Glorious Goodwood preview: Roger Varian Stable Tour

With a Classic victory and Group One win at Royal Ascot already on the board, it has so far been a memorable season for the Newmarket handler, who has banked more than £2 million in prize money in 2024.

But there is still plenty of action to come to add to those figures starting with five days of top-class racing at the picturesque Sussex track where Varian struck Group One gold 12 months ago with Al Husn in the Qatar Nassau Stakes.

This year’s Queen Anne Stakes hero Charyn might not be included in his team, but with the likes of QIPCO 1000 Guineas heroine Elmalka and John Smith’s Cup winner Enfjaar among his battalion, the Classic-winning trainer looks to have plenty of exciting ammunition.

Varian said: “The horses are consistently running well at the moment, and not many are running poorly which is what you want to see going into a meeting like Goodwood.

“The horses in the team are exciting and they deserve to be in the races they are.

“Going into a meeting like a Royal Ascot, Glorious Goodwood or Ebor Festival at York you don’t want to be taking a team to have runners and be represented.

“You want to take a team that can be competitive and I think that is what we are doing with the horses that we intend to run at Goodwood.”

TUESDAY

ENFJAAR (Coral Chesterfield Cup Handicap)

“He is very progressive and he has won his two starts this year. He won the John Smith’s Cup with a little bit of authority.

"He might have had the run of the race that afternoon, but he looked like the winner a long way out which is always a good sign. For that win he got a six pound rise, which is probably fair, so he has a bit more to do off 105.

"You want a good draw around Goodwood, but I can see the race suiting him and he is in good form. I’m looking forward to running him again.

"The gelding operation has probably helped him to be fair. I ran him in the Jersey at Royal Ascot last year, but he was a bit inexperienced for that, and as he has proven he wasn’t quick enough for that.

“I just think being out of his depth, over an inadequate trip, on fast ground at that stage of his career just knocked him and we didn’t get him back. It shows you if you get it wrong it takes time to get them back. He had been a promising horse and I’m delighted it is coming through now.

"You are nearly into pattern company off his mark, but I think in open handicaps 105 is defiable.”

WEDNESDAY

FRENCH DUKE (Coral Daily Rewards Shaker Handicap)

“He is a very nice horse that I plan to run in the mile and a half three-year-old handicap on the Wednesday.

"He was only beaten three and a half lengths in the King George V Stakes at Royal Ascot and he showed that day he has an engine. I think he could go well off his handicap mark of 88.”

JABAARA (Visit Qatar Oak Tree Stakes)

“It was a huge effort from her in the Falmouth Stakes. I hope it hasn’t left a mark on her, but I thought she deserved to take her chance in the Falmouth. I would have been delighted if she would have been third, but she finished second so we felt like it was a winner.

“She is tough, and hardy, and I think the return to seven furlongs will be in her favour. She has to go there with a chance if she can re-produce her last three efforts.

“I thought she would go to Ascot last year as one of our best chances in the Albany, but it didn’t happen for her and she struggled to get back to where I thought she was last year.

“I’ve always held her in quite high regard and at the very least I thought she should be a Listed winner.

"She has now won two Listed races, and is Group One placed. Hopefully she can get a Group Three on her CV here.”

IMPERIAL QUARTER (British Stallion Studs EBF Fillies’ Handicap)

“I love this filly. You can forget her run in the Hoppings Stakes up at Newcastle on her comeback.

“They started off slow, and went slower. Everything out the back was keen and they wound it up from the front, but it blew the cobwebs away.

“Hopefully she can run a good race dropped back in grade having got that run under her belt."

THURSDAY

ELMALKA (Qatar Nassau Stakes)

“I thought we would step up in trip at some point. I thought in the Coronation Stakes at Royal Ascot she wasn't quite quick enough on that faster surface.

"Maybe on slower ground a mile will be fine, but on top of the ground it looks like a mile and a quarter might be a bit more comfortable for her.

"It is shaping up to be a very strong Nassau, but for me she wasn’t disgraced at Ascot. I think she is overpriced in the Nassau, but she doesn’t know what price she is.

"She is a Guineas winner that ran well in the Coronation Stakes that looked like she would be suited by a step up in trip. I’m very excited to run her over 10 furlongs and I am looking forward to that.

“We will just go into the race quietly, but I think she will run very well."

FRIDAY

AL MUSMAK (Bonhams Thoroughbred Stakes)

“Al Musmak could run in the Thoroughbred Stakes, although he would be a doubt if it was very quick. He did it really well back down at a mile in the Sir Henry Cecil Stakes at Newmarket.

"He hadn’t quite fired over 10 furlongs, although his run in the Hampton Court at Royal Ascot wasn’t bad.

“He was a good two year old and there is no reason to think he won’t be winning Group races over a mile. It has taken a while for it to happen this year, but he has never looked better.

“He came out of the Newmarket race better than when he went into it and he looks fantastic. I’m not sure I will risk him at Goodwood on really fast ground. We could wait for the Superior Mile at Haydock Park if the ground is a bit lively. Genuine good ground would be fine."

BOILING POINT (Bonhams Thoroughbred Stakes)

“The plan is to run Boiling Point in the Thoroughbred Stakes. He didn’t disgrace himself in the Jersey Stakes at Royal Ascot, but looking at it that day he shaped as if he wanted a mile.

“They didn’t go very quick in the Jersey and it just looked like he was caught flat footed.

“He looked like being disappointing, but he then ran on again and finished quite strongly. I think a mile is what he wants now. On that fast ground at Goodwood he could run very well in the Thoroughbred Stakes.”

PEROTTO (Coral Golden Mile)

“Perotto goes for the Golden Mile and he is in great form. We hope for a good draw as he ran well in the race last year from a bad draw.

"The ground last year would have been against him in the race as well.

“He has had two great runs this season. He was third in the Hunt Cup and he was then third at Sandown when he was drawn badly and the ground was a touch softer than he likes. With the way the forecast is looking, if we get a good draw he will be dangerous."

SATURDAY

AIMERIC (Coral Glorious Stakes)

“Aimeric could run in the Glorious Stakes. Fast ground is important to him, but it looks like being a dry week.

“He has been consistent this season, but whether he is good enough to win a Glorious Stakes I don’t know. You could see him finishing in the first three and bringing home a bit of prize money and running with credit again.

“He has already finished second at the track this year in a Listed race which is another tick in the right box.”

SHADOW DANCE (Coral Summer Handicap)

“I’d like to run Shadow Dance in the Summer Handicap, but I wouldn’t if it is really quick and I will be patient. He has got a big race in him and he is just starting to take off. I’m very happy with this horse, but I don’t want to risk him on quick ground.

“I’ve got him in the Ebor as well as this race. It might not happen in either of those races, but there are lots of other nice middle distance handicaps through the summer, and the autumn.

“If this race looks right then we will have a go, if not we will wait. He hit the line really strong in his last race and I love it when they do that. Horses won’t always win, but when they are strong through the line you can look forward and get excited about placing them."

MISSION TO MOON (Whispering Angel Handicap)

"He has won twice over course and distance including when winning the seven furlong nursery at the meeting last year.

"He ran very well in the Britannia at Royal Ascot to finish fourth. He should be suited to the return to seven furlongs. I’m not sure if we will look at going back up to a mile with him."

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