With racing nonetheless basking within the afterglow of Saturday’s fascinating King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Stakes at Ascot, Goodwood offers the newest chapter of their ‘Duel on the Downs’ drama in immediately’s Al Shaqab Goodwood Cup.
By widespread consensus the Ascot Gold Cup, fought out in fascinating style on a sweltering Berkshire afternoon final month by the main males, Scandinavia and Trawlerman, was billed because the race of the season.
That description might have undersold the engrossing confrontation as these with lengthy reminiscences likened it to the ‘Race of the Century’ between Grundy and Bustino within the 1975 King George.
No matter label is used, the gripping battle is reprised immediately because the apprentice and the grasp return to the observe for one more eagerly awaited showdown as Scandinavia bids to increase his profitable sequence to an impressive seven, whereas the veteran Trawlerman hunts revenge for his last-gasp Ascot defeat.
On the age of eight, Trawlerman is an entire anomaly.
Able to operating to terribly excessive ranges at an age when most of his counterparts have cried sufficient, the son of John and Thady Gosden’s 2015 Derby winner Golden Horn will once more be geared up with ski goggles within the paddock and on the way in which to put up as his eyes have develop into delicate to mild.
The Ascot Gold Cup was fought out in fascinating style final month by the main males, Scandinavia and Trawlerman, and was billed because the race of the season
The affliction almost price him a spot within the beginning line-up at Ascot with Gosden senior admitting it was a race towards time to have him prepared for the Group 1 marathon earlier than the situation was recognized.
Within the buildup to this showdown, Gosden junior experiences that Trawlerman ‘nonetheless has all the passion he has at all times had’ and ‘has sharpened up a little bit bit since’ Ascot which augurs effectively for immediately’s rematch the place he once more takes on a rival half his age.
Whereas it isn’t fairly Lionel Messi dealing with Lamine Yamal in a World Cup Remaining, the primary protagonists are at vastly completely different ends of the age scale and can every have their supporters with the front-running Trawlerman’s outstanding run model contrasting properly with Scandinavia’s extra affected person strategy.
The previous boxing adage that types make fights is definitely acceptable, however immediately’s characteristic additionally boasts power in depth with the likes of Amiloc, Lazy Griff and Rahiebb all trying to muscle in on the primary occasion and disrupt the established order.
The previous, unbeaten in two begins on the Sussex Downs, tackles two miles for the primary time and arrives on the again of an encouraging effort within the Group 2 Hardwicke Stakes at Royal Ascot, a contest which produced Saturday’s marquee winner Kalpana.
Lazy Griff represents a workforce with loads of heritage on this mid-summer characteristic, with coach Charlie Johnston’s father Mark saddling the redoubtable Double Set off to win thrice in 4 years within the late Nineties.
The Middleham operation additionally loved success with Royal Insurgent (2000) and Darasim 4 years later and their consultant, geared up with the headgear for the primary time, stays largely unexposed over immediately’s journey and can recognize the efforts of the Goodwood groundstaff who’ve spent current weeks watering across the clock.
Rahiebb is one other intriguing runner in a race packed filled with intrigue and one which ought to set the scene for an impressive assembly forecast to be blessed with good climate.
We don’t have to attend lengthy for one more prize combat both with tomorrow’s Go to Qatar Sussex Stakes offering one other fascinating duel with Betfred 2000 Guineas winner Bow Echo and Gstaad going head-to-head for the third time this season.
The previous leads 2-0, however the clean two and three quarter size margin of victory from the primary Basic of the season at Newmarket in Could was whittled away to a brief head within the St James’s Palace Stakes at Ascot seven weeks in the past.
The market suggests the unbeaten Bow Echo will once more prevail, however with the extremely gifted four-year-old Opera Ballo additionally in opposition, the result’s no foregone conclusion and we’re set for extra drama on the Downs.
