The Group 1 Al Shaqab Goodwood Cup saw Scandinavia secure a decisive victory, though the race was marked by early drama involving a loose horse. This win confirmed Scandinavia’s recent form against Trawlerman, whom he had previously defeated by a head in the Gold Cup at Royal Ascot last month.
The incident unfolded at the start of the race when Hector Crouch was unseated from Amiloc. The gelding then ran riderless for much of the race, eventually veering across the leaders, including Scandinavia and Trawlerman, with three furlongs remaining. This interference significantly impacted Trawlerman’s run, according to trainer John Gosden.
Race disruption and impact
John Gosden described the race as “messy,” noting that Trawlerman experienced interference early on and again in the closing stages. Despite leading towards the back of the home straight, Trawlerman’s momentum was disrupted when Amiloc drifted across the track. This forced Trawlerman’s jockey, William Buick, to lose momentum, while Scandinavia’s rider, Ryan Moore, was less affected.
Gosden highlighted the critical nature of the interference, stating, “Once you check and lose your rhythm, that’s it in any race.” He observed that Trawlerman, an eight-year-old gelding owned by Godolphin, was one and a half lengths ahead before the incident, but suddenly found himself one and a half lengths behind. He added that once ground is given away at that stage, it is difficult to regain.
William Buick echoed these sentiments, explaining the difficulty of maneuvering around a loose horse. He noted that the interference occurred at a crucial point in the race. Despite the disruption, Scandinavia, the favourite, stretched clear to win by eight and a half lengths, with the riderless Amiloc still ahead of him at the finish line. Ryan Moore suggested that having a horse to follow might have benefited his mount, as Scandinavia’s stride never shortened.
Other notable performances
In the same race, Rahiebb, under jockey Ray Dawson, finished third. Trainer Roger Varian expressed satisfaction with Rahiebb’s performance, despite the race not setting up ideally for them. Varian noted that the race was “messy” and the pace was not particularly fast, which might have prevented Rahiebb from securing second place. He was pleased that Rahiebb handled the trip well and indicated that going up in trip again in the future is not out of the question.
Earlier on the card, Kaiya Fraser delivered a notable ride in the Group Two Vintage Stakes, guiding Oliver Cole’s Dr Rascal to victory by half a length. Fraser navigated a narrow gap against the far rail to secure the win. This marked a significant achievement for Fraser, who began his riding career at the British Racing School in Newmarket at the age of 16.
Another highlight was Lake Forest’s win in the Group Two Lennox Stakes, finishing fast under Cieren Fallon to take the race by a neck. There is a possibility that Lake Forest could attempt a quick turnaround to compete in the Group One Sussex Stakes on Wednesday. Maureen Haggas, wife of trainer William Haggas, stated that if the horse is well, they would consider the option, especially since he is a five-year-old gelding who does not need to travel.
The Sussex Stakes on Wednesday is also anticipated to feature Bow Echo, who will aim to extend his unbeaten record to six starts. Bow Echo previously won the 2,000 Guineas at Newmarket in May and had a less convincing success in the St James’s Palace Stakes at Royal Ascot. Gstaad is set to challenge Bow Echo for a third time, while Opera Ballo is considered a potential threat from a low draw.
The Vintage Stakes also featured a clash between colts from Charlie Appleby and Aidan O’Brien’s yards. Appleby’s Al Hudaiba, who won the Superlative Stakes, carried a 3 lb penalty. Al Hudaiba had previously defeated O’Brien’s Abraham Lincoln by a short head at Newmarket. O’Brien’s representative in the Vintage Stakes was Haffner, who had won a maiden race on the July Cup card.
In the Lennox Stakes, Qirat and Witness Stand, both known for strong performances at Goodwood, were expected to contend. Qirat is unbeaten in three starts at the track, including a win in the Sussex Stakes last year. Witness Stand finished second to Qirat in a handicap and won the Lennox Stakes twelve months prior. However, Lake Forest, last year’s runner-up, was considered to be in better form this year after a decisive win in a listed race at Haydock in May.
The Goodwood Cup rematch between Scandinavia and Trawlerman was highly anticipated, given their close finish at Royal Ascot. Trawlerman, despite being an eight-year-old, remains a high-class gelding, having previously won at Goodwood on his only prior visit before his Ebor win in 2022. Scandinavia, half Trawlerman’s age, has a strong record over the past year, including six wins and a previous victory in the Goodwood Cup last year.
Rahiebb is likely to target the Lonsdale Cup at York and potentially the Irish St Leger in the future.
Source: racingpost.com
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Charlie Bradshaw is the Senior Football Correspondent at News-GB, covering the Premier League, the EFL and the England national side with ten years of reporting experience. He covered Merseyside football before going national. He holds a degree in Sports Journalism from Liverpool John Moores University and completed an NCTJ diploma. Based in Liverpool, he watches non-league sides and collects old match programmes. “The back page is only ever half the story.”