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Dashing dozen are out for Sussex Stakes glory
This year's renewal of the £300,000 Group One BGC Sussex Stakes (3.25pm) looks set to be a true clash of the generations with the leading milers taking each other on in the feature race of the second day of Glorious Goodwood, Wednesday, July 29.
A dozen horses remain in the prestigious contest after today's six-day confirmation stage and the seven three-year-olds are headed by the brilliant filly Ghanaati, who powered to an impressive victory in the Group One 1,000 Guineas at Newmarket at the start of May.
Trained by Barry Hills, the Giant's Causeway filly is set to tackle colts and older horses for the first time this season after further enhancing her burgeoning reputation as an outstanding miler with a commanding victory in the Group One Coronation Stakes at Royal Ascot.
This season's Classic form is set to be further represented by the Aidan O'Brien-trained Rip Van Winkle, whose has performed with great credit in Group One company on all three of his starts this season.
After finishing fourth behind Sea The Stars in both the 2,000 Guineas and the Epsom Derby, the son of Galileo further proved himself as a genuine Group One performer when coming second to the John Oxx-trained superstar in the Eclipse Stakes at Sandown on July 4. O'Brien, chasing a fourth BGC Sussex Stakes success, may also be represented by three-year-olds Malibu Bay, Rockhampton and Set Sail as well as the four-year-old Windsor Palace.
Lord Shanakill, second in last year's Group Two Veuve Clicquot Vintage Stakes, is due to return to Glorious Goodwood following a first Group One success in the Prix Jean Prat at Chantilly on July 5, while the Mick Channon-trained Lahaleeb has already proven herself as one of the leading three-year-old fillies when coming second in the Irish 1,000 Guineas.
The older generation may be headed by last year's Group Two Betfair Cup winner Paco Boy, who ended his 2008 campaign with an emphatic victory in the seven-furlong Prix de la Foret at Longchamp in October.
The Richard Hannon-trained four-year-old proved himself as a leading player over a mile with victory in the Group One Queen Anne Stakes at Royal Ascot and could return to that distance after staying on to take fourth in the Group One July Cup over six furlongs at Newmarket on July 10.
Richard Hannon jnr, assistant to his father, commented: "We have kept Paco Boy in the BGC Sussex Stakes but the race is a possibility at the moment and nothing more. We are also looking at the Prix Jacques le Marois and the Prix Maurice de Gheest and we still have to decide whether to go to Goodwood or Deauville with him.
"I was pleased with his run in the July Cup and he was running on at the end - he was a little bit out of his ground but, apart from that, it was a decent run. He's proven he gets the mile trip well in the Queen Anne Stakes and he won at Goodwood last year so the course will hold no fears."
Beacon Lodge gave Clive Cox a first Group race success when taking the Group Three Horris Hill Stakes at Newbury in October, 2007,and the four-year-old will attempt to provide the Lambourn-based handler with a first success at the highest level following a comfortable three-length victory in a Group Thee at Chantilly in mid-June.
The remaining entries are five-year-old Mia's Boy, from the stable of Chris Wall, and the lightly-raced four-year-old Forgotten Voice, who stormed to success on his turf debut in the Royal Hunt Cup at Royal Ascot for Jeremy Noseda before disappointing on his latest start at Doncaster on July 16.
Wednesday's superb seven-race card also features one of the leading juvenile contests of the season, the 80,000 Group Two Veuve Clicquot Vintage Stakes (2.45pm). The seven-furlong contest boasts a rich pedigree of producing future Classic winners, with Troy (1978), Doctor Devious (1991) and Sir Percy (2005) going on to triumph in the Derby, while Don't Forget Me (1986) and Mister Baileys (1993) have been victorious at Goodwood prior to success in the 2000 Guineas.
This season's race looks set to be another classy renewal, with a host of major stables represented among the 15 entries. The Richard Hannon-trained Big Audio may re-oppose Emperor Claudius, from the Ballydoyle stable of Aidan O'Brien, after the pair were separated by a short-head in the Listed Chesham Stakes at Royal Ascot, while Godolphin could run impressive maiden winners Buzzword and Chaperno.
Other notable contenders include the Rod Millman-trained Roi De Vitesse, who has both Big Audio and Emperor Claudius behind him when coming second in the Group Two Superlative Stakes at Newmarket on July 10, Group Two Coventry Stakes runner-up Xtension and the Jim Bolger-trained pair of Marfach and Reiteration.
A total of 33 entries have been received for the 60,000 Racing UK Heritage Handicap (4.00pm). The fiercely competitive mile and a half contest has been won by Spinning, Midnight Legend and Pilsudski in previous year's and this season's renewal looks set to unearth some more middle-distance talent, with the likes of Parthenon and Braveheart Move among the possible contenders.
All six heritage handicaps at Glorious Goodwood will have two reserves for the first time this year, apart from Saturday's Bluesquare.com Stewards' Cup which has the Rolf Group Stewards' Sprint Stakes as a consolation race. Reserves can be utilised prior to 9.00am on the day before the race.
Wednesday's racing action gets underway with the 50,000 Goodwood Handicap (2.10pm) and 39 stayers have been entered in the marathon contest, run over two miles and five furlongs, while further handicap action is provided by the nine-furlong 20,000 EBF Fillies' And Mares' Handicap (5.10pm), for which 21 entries have been received.
Potential stars of the future will be on display in the 20,000 Markel International Maiden Fillies' Stakes (4.35pm), with 23 juveniles entered in the six-furlong contest, while the card is completed by the seven-furlong 20,000 Kennels Classified Stakes (5.45pm), which has attracted 25 entries.
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Weather for Chichester
Tuesday 29 May 2012
Today
Sunny
Temperature: 13 C to 21 C
Wind Speed: 20 mph
Wind direction: West
Tomorrow
Sunny spells
Temperature: 13 C to 20 C
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