Qatar Goodwood Festival Preview: Expert Panel and Tips

Paddington stole the show at last year’s Qatar Goodwood Festival – who fills the role of flag-bearer this time around in your view?

Ben Linfoot: I reckon the same race, the Sussex Stakes, will produce another memorable winner in Rosallion who looks to have these rivals covered. His style of racing looks tailor made for Goodwood and it should be an exhilarating ride for Sean Levey as he counts down to making his challenge in the straight.

David Ord: I'd side with Kyprios, his back-story and return to the top of the staying tree was well documented after Royal Ascot but this is a stayer with the X-factor. At his peak there were plenty who felt he had so much natural ability he could make his mark in the top middle-distance races. Maybe not now but he wasn't far adrift of his very best numbers in Berkshire last month and it's great to see him back in this sort of form.

Ian Ogg: The mile division can often provide a compelling narrative to the first half of the season from the Guineas to Royal Ascot to the Goodwood Festival and that's certainly been the case this year and Rosallion has the potential to confirm himself as a star performer. Hopefully Notable Speech will leave a bad run at Royal Ascot behind and, along with Henry Longfellow and last year's second Facteur Cheval, make this a race to remember.

Matt Brocklebank: It's probably a bit of a boring suggestion as he's odds-on favourite but the remarkable Kyprios is probably going to take centre stage again in Tuesday's Goodwood Cup. Aidan O'Brien's magic touch never ceases to amaze me and bringing this horse back from injury to win another Gold Cup is pretty high up on a long list of incredible achievements. Kyprios beat Stradivarius in this race two years ago and doesn't face anything of that calibre this time around.

Who do you fancy in the Big Evs v Asfoora rematch, and is there another major clash you’re particularly looking forward to?

Ben Linfoot: I don’t think those two set an exacting standard and it wouldn’t surprise me if both were turned over with horses like Kerdos and Live In The Dream having the potential to bounce back. The Qatar Nassau Stakes is set up nicely with Aidan O’Brien’s three-year-old Opera Singer set to take on some classy John & Thady Gosden trained mares and that looks a clash not to miss as it feels like a significant D-Day for the daughter of Justify.

David Ord: I certainly don't think it's just a shootout between the two of them. The division looks to be much of a muchness this term but I do think Big Evs can finish in front of his rival this time. The track will play to his strengths, she picks up a penalty for the Ascot win and might find the younger legs last a little longer this time. Clash of the week? Simple. That's Rosallion versus Notable Speech and Henry Longfellow in the Sussex. 131 plays 130 and 128 on Timeform's weight-adjusted ratings - it should be a cracker.

Ian Ogg: I haven't got a strong view but Big Evs won the Molecomb last year of course and that known ability to handle the track is a plus while the easier finish (than at Ascot) may also help him get away from the mare who was, ultimately, well on top at the Royal meeting. The Nassau Stakes could throw up another exciting clash between the generations with Inspiral and Emily Upjohn potentially taking on the likes of Opera Singer, Elmalka and Sparkling Plenty and that always adds an extra layer of intrigue.

Matt Brocklebank: It does look a good rematch in Friday's King George Qatar Stakes but I'd be very much in the Australian mare's camp. They used the Haydock run on bad ground in May to tee Asfoora up beautifully for the Royal meeting last month and, if anything, I can see her raw speed being even better suited to this place. The Sussex Stakes is the other big clash I'm really looking forward to and while Rosallion should take plenty of beating, Ryan Moore will have a plan as he looks to turn the tables with the Hannon horse aboard Henry Longfellow. It's fascinating they're sticking to a mile with him and I expect to see a canny ride from the front around here.

Is there a horse you think could use Goodwood as a springboard to stardom into the back end of the season?

Ben Linfoot: English Oak was hugely impressive in the Buckingham Palace at Royal Ascot and it’s no wonder he dips his toe into Group 2 waters in the Lennox Stakes on Tuesday. This is a big test for him against hardened and classy operators at this level, but I’ve a feeling he might be up to it and if that’s the case it could be the catalyst to him moving up to Group 1 level later in the year.

David Ord: The Strikin Viking can prove a very shrewd acquisition for the Wathnan team by landing the Richmond and setting himself up for the Group One six furlong juvenile contests later in the season. He was impressive on debut at York but took his form to a new level when touched off by Henry Matisse in the Railway Stakes. He travelled like the best horse for much of that race and while it's a shame for the Kevin Ryan team that he's left them, he can be a late-summer and autumn flagbearer for Hamad Al-Jehani in his first season training in Britain.

Ian Ogg: Jan Brueghel was an impressive winner on debut and deserves credit for the way he followed up in a Group Three the following month, earning quotes for the St Leger in the process. The John Pearce Gordon Stakes has been used as a stepping stone to the season's final Classic and if there is a star in this year's entry then it's likely to be Jan Brueghel. Hopefully he'll get a thorough test of his credentials in a race that includes a couple of runners from the Derby, the promising Meydaan as well as a couple of other unexposed runners. The winner shouldn't be long in stepping up in grade from this Group Three.

Matt Brocklebank: Having put up Opera Singer for the Arc, I'm hoping Aidan O'Brien's filly sprouts wings this autumn, starting in Thursday's Nassau Stakes. The trainer recently hinted he'd be happy to try her over "even further" before the year's out so that Yorkshire Oaks entry must be quite tempting. It's Goodwood first up, though, and a proper test against the supplemented Emily Upjohn. That's a really good race in the making but I'm confident the younger filly will emerge on top and really make a name for herself from this point in the year.

And give us a two-year-old you’re excited about seeing in action on the Downs this week…

Ben Linfoot: I’m really looking forward to seeing Andrew Balding’s Tropical Storm move up to six furlongs in the Group 2 Richmond Stakes on Thursday. He stayed on strongly for second in the Norfolk Stakes at Royal Ascot and this extra furlong could unlock further improvement in him. He’s already progressing at a rate of knots with each run and Oisin Murphy tells us he’s working very nicely ahead of this assignment.

David Ord: I think Catalyse is a really interesting runner in the Vintage Stakes on day one. He carried a tall home reputation with him to Hamilton and won well on debt and was the choice of James Doyle from three Wathnan horses in the Coventry but failed to fire with the other pair finishing second and third. Richard Fahey felt he wasn't quite right there, he's worked well since and is worth another chance to confirm the deep impression he made in Scotland.

Ian Ogg: Kassaya was well backed at Royal Ascot and made favourite for the Queen Mary but enjoyed little luck in-running and the run can be ignored. She's entered in the Alice Keppel Fillies' Conditions' Stakes, a race her trainer Andrew Balding took with Flora Of Bermuda - sixth in the Queen Mary - last year and a race that was won by The Platinum Queen in 2022. Those two fillies went on to hold their own in better company in the backend of the season and I'd be hopeful that Kassaya can do the same after proving at Goodwood just why she was so well supported last month.

Matt Brocklebank: Paul and Oliver Cole have had plenty of success at this meeting over the years and their White Chapel Road could be an interesting one in Tuesday's six-furlong maiden. The Land Force colt's half-sister won second time out and I thought there were plenty of positives to take from his introductory effort at Windsor last month. He was a bit awkward from the stalls but showed enough early speed to take them along before boxing on through the second half of the race. He should be sharper for the run and can take a notable step forward.

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