Glorious Goodwood Day 1: what the connections say

Glorious Goodwood kicks off in the UK on Tuesday and Hong Kong World Pool will be in operation on the first three first three days of the festival. 

So, check out the view from connections ahead of Tuesday's big-race action at Goodwood.

16.25 Nicholson Gin Vintage Stakes

Richard Hannon - Haatem & Son: “He keeps bumping into those O’Brien horses and I think he has a very good chance. If it is soft ground, I think he’ll like it. He showed he can handle good to soft at Newmarket. I like his chance at Goodwood.

“He ran well behind in the Superlative and he ran well in the Coventry, and he’s done everything we’ve asked of him, so it would be good to see him produce what we think he’s capable of on Wednesday.

"Son ran all right in the Superlative (fifth), but this looks a tougher spot for him and you wouldn’t be too confident in such a competitive race.”

Richard Fahey - Golden Mind: " I don’t think the ground will bother this fellow, it will just slow the race down and he’s a colt that does seem to stay well. He’s improving all the time, getting more tuned in with every run and we’re seeing that in his work at home.

"Things didn’t quite fall right for him in the Chesham last time and he still ran a cracker to finish third behind Snellen. That run was symptomatic of him being a slow learner but we’re getting there with him now.

"Frankie rides and he’s ridden plenty of good winners for me over the years. I’d be thrilled to give him another on Tuesday and I’m really looking forward to seeing Golden Mind run."

Dominic French Davis - Thunder Blue: “He is a Goodwood winner over six furlongs and although he has plenty of tactical speed, we just feel he would be better suited by stepping up to seven. He will be able to get a tow into the race.

“He jumped a bit sharp at Ascot and he probably got racing a bit early at Newmarket also, so hopefully at Goodwood he can get a lead and then produce a turn of foot at the end of the race.

“He was very good when he won there and it turned out to be not a bad race. The runner-up got the job done well enough next time and I think it was a strong enough contest. We’ve always thought he was very good and I think seven furlongs may just play to his strengths.

“We wouldn’t want too much rain as that might make it too much of a test of stamina, but I think if it is good to soft it would be perfect for him.”

17.00 World Pool Lennox Stakes

Jamie McCalmont, racing manager for Kinross owner Marc Chan: “He is a year older now, but he was unlucky not to win it last year and he did win it the year before, so it looks a great spot to get back to winning ways,” said Jamie McCalmont, racing manager for owner Marc Chan.

“There is no doubt this is his best distance. He likes the course and he’s justifiably the favourite, even though that doesn’t mean he will win the race.”

Richard Brown, racing adviser for Isaac Shelby owners Wathnan Racing: “He’s back to seven (furlongs) and hopefully that will see him in his best light. It’s a tight, competitive race and Kinross will be tough to beat. But the horse is in great form and we’re looking forward to it.

“He got lit up and things didn’t really go to plan at Ascot. I’m not trying to use an excuse and saying he would have won there, but back in trip and back in grade here, he should be thereabouts.”

Charlie Appleby - Al Suhail: "He has come out of Ascot well, although he has a penalty here for his win in the Al Fahidi Fort. I’m looking forward to seeing him back over seven, which is probably his best trip, and the course at Goodwood might suit.

“We will be keeping an eye on the weather as his participation would be in doubt if there was significant rain.”

Chris Richardson, managing director of Audience owners Cheveley Park Stud: “This race is the natural progression really and he came out of the Newmarket race well.

“He has not been straightforward, but gelding seems to have worked and we are now seeing what we were seeing on the gallops, but not on the racecourse.

“He was just not performing on the track as we thought he would and should have been. It was just one of those rather frustrating things, but it was lovely to see him bounce back and follow up the previous win with such an emphatic success.”

17.35 Al Shaqab Goodwood Cup

Richard Brown, racing adviser to Courage Mon Ami owner Wathnan Racing: “John was keen to train both him and Gregory for the race and soft ground or probable soft ground swayed the decision towards running Courage Mon Ami, while Gregory will now take a different route, with his main aim being the St Leger,” said Richard Brown, racing adviser to the owners.

“Frankie (Dettori) will ride and he’s drawn five. He’s back in trip but he won there impressively before the Gold Cup and we know he handles the track. I don’t think it will be a problem coming back to two miles, it was always the question before Ascot if he would he stay two and a half.

“The horse is in good form and he did his last piece of work on Friday and both John and Thady were delighted with him.”

Aidan O’Brien - Emily Dickinson: “She came out of the Curragh very well. Ryan (Moore) was happy with her and felt she won very easily. She is a filly we really fancied for the Gold Cup. She ran a good race and came out of it well,” said O’Brien.

“She loved the ease in the ground at the Curragh. She comes out of races on fast ground perfectly, which suggests it does not bother her, but she appears much better with an ease in the ground. It hinders other horses, whereas she appears to grow another leg on soft ground.

“Since the Goodwood Cup has been upgraded to a Group 1, it has been brilliant. It is a very prestigious race and a unique race because two miles on the Goodwood track is very different. It is a difficult race to win, but we always try to have a horse that is good enough to win it.”

Marco Botti - Giavellotto: “He won well at York and it has always been the plan to skip the Gold Cup at Ascot and go to Goodwood for the Goodwood Cup. He is well and his prep has gone to plan, we think he is fit and he looks in good order. We know he stays and we’re looking forward to it.

“Two miles is not an issue but we felt the Ascot Gold Cup may have stretched him a little bit. He settles well and he looks a stronger horse than last year.

“I just worry about the ground, I hope it will be nice ground for everyone and not extremes. Good to soft would be what he wants.

“Goodwood is a track he has never run at before, but hopefully he handles the undulations. You have to respect the opposition because it’s a competitive field and a strong race, but we are going there with the horse in really good nick and we can only hope for a good run.”

Oisin Murphy - Coltrane: “I was obviously gutted to get beat on Coltrane in the Gold Cup and he has come out of Ascot very well,” said Murphy, ahead of another leg in the British Champions Series. He’s a very good horse and I hope he’s as good here as he was at Ascot. All the signs at home are positive and I think this two miles will suit him better than the two and a half at Ascot.

“I don’t think the quick ground was a problem in the Gold Cup as he obviously let himself down on it, but we know from his past form that he enjoys some dig in the ground, so that’s a plus for him.” - Sportinglife.com