BATTAASH’S and Cross Counter’s timefigures were easily best of the last four days of Goodwood (the opening day was covered in last week’s Time Will Tell), but there was plenty else of interest going on otherwise.
The Qatar Sussex Stakes on Wednesday proved to be a tactical affair, with Without Parole a reluctant leader and Lightning Spear showing a devastating turn of foot (11.66s for the final furlong, which is fractionally uphill) to prevail.
The winner’s timefigure of 108 is a long way below what might be expected in this race, with Lord Glitters (103) and Gustav Klimt (102) in third and fourth also shaping better than the result.
SOLID WINNER
Rumble Inthejungle was a solid, rather than spectacular, winner of the Molecomb Stakes on the same day with a timefigure of 107. Pretty Pollyanna (116), Dark Vision (114) and Calyx (113, sadly out for the season) continue to lead the way among juveniles.
The Qatar Nassau Stakes was the highlight of Thursday at Goodwood but it was another race in which tactics played a significant part. Wild Illusion received a superb ride from William Buick, dictating modest fractions, though her final furlong was still quickest of all so she might well have won anyway. Her timefigure of 107 leaves her with plenty to find in an open Group 1.
By contrast, both Pilaster’s win in the Lillie Langtry Stakes and Land Force’s win in the Richmond Stakes came in well-run races. Indeed, the pace in the former might have been a bit too strong, helping those, unlike Pilaster, who came from behind.
I have timefigures of 109 on Pilaster and 104 on Land Force: the Richmond looks substandard this year.
Friday’s action might have been dominated by Battaash’s scintillating win in the King George Stakes but there were good victories also for Mirage Dancer (108 timefigure) in the Glorious Stakes, Regal Reality (114) in the Thoroughbred Stakes, Seniority (112) in the Golden Mile Handicap, Don Armado (99) in the nursery and Pretty Baby (98) in the Oak Tree Stakes.
This proved easy pickings for Mirage Dancer – who has a 116 figure to his name and whose form was notably solid going into this – once the increasingly disappointing Eminent threw in the towel.
Regal Reality and Seniority recorded similar times over a mile, though with the former carrying 4lbs more, both races being run faster than ideal and suiting those who came from further back in the field.
SMART TIMEFIGURE
Saturday’s Goodwood card was a little light on quality, outside the Glorious Stakes, but Gifted Master ran a smart 114 timefigure in winning the Stewards’ Cup under top weight. His time was 0.96s quicker than that recorded by Tommy G (carrying 8lbs less) in the opening consolation race, an effort by the latter which garnered an 87 timefigure.
There were also a handful of notable performances elsewhere in Britain in the period under review, including from Crimson Rosette (102) and Kimberella (93) in winning listed races at Newmarket and Chester respectively.
The latter was less than 1.0s faster than the two-year-old Quiet Endeavour, who carried 6lbs more, in winning a nursery earlier on the card, with the result that the Archie Watson-trained juvenile gets a solid figure of 99.
There were also useful two-year-old timefigures from Dubai Beauty (103) at Newmarket and Boitron (101) at Doncaster. The former, a daughter of Frankel making her debut in Godolphin colours, gets a further 6lb upgrade on sectionals for coming home quickly and looks a first-rate prospect for group races at a mile this year and further next.