VISIT QATAR SUSSEX STAKES - RUNNERS AND RIDERS - CJRFANTASY
Tuesday, 29h June 2025 - Just three days on from the King George VI & QE Stakes, the attention turns to Sussex and, more specifically, Goodwood Racecourse for the spectacular Qatar Goodwood Festival, presented by Visit Qatar. The five-day extravaganza, affectionately known as ‘Glorious Goodwood’, is one of the undisputed highlights of the British flat racing season, blending high-class sport with a unique social occasion, featuring unrivalled elegance, scintillating racing and a lifestyle to savour.
The feature race – the Visit Qatar Sussex Stakes – takes place on day two, with Irish 2000 Guineas and St James’s Palace Stakes victor Field of Gold a warm favourite. The big news is that William Buick will take the reins for the first time, replacing regular rider Colin Keane who will miss out due to suspension. Can he keep the good run of form going and firmly establish Field of Gold as the top three-year-old miler?
In order of XP:
- Field of Gold (10 XP) – High-class colt who should have won the 2000 Guineas at Newmarket but made amends with easy victories in the Irish 2000 Guineas and St James’s Palace Stakes at Royal Ascot last month, showing an excellent turn of foot both times. Should continue to prove very hard to beat.
- Rosallion (25 XP) – Top-level performer whose three-year-old season has been replicated by Field Gold, having finished runner-up in the 2000 Guineas last year before victories in the Irish 2000 Guineas and St James’s Palace Stakes. Not seen again until a respectable third in the Lockinge in May and built on that when just denied by Docklands in the Queen Anne at Royal Ascot. Looks the chief threat to the favourite.
- Henri Matisse (30 XP) – Ended his two-year-old campaign with success in the Grade 1 Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf at Del Mar and added another win at the highest level when seen to best effect in French 2000 Guineas at Longchamp back in May. Evidently talented but proved no match for Field of Gold six weeks ago and a form reversal appears unlikely.
- Docklands (70 XP) – Ascot specialist who ended his losing run when edging out Rosallion in the Queen Anne last month. An admirable and hardy performer but would appear vulnerable at the top level away from that venue.
- Carl Spackler (165 XP) – Smart miler for Chad Brown in United States, winning three Grade 1s, including a reappearance win at Keeneland in April. Ran too freely in a steadily run race when only sixth of 10 against the Europeans in the Queen Anne at Royal Ascot, but that was his first start on British soil for his Australia-based trainer and a more favourable race setup could see him in a better light – not to be ruled out.
- Qirat (750 XP) – Juddmonte four-year-old who is 2-2 at Goodwood but underperformed at Royal Ascot last month and seemingly will be used as a pacemaker for Field Of Gold.
- Serengeti (1000 XP) – Rank outsider who is clear bottom of the pack on ratings, likely to be employed by Aidan O’Brien as a pacemaker for Henri Matisse.
Trends:
- Age – 7 of the last 12 winners were three-year-olds.
- Last Run – 6 of the last 12 winners won on their latest start, whilst all 12 had run within 43 days.
- Season Form – all of the last 12 winners had at least two runs that season.
- Distance Form – all of the last 12 winners had at least 3 previous runs over a mile.
- Course Form – only 3 of the last 12 winners had at least 1 previous run at Goodwood.
- Rating – 10 of the last 12 winners had a rating of 119 or higher.
- Group 1 Wins – 8 of the last 12 winners had at least 1 previous Group 1 victory.
CJRF Tip:
1st – Field of Gold
2nd – Rosallion
3rd – Carl Spackler
ENDS
