Goodwood the place to be for Royal Ascot pointers

Clerk of the course Seamus Buckley is forecasting perfect flat racing ground for the seven-race card which gets under way at 2pm. The first of two ‘Listed’ races, The Blue Square Height of Fashion Stakes, due off at 2.35pm.

Last year’s winner, Moneycantbuymelove, followed up her success at Goodwood with victory at the Royal meeting and this year’s renewal has attracted a very competitive field of nine runners.

Three of the nine fillies clashed previously at Goodwood last August in the Berry Bros and Rudd Prestige Stakes; Mudaaraah, trained in Arundel by John Dunlop finished second, just a short head away in third was Snow Fairy, trained by John’s son Ed Dunlop, and Bella Swan finished fifth.
The winner, Sent From Heaven, has since underlined the value of the form by finishing fourth in the 1000 Guineas.

On that day in August, Ed Dunlop’s Snow Fairy was the fastest finishing of the four horses involved in photo finish for the Prestige Stakes.
Due to be ridden by in-form Eddie Ahern, Snow Fairy will be making her debut for the season but her trainer does not expect her to want for fitness.
Ed Dunlop said: “We entered her for York last week but we’re running at Goodwood because the good ground should be more to her liking. She had some very good form last season and ran particularly well in the Prestige Stakes.
“She’s very well and we’re looking forward to running her, hopefully she will appreciate the longer trip. However, I was impressed by Thaahira when she won at Chester and I would rate her as a big danger.”
The lightly raced Thaahira, trained by Michael Jarvis, only won a maiden at Chester earlier in the month but she holds an entry in a Group 2 race at Royal Ascot and is clearly well regarded.
Goodwood favourite Frankie Dettori has rides in the two Listed races for his retained owners, Godolphin. In both instances, the horses in question are making their debuts on British soil having been recently transferred to Newmarket from France.
The twice raced Wedding March runs in The Blue Square Height of Fashion Stakes, her first run since she was fourth in a high class race at Longchamp last October.
Dettori’s ride in the second Listed race of the day, the Bluesquare.com Cocked Hat Stakes, is also bound to attract interest.

Now in the care of new Godolphin trainer Mahmood Al Zarooni, Rewilding will be having his first run outside of France. Second in a Group 2 race on his last start in April, Rewilding is an impeccably bred colt being a half brother to Lord Lloyd Webber’s multiple Group 1 winning mare, Dar Re Mi.
Rewilding faces eight rivals in the Bluesquare.com Cocked Hat Stakes, due off at 3.45pm. Strictly on official ratings Rewilding has most to fear from John Dunlop’s Waseet, but he finished behind Simenon, trained by Andrew Balding, on his reappearance and those placings may well be confirmed again on Wednesday.

Royal Ascot Hospitality
Horse racing Hospitality