Richard Fahey can't wait to unleash Ribchester in the Sussex Stakes at Glorious Goodwood - get the trainer's thoughts on all his runners.
Big chance...
3.35 Wed - Ribchester (Evens to win Sussex Stakes with Sky Bet)
More to come...
3.00 Wed - It Dont Come Easy (Place your bets on Glorious Goodwood)
All eyes are on Ribchester in Wednesday’s Qatar Sussex Stakes and I couldn’t be happier with him going into it.
Everything has gone according to plan since Royal Ascot, there haven’t been any hiccups at all and we have no excuses.
He was very good in the Queen Anne and I hope he’ll be just as good. He was touched off in the race last season and that means I’m confident he’ll handle the track perfectly well. We’re in a privileged position regarding the ground too – there are no worries on that front.
If there’s more rain he’ll handle the cut – if it dries out he’ll be fine too. It’s very rare a trainer can say that about any horse – let alone a top-class one.
This is a big test for him though and I have an awful lot of respect for Churchill. He had excuses for his defeat in the St James’s Palace Stakes, it was one of the hottest days of the year, the ground was quick and I’m sure he’ll bounce back here.
He represents a very tough rival – it’s a stiff ask for Ribchester but he’s answered all the questions we have put to him of late. Hopefully he can again.
Toscanini is also in there and it's more than likely he'll act as a pacemaker. If he’s not leading they’re going very quickly – he’s in here to make sure it’s a good, even gallop for Ribchester.
Suegioo is a well-handicapped horse now and runs in the Matchbook Betting Exchange Goodwood Handicap. He’s not winning at the moment but is running well and he’d have a small chance in this on the pick of some of his recent efforts.
I’ve been a fraction disappointed with It Dont Come Easy. I had been toying with putting blinkers on him in the Bombay Sapphire Molecomb Stakes but have decided against it as he’s so solid at home.
He’s not an ungenuine horse but the last twice he hasn’t picked up as well as I’ve expected. Maybe that’s as good as he is – but we just feel he works like a better horse than that at home.
Luis Vaz De Torres is as high as he’d want to be in the ratings but has a good draw for the closing Cantor Fitzgerald Handicap. That counts for plenty. You can’t nick races at Goodwood but horses can run above themselves if they get lucky in that department.
Related links
Sky Bet's Glorious Goodwood odds
Simon Holt's best bets
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