Glorious Goodwood: when is it on, how to watch on TV and four horses to watch for the week

Quickthorn gave Hughie Morrison his first Group One winner on the Flat for 16 years when the 16-1 gelding opened up an extraordinary 20-length lead at one stage in the Al Shaqab Goodwood Cup and managed to maintain the gallop to come home six lengths clear of the field.

There will be those who say that winning jockey Tom Marquand stole the race and others will say his weighing-room colleagues went to sleep at the wheel behind him, but one thing is for sure — it is rare to see it happen in a race at this level.

As Morrison pointed out, much as the jockey set the perfect fractions he had the perfect partner — an out-and-out galloper who has done it before.

Quickthorn already has won two Group Twos including the Lonsdale at York by 14 lengths doing the same thing so it was not as if his running style was not advertised but on Tuesday it all fell spectacularly into place in a big one for him — a bit of juice in the ground and a course whose topography gave him a natural breather just when he would have needed it on the downhill stretch from half a mile out to three out.

To find out what else Morrison had to say about the performance of day one, please go here. 

You can read about the four horses to watch for for the rest of the week here. 

How many days is it on for?

Glorious Goodwood started on Tuesday, 1 August and runs through to Saturday, 6 August.

How do I watch it in the UK?

The meeting is broadcast live on free-to-air television every day on ITV1. 

Take a look at the best Glorious Goodwood betting offers and free bets to use across the five day festival

Goodwood race timetable

Day Two — Wednesday, August 2

13:50: Coral Handicap (Class 2) (3YO only) 1m 4f 
14:25: Whispering Angel Oak Tree Stakes (Fillies’ & Mares’ Group 3) (Class 1) (3YO plus) 7f 
15:00: Jaeger-Lecoultre Molecomb Stakes (Group 3) (Class 1) (2YO only) 5f 
15:35: Qatar Sussex Stakes (Group 1) (British Champions Series) (Class 1) (3YO plus) 1m 
16:10: British EBF 40th Anniversary Alice Keppel Fillies’ Conditions Stakes (GBB Race) (Class 2) (2YO only) 5f 
16:45: British European Breeders Fund EBF Fillies’ Handicap (Class 2) (3YO plus) 1m 2f 
17:20: World Pool Handicap (Class 3) (3YO plus) 7f

Day Three — Thursday, August 3

13:50: Coral Kincsem Handicap (Class 2) (3YO only) 1m 2f 
14:25: Markel Richmond Stakes (Group 2) (Class 1) (2YO only) 6f 
15:00: John Pearce Racing Gordon Stakes (Group 3) (Class 1) (3YO only) 1m 4f 
15:35: Qatar Nassau Stakes (Fillies’ And Mares’ Group 1) (British Champions Series) (Class 1) (3YO plus) 1m 2f 
16:10: Jaeger-Lecoultre Nursery (Class 2) (2YO only) 7f 
16:45: Buccellati Handicap (Class 3) (3YO only) 1m 
17:20: Tatler British EBF Maiden Fillies’ Stakes (GBB Race) (Class 2) (2YO only) 7f 
17:55: World Pool Handicap (Class 3) (3YO only) 5f

Day Four — Friday, August 4

13:50: Coral Goodwood Handicap (Class 2) (3YO plus) 2m 4½f 
14:25: Bonhams Thoroughbred Stakes (Group 3) (Class 1) (3YO only) 1m 
15:00: Coral Golden Mile (Heritage Handicap) (Class 2) (3YO plus) 1m 
15:35: King George Qatar Stakes (Group 2) (Class 1) (3YO plus) 5f 
16:10: L’Ormarins King’s Plate Glorious Stakes (Group 3) (Class 1) (4YO plus) 1m 4f 
16:45: Ire-Incentive It Pays To Buy Irish Nursery (Class 2) (2YO only) 6f 
17:20: Coral Handicap (Class 3) (3YO only) 1m 3f

Day Five — Saturday, August 5

13:50: Coral Stewards’ Sprint Handicap (Class 2) (3YO plus) 6f 
14:25: Coral Summer Handicap (Class 2) (3YO plus) 1m 6f 
15:00: Qatar Lillie Langtry Stakes (Fillies’ & Mares’ Group 2) (Class 1) (3YO plus) 1m 6f 
15:35: Coral Stewards’ Cup (Heritage Handicap) (Class 2) (3YO plus) 6f 
16:10: Racing Welfare Handicap (Class 2) (3YO only) 7f 
16:45: British EBF 40th Anniversary Maiden Stakes (Class 2) (2YO only) 7f 
17:20: Coral Handicap (Class 3) (3YO plus) 1m 1f

Latest news: Marquand guides 16-1 Quickthorn to runaway success 

By Marcus Armytage at Goodwood

Of Quickthorn’s brilliant win, Hughie Morrison said: “Tom got the fractions frantically well as did Jason Hart last time. I thought he might have gone a bit quick for the first two furlongs . It’s hard to keep up 13 second furlongs over that distance but after that I didn’t think he went too fast. I don’t think he stole it as such, you really have to say what a horse.

