Record number of race-goers enjoy Goodwood fun and sun

Up 36 per cent from last year’s figure, the bumper crowd also helped children’s charity the NSPCC raise tens of thousands for their worthy causes.

Through a combination of race sponsorship, two auctions and collections from generous racegoers, early indications suggest that the NSPCC raised in excess of £60,000 during the fixture, with further money expected when the text donations have been factored in.

Rupa-Dey Amin, the NSPCC’s Head of Community Fundraising for London and South East, said; “We have had a wonderful day and the weather has been glorious. We are delighted with the amount of money that we have raised and have greatly enjoyed being here at Goodwood.”

The raceday activities were also extremely well received, as clerk of the course Seamus Buckley explained: “I have never known so many people out on the course for my talk, it was really popular.

“I think people are really interested in how the course is run at the bare roots. The children also enjoyed the wonderful blacksmith’s demonstration and the tour of the weighing room, where they could feel the weights that the horses carry and get on to the scales.”

Guests packed out the Lennox Enclosure, where children of all ages were able to enjoy the complimentary fairground rides, meet a racehorse and ride a finish on a mechanical horse.

The racing was hugely entertaining and both Godolphin and William Buick continued their superb form at the track when Galizzi won the two-mile feature race, overcoming a 603-day break to score by four lengths.

Arnold Lane produced a fine front-running performance to win the Class 3 seven-furlong handicap under Silvester De Sousa.

Only one of the runners tipped on this website - Bobby’s Boots - prevailed.

Both jockeys and trainers were quick to congratulate the dedicated groundstaff, who had worked through the night on Friday and Saturday to fix a burst water pipe that would have led to firm ground and reduced fields.

The team will now be readying the course for the next fixture on Friday, when MistaJam will take to the decks after an evening card for the second of the Three Friday Nights series.

See action and reaction from the first TFN fixture and Sunday’s family raceday in the Observer, out on Thursday.

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