A field of 11 line up in the Qatar Sussex Stakes at Goodwoord Racecourse on Wednesday. (Photo credit: Goodwood Racecourse).
The horse racing season is now fully engaged in Flat mode, and all eyes are already turning to Down Under with the Caufield Cup, Melbourne Cup, and why not even to the ever-looming and imposing Grand National. The last week of the month will have quite the action to throw around, and Wednesday will be no different as a packed afternoon kicks off at Goodwood. The afternoon kicks off with some special news, as the association reports that a Parade Ring pass system will be in full effect for the event. Owners will be given at least six passes, while trainers will be allocated two.
It is expected to be a dry day, but the real story is coming from the railing side, with false rails at the top and bottom bends, and also the straight. The turf itself will be soft, with some good to soft expected in some places. The distances for Wednesday afternoon have changed, with at least five yards added to each race.
The first run of the day starts at 1:55 PM, with the UNIBET ’15 TO GO HANDICAP STAKES. It is a Class 2 run, with 14 three-year-olds battling it out for a 50,000 GBP prizemoney. The horses will be rated from 0-105, and the distance a sweet 1m 4f and 3y.
The next race comes inside the hour of 2 PM, as the WHISPERING ANGEL OAK TREE STAKES takes centre stage. It will be a 7f 10y run for horses three years and above, for a jackpot of 80,000 GBP. The Class 1 outing will be the first of three for the early afternoon event. Seventeen horses will be on the grid.
The 3 PM hour will have two races, starting with the MARKEL MORECOMB STAKES, a second Class 1 run for the afternoon. Also a group 3 race, the horses will be two years old, and the pot will be 75,000 GBP for a distance of 5f.
The second race of the hour guns off thirty minutes later, the QATAR SUSSEX STAKES. It will be the final Class 1 race of the early afternoon event, with eleven horses blurring to the finish for a 1,000,000 GBP pot. This will undoubtedly be the attraction of the afternoon, and we have horses three years old and above competing at their best level. The distance to cover will be 1m 10. the Qatar Sussex Stakes is a Group 1 race and also part of the British Championship Series.
The next race, the BRITISH STALLION STUDS ALICE KEPPEL EBF FILLIES’ CONDITION STAKES, a Class 2 GBB race, kicks off at 4:10 PM. It is an enjoyable 5f run for two-year-olds, for a pot of 50,000 GBP.
At 4:45 PM, the BRITISH EBF PREMIER FILLIES’ HANDICAP STAKES will take central stage. Horses three years old and above will go at it over a distance of 1m 1f 202y.
The last race for the event will be the WORLD POOL HANDICAP STAKES, the only Class 3 run of the event.