“I was getting quite excited going up the hill [six furlongs out]. I always felt a bit of juice in the ground would suit him. He puts a lot into it — his flops in the autumn are because he puts so much into it he’s over the top by then. He’s a galloper — he’s fantastic to train. It’s like watching a three mile chaser go past every day. Every other horse is doing three strides to his one.”

After what is sure to be a contender for ride of the year, Marquand said: “He’s such a fun horse. He goes out wearing his heart on his sleeve. Everyone knows what you’re going to do and tries to stop him. Huge credit to Hughie and Lady Blyth, his owner-breeder.

“He’s had some great days but deserved a Group One. It was just a case of finding a rhythm and wherever that puts you, it puts you. Once I let him off at the three pole I knew he’d get home unless there was something exceptional behind us. It was a big performance.”

Oisin Murphy, who led the chasing pack on eventual third Coltrane for a long way, said he could not have gone any faster and going as quickly as he did cost him second to Emily Dickinson.

David Egan, on Eldar Eldarov in fourth, said that if they had tried to go with Quickthorn they would have sacrificed their own chances. “No other horse could have done what he did,” he added.

Frankie Dettori, who described the race as “bizarre,” at least got his last Glorious Goodwood off to a winning start when Kinross won the World Pool Lennox Stakes for the second time. “He’s spent a good chunk of the last 48 hours with his foot in a bucket because he stood on a stone,” explained Ralph Beckett. “He’s got very thin soles.”

On Wednesday the highlight is the Qatar Sussex Stakes. A fair drop of over-night rain was anticipated on the South Downs on Tuesday night which could even turn the ground heavy.  But Paddington, the Irish Guineas, St James’s Palace Stakes and Eclipse winner, looks out on his own in this one and has won on the heavy before so the going will not be an excuse for him.

“He’s a very rare beast,” said Ryan Moore, his jockey, yesterday. “He wouldn’t mind if it was snowing!”

There was a sting in the tail from Saturday’s King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Stakes when winning jockey Jim Crowley was given a £10,000 fine and banned for 20 days, which rules him out of York’s Ebor meeting, for hitting the winner Hukum nine times, three above the limit under the new whip rules after the Whip Review Committee’s weekly Tuesday sitting. Rob Hornby on the runner up got four days.

Four horses to watch:

Paddington (Qatar Sussex Stakes, Wednesday)

The outstanding miler of the season so far looked a bit stretched at a mile and a quarter in the Eclipse – even though he won it. A return to a mile, at which he looked very special in the St James’s Palace Stakes, should mean it is Aidan O’Brien’s colt’s race to lose. The only thing against him is that he has not missed too many dances since winning a handicap in March but even a sub-par effort should be enough.

Inspiral got a bit tired in the closing stages of the Queen Anne but will need to be on her A game to give Frankie Dettori a final Sussex.

La Isla Mujeres (EBF Fillies Handicap, Wednesday)

Another from Ralph Beckett’s yard. She appears to be improving very quickly and even allowing for the fact that you get wider winning margins on soft ground her seven length win at Salisbury last time suggests she might not be hanging around in handicaps for much longer. By Lope de Vega, she will handle any amount of rain. Hector Crouch, a former Gary Moore pupil, is a jockey going places too.

Blue Rose Cen (Qatar Nassau Stakes, Thursday)

It seems a while since the French have brought their best on cross-channel raids – that maybe something to do with the better prize money at home, the lack of really good horses in France over the past half-dozen years and, in August, the fact the French tend to give their best horses and themselves a rest on the beach at Deauville.

But Blue Rose Cen, trained by Christopher head, the fifth generation of the famous French racing family, looks top drawer. She is on a winning sequence of five, won the French Oaks by four lengths and goes on the ground. Even last year’s winner Nashwa will be pushed to beat her.

Nostrum (Bonhams Thoroughbred Stakes, Friday)

Well fancied for the Guineas but missed it with an issue before being brought back with typical patience by Sir Michael Stoute at Newmarket’s July meeting where he was very impressive in a Listed race.

Many armchair trainers thought he should be pitched in against Paddington in the Sussex Stakes but that is not his trainer’s style and he is taking him up through the grades. It has the added advantage that Ryan Moore can ride him. Might not want it too soft but might well be capable of putting it up to Paddington at a later date.