Next week sees the 2025 edition of one of the most anticipated multi-day meetings of the British season stride into view. While June belongs to Royal Ascot, late July/early August sees the eyes of the racing world turn to Sussex.
Officially titled the Qatar Goodwood Festival, but still referred to as Glorious Goodwood by most, this five-day fixture offers a Panama hat-laden feast of entertainment. Kicking off on Tuesday, 29 July, and concluding on Saturday, 2 August, the meeting squeezes 13 Group class events into its running time, including a trio of top-tier Group 1 affairs. With significant prestige and over £5 million in prize money up for grabs, the festival never fails to attract star names from the biggest yards in the game.
On British shores, yards don’t come much bigger than the Clarehaven operation of John & Thady Gosden. Hot on the heels of a trainer’s table-topping performance at Royal Ascot, the father and son duo head to Sussex with an enviable array of talent. If the Gosdens are to better their 2024 Goodwood tally of three wins, the betting markets suggest the following stars are the most likely to hit the target.
Field Of Gold and Lead Artist – Sussex Stakes
- Previous Winners – Kingman (2014), Too Darn Hot (2019)
The headline act of the Qatar Goodwood Festival lines up in the feature event on Day 2. A brilliant winner of the Craven Stakes and Irish 2000 Guineas, Field Of Gold put even those efforts in the shade with a monstrous performance in the St. James’s Palace Stakes. Defending champ Notable Speech, 2024 Irish 2000 winner Rosallion, and this year’s French 2000 hero Henri Matisse, add to a quality line-up, but the new star of the mile division is the horse they all have to beat. Field Of Gold’s sire, Kingman, won the Irish 2000 Guineas, St. James’s Palace Stakes, and Sussex Stakes in 2014. At a general price of 2/5, Field Of Gold is the red-hot favourite to follow in the hoofprints of his father.
Sporting the same Juddmonte silks as Field Of Gold, Lead Artist is only 3lb inferior to the favourite on official ratings. However, under the weight-for-age conditions of this race, he must concede a substantial 8lb to his stablemate. That leaves him with work to do, but he at least handles the track, having claimed the Bonhams Thoroughbred Stakes at this meeting in 2024.
French Master and Sweet William – Goodwood Cup
- Previous Winners – Sonus (1993), Stradivarius (2017, 2018, 2019, 2020)
Thanks to the record-breaking exploits of the wonderful Stradivarius, the Goodwood Cup is the race most associated with Gosden success in recent years. In the absence of Royal Ascot hero Trawlerman, the Aidan O’Brien-trained Illinois is out on his own at the head of the market in 2025.
While the Gosden team has opted to give Trawlerman a well-earned rest, they still have two of the most likely challengers to the market leader. If Sweet William performs to the level of his 4-length second to the mighty Kyprios in the 2024 edition, he could go close. However, the Wathan Racing runner, French Master, brings the more exciting profile to the race. A perfect two from two since stepping up to this trip, he produced an exhilarating finishing effort to claim the Copper Horse Stakes last time out. He looked much too good for handicap company that day, but will he be up to Group 1 level?
Audience and Spy Chief– Lennox Stakes
- Previous Winners – Observatory (2000), Audience (2024)
Just over 30 minutes before the Day 1 feature, the Gosdens will be hoping to strike in this Group 2 event over 7f. Leading the charge is the talented, but frustratingly inconsistent, Audience. Now six years old, the Cheveley Park Stud runner put his best foot forward to register an easy 4l success in the 2024 edition of this race. However, he is without a win since then, and finished only fifth in the Group 3 John Of Gaunt Stakes last time out.
The Godolphin runner Spy Chief adds a strong second string to the Gosden bow. Having posted a career best performance when second in the Jersey Stakes, he built on that effort to finish a close seventh over an unsuitable trip in the July Cup. Still unexposed, there might be more to come from this Kingman colt.
John & Thady Gosden’s three-winner haul at the 2024 Goodwood Festival saw them finish on the heels of Aidan O’Brien and Michael Appleby for leading trainer honours. With the above runners included in a potential 16-strong team, they have a good chance of continuing their impressive festival form.
