Frankie Dettori won't be the only one doing a flying dismount if Galileo Gold wins the Sussex Stakes
Expect Fitzy to be bouncing on the Channel 4 sofa
Predicting day two at Glorious Goodwood is harder than scooping the jackpot against The Beast on The Chase, but jumps trainers traditionally have a great record in the first race at 2.00pm. Alan King has Oceane () in great form with are recent handicap win at Ascot, and fast ground appears to be the key to this horse. Last year he was a very close third at Salisbury behind Simple Verse (beaten 3/4 of a length) and that form reads very well now – with Simple Verse a multiple Group 1 winner!
The Gordon Stakes (2.35pm) has some Derby runners in it and Sir Michael Stoute was very hopeful of a bold showing from Ulysses () in the Epsom showpiece. He disappointed badly tailed off in 12th so this is a bit of a retrieval mission, but the son of Galileo and Oaks winner Light Shift could find the answers and bounce back to form.
The Sussex Stakes (3.10pm) is a rematch between not one, but three horses who competed in the St James’s Palace Stakes at Ascot little more than a month ago. Awtaad was third on that occasion behind Galileo Gold (first) and The Gurkha (second) and is a bit of a forgotten horse. However he is an Irish Guineas winner and had Galileo Gold behind him at the Curragh.
Many people feel The Gurkha was an unlucky loser in that race at odds of 4/5, however Frankie Dettori was brilliant on Galileo Gold and the other jockeys gave him too much rope. When Ryan Moore and The Gurkha tried to go after him he found his path blocked by Awtaad, and by the time he got out Frankie was away and gone.
This race could set up for the Ascot winner again. I think Frankie will keep it nice and simple on Galileo Gold () and try to get the first run on the field again. Ryan Moore will have learned his lesson and will definitely be handier this time as he tries to fight it out with Galileo Gold in the final furlong. However Galileo Gold can edge it at a track where he has already won. The Gurkha () to be bridesmaid again.
The Molecomb at 3.45pm is a race that will go to Ireland with the War Front colt Sportsmanship () looking a real improver for Aidan O’Brien. He won a Maiden quite comfortably over six furlongs at Leopardstown a fortnight ago and can notch a Group 3 success at the Festival.