Glorious Goodwood: Whirl Dances Through Rain After Messy Flag Start

There was thing excessively glorious astir a ragged emblem commencement for nan Group One Nassau Stakes connected Thursday, but overmuch to admit astir nan quality that a top-class jockey tin make arsenic Ryan Moore seized nan inaugural aboard Whirl, nan 6-5 favourite, and ensured that Aidan O’Brien’s filly was ne'er earnestly threatened connected her measurement to a five-length success.

Goodwood’s officials were forced to usage a emblem start, a first for a Group One title successful Britain, arsenic location was lightning successful nan air, successful nan midst of a sustained downpour that besides changed nan going from good, good-to-firm successful places to dense successful little than an hour, pinch nary of nan accustomed stopping-off points successful between.

It was an unfamiliar business for nan 5 riders successful nan day’s characteristic event, and Moore was first to respond arsenic nan starter dropped nan flag, while See The Fire, nan second-favourite, was somewhat backmost connected her heels for Oisin Murphy. Within a fewer strides, Whirl had grabbed a useful lead – 3 aliases 4 lengths complete See The Fire, and astatine slightest half a twelve complete her unchangeable companion, Bedtime Story – and arsenic Moore went done nan gears from nan two-furlong pole, his opponents were ever struggling to onshore a blow.

Whirl has now won 2 all-aged Group One events successful a statement aft her constrictive conclusion by Minnie Hauk successful nan Oaks astatine Epsom successful early June, and an progressively unrecorded contender for nan Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe successful early October. Kalpana, nan existent 13-2 favourite for nan Arc pinch Paddy Power, was a magnitude and a 4th down Whirl successful nan Pretty Polly Stakes astatine nan Curragh successful June, and Whirl is now 8-1 (from 10-1) for Europe’s showpiece event.

“Whirl conscionable keeps doing what she says she is going to do,” Moore said. “She has loads of ability, stays well, handles speedy ground, handles slow ground. Aidan called her ‘a racing machine’ nan past day. He keeps getting these horses to do different things and this filly keeps progressing.

“It is simply a shame it was nan spectacle it was, but she won it very well. She has won 2 Group One races now against nan girls. She will person to measurement up again against nan boys, but she is progressing and Aidan’s horses conscionable support turning up each time.”

See The Fire, meanwhile, is now apt to caput to nan International Stakes astatine York adjacent month, a title that was won by her sire, Sea The Stars, successful 2009 and her dam, Arabian Queen, six years later.

Whether Field Of Gold, nan beaten 1-3 favourite successful Wednesday’s Sussex Stakes, besides lines up for that title remains to beryllium seen, however, arsenic nan three-year-old was reportedly lame connected Thursday morning.

Racegoers do their champion to shelter from nan rain. Photograph: Andrew Matthews/PA

“We don’t person nan afloat image yet, but he is lame connected his near hind,” Barry Mahon, European racing head for nan Juddmonte operation, said connected Thursday. “Until we person nan afloat image we can’t afloat diagnose it, but nan truth he is lame suggests that could perchance beryllium why we didn’t spot nan existent equine that we cognize yesterday.”

Earlier connected Thursday’s card, Merchant followed up his handicap occurrence astatine nan Royal gathering successful June pinch a constrictive triumph successful nan Group Three Gordon Stakes, a title that is often a proceedings for nan St Leger.

Merchant is quoted astatine astir 10-1 for nan last Classic aft edging retired Wimbledon Hawkeye by a nose, but William Haggas, his trainer, has yet to perpetrate nan three-year-old to nan race.

“My gut emotion is nary because I don’t deliberation it did [the 2023 Gordon Stakes winner] Desert Hero overmuch bully long-term,” Haggas said. “We had planned to spell to nan Voltigeur [at York successful August] pinch Merchant, but he has had a title coming and will request astatine slightest 10 days going very softly earlier we determine what to do.”

Asfoora to reign successful King George

The King George Stakes, Glorious Goodwood’s accepted trial of axenic speed, will beryllium much of a slog aft nan downpour present connected Thursday, but nan Australian-trained favourite, Asfoora (3.05), has respective soft-ground wins connected her grounds and looks reasonably priced astatine astir 2-1 to amended connected her adjacent 2nd successful this title past year.

Asfoora was touched disconnected by Mick Appleby’s Big Evs past twelvemonth and different three-year-old from nan aforesaid yard, Big Mojo, is nan apt second-favourite connected Friday aft a beardown tally into 2nd down nan daze victor No Half Measures successful nan July Cup past clip out.

A perchance captious difference, however, is that Asfoora shouldered 6lb punishment past twelvemonth pursuing her triumph successful nan King Charles III Stakes astatine Royal Ascot.

Henry Dwyer’s mare went to nan aforesaid title this twelvemonth without nan use of a prep run, finishing a creditable 5th successful nan circumstances. She goes to station connected Friday without a punishment and looks judge to amended for nan run.

Goodwood 1.20 Christophe Soumillon is an eye-catching booking for Charlie Johnston’s Align The Stars, a victor astatine this gathering 12 months ago. He looked a small one-paced complete 14 furlongs astatine Newmarket past clip but had antecedently tally good to decorativeness seventh successful nan Ascot Stakes truthful this return to a marathon travel astatine a way he intelligibly enjoys could beryllium conscionable what he needs.

Goodwood 1.55 A disappointing sixth down Field Of Gold successful nan Craven Stakes successful April remains nan only blot connected Opera Ballo’s record and he posted different career-best erstwhile beating Seagulls Eleven – who reopposes coming – astatine Newmarket’s July Festival past time. This measurement backmost up to Group Three institution looks an evident adjacent measurement connected nan measurement to moreover amended things.

Goodwood 2.30 While nan past 2 renewals of this handicap person gone to horses from high-numbered stalls, a debased tie is ever a important advantage complete this way and travel and Oisin Murphy has an perfect transportation successful stall 2 connected Greek Order. Michael Bell’s gelding was successful beforehand half a furlong retired successful nan Royal Hunt Cup and this move to a sharper mile should suit.

Goodwood 3.45 A tricky conditions arena wherever nan accordant Haunted Dream, last year’s winner, makes astir appeal. Hamad al Jehani’s globe-trotting gelding has a definite liking for this track, having besides vanished a adjacent 2nd successful a handicap astatine this gathering 2 years ago, and a repetition of his shape down nan useful Shin Emperor successful a Group Two successful Saudi Arabia successful February would astir apt suffice.