Via Godolphin
The Goodwood Cup, newly promoted to G1 status, is now the feature race on the first day of the Goodwood Festival, Tuesday, August 1, and Godolphin is represented by the consistent seven-year-old Qewy.
Trained by Charlie Appleby and ridden by William Buick, Qewy returned to racing this year in the Queen Alexandra Stakes at Royal Ascot on June 24 and ran soundly to finish fourth of the 16 runners.
Via Godolphin
The son of Street Cry did well in Australia at the end of 2016, winning the G3 12-furlong Geelong Cup, finishing fourth in the G1 two-mile Emirates Melbourne Cup and taking the Sandown Cup, a two-mile Listed handicap.
He has 15 opponents in the two-mile Goodwood Cup, led by Big Orange, successful in this race for the last two years and winner of the G1 Gold Cup in June.
Charlie Appleby commented: “I was pleased with Qewy’s run at Royal Ascot but the distance of more than two miles and five furlongs stretched his stamina.
“He will be more in his comfort zone with the two miles of the Goodwood Cup.
“He likes to be ridden close to the pace and we are fitting cheek-pieces to help him keep his concentration. He is not ungenuine.”
Four Godolphin horses are in the seven-furlong G2 Lennox Stakes, Home Of The Brave (Hugo Palmer/James Doyle), Jungle Cat (Charlie Appleby/William Buick), Dream Castle (Saeed bin Suroor/Oisin Murphy) and last year’s winner Dutch Connection (Charlie Hills/Jim Crowley).
Home Of The Brave is unbeaten in two starts at seven furlongs this year, with the five-year-old horse winning a Listed contest at Leicester on April 29, and then beating Jungle Cat by three quarters of a length in the G3 Criterion Stakes at Newmarket on July 1.
Hugo Palmer said: “Home Of The Brave has made a good start to this season and we hope that continues in the Lennox Stakes.
“He is a horse who responds well to having a bit of time between his races.”
Jungle Cat has run twice since the Newmarket race, finishing a head second, also over seven furlongs, in a Listed race at Chester on July 15 and then was the easy winner of a Haydock Park conditions race at the same distance on July 22.
The five-year-old Iffraaj horse, in the frame in three G1 six-furlong races, is drawn 11 of the 15 runners, while Home Of The Brave exits from stall one,
Charlie Appleby declared: “It is great that Jungle Cat got his head back in front on his last start, which will have helped his confidence.
“He has had three nice runs over seven furlongs and comes into this race in good order.
“If he puts his best foot forward, then he will be thereabouts for the places.”
Three-year-old Dream Castle is considerably less experienced, having run just four times, all this year.
The Frankel colt won his maiden easily at Doncaster in April over seven furlongs and then went to Newbury for the G3 Greenham Stakes later the same month and finished second to another Godolphin runner Barney Roy.
Dream Castle stepped up a furlong for the mile Classic, the 2000 Guineas, at Newmarket on May 6 and ran well to finish fifth. He dropped back to seven furlongs for the G3 Jersey Stakes at Royal Ascot in June and again came home fifth.
Saeed bin Suroor commented: “I am pleased with Dream Castle, who is in good form.
“He has worked well on the Limekilns coming into this race. I don’t think the good to soft going will cause him problems.
“I was happy with his last two runs and am hoping for another good performance on Tuesday.”
Dutch Connection beat Home Of The Grange into second last year in the Lennox Stakes, when successful by one and three quarter lengths on good to firm going.
The five-year-old Dutch Art horse has been unplaced in four G1 races subsequently and last time out was a one-paced sixth in the G2 Minstrel Stakes at the Curragh on July 16.
Charlie Hills remarked: “Dutch Connection was disappointing in Ireland, but they went no gallop and he was caught on the outside.
“He loves Goodwood, having won twice at the course including this race last year, and I am hoping that he can bounce back to his best.”
Dutch Connection is drawn seven, while Dream Castle exits from stall five. The 11 opponents are headed by dual G1 winner Limato and Librisa Breeze, a fast finishing fourth in the G1 Darley July Cup over six furlongs.
The other G2 race on the opening day of Glorious Goodwood is the 11-runner Vintage Stakes over the same distance for two-year-olds.
Zaman, successful on two of his four starts, represents Charlie Appleby and William Buick. His two successes came at six furlongs but he ran well to finish fourth over seven furlongs in the G2 Superlative Stakes at Newmarket on July 15.
Charlie Appleby revealed: “He is progressing with each run and has come out of the Superlative Stakes well.
“His win at Pontefract earlier in July has received a couple of form boosts.
“Zaman has to improve again and we have added blinkers for the first time to assist him.”