming the York Group 1 after victory in this contest.

Baaeed scintillating

Baaeed (115) looks just one step away from Group 1 glory following a demolition job in the Group 3 Thoroughbred Stakes, achieved just 53 days after breaking his maiden at Leicester.

The overall race time was slower than achieved by Maydanny (106) who won the Golden Mile Handicap, but a close inspection of the early stages of the Group 3 shows the William Haggas-trained colt to have been 2.15 seconds slower through the first three furlongs against an overall differential of 0.71 seconds.

The son of Sea The Stars produced a scintillating turn of foot without being fully extended to put the race to bed, contextualised by a split time of 35.04 seconds through furlongs five, six and seven before being geared down by Jim Crowley.

The other point to take from the race is that the remainder of the field were inferior to Maydanny and the main protagonists in the Golden Mile, they are punching above their weight contesting pattern races.

THE heavens opened just before the final day of the Glorious Goodwood meeting returning the ground on the Sussex Downs to a similar condition that the meeting had started on.

The conditions saw plenty of non-runners in the handicaps but played into the hands of the star attraction Wonderful Tonight (112) who was a late withdrawal from the King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Diamond Stakes on account of the fast ground.

David Menuisier’s filly ran slightly below her Hardwicke Stakes win with the extended trip the most likely reason as she was either idling in the closing stages or reaching the outer limits of her stamina.

A tendency to over-race in the early stages suggests she may benefit from a stronger gallop and there was still a section through the race where she showed off her turn of speed as she eased to the lead passing the four-furlong marker with consecutive furlongs under 12 seconds.

In the post-race interviews both jockey and trainer were quick to point out that their filly will not be asked to go that far again, while the Arc dream remains alive.

On either of her performances this season she will need to improve to be the best filly at ParisLongchamp in October as Snowfall has achieved more to date and the dual Oaks winner must still improve to reach the level achieved by either of Charlie Appleby’s Derby-winning colts.

The positive from the race is Tribal Craft (108) who achieved enough to give hope that she could add to her pattern race wins. The Andrew Balding-trained mare holds an entry in both the Lonsdale Cup Stakes and the Skybet Ebor Handicap on the Knavesmire, where she won earlier in the season.

Galway eyecatchers

Nodoubtaboutthat (113+), Wednesday, July 28th – an improving mare who made light of a wide trip and finished well to win with plenty in hand, both the overall time and closing sectional were faster than the listed hurdle which followed.

Darraso (150), Wednesday, July 28th– seems to be improving for stretching out in trip and stayed on to good effect here giving the impression that three miles may be within reach. His Listowel win in June produced two winners at the festival in Abbey Magic and Born By The Sea.

Zarkareva (132), Wednesday, July 28th– has been asked to run in graded races in the past so now that her focus is switched to handicaps she will find a winning chance. Despite not gaining the smoothest of passages she finished to good effect and was faster than Abbey Magic from the third last fence.

Grand Bornand (140+), Friday, July 30th– clocked the fastest time of the chases in easy fashion and gave the impression he was not doing a great deal when left in front by the late fall of Russian Diamond.