A select field of four will line up for the most anticipated race of the
summer after FRANKEL (Galileo [Ire]), CANFORD CLIFFS (Tagula), RIO DE LA PLATA (Rahy)
and RAJSAMAN (Linamix) were Monday declared for the £300,000 Sussex S. (Eng-G1)
at Goodwood on Wednesday.
Billed as the “Duel on the Downs,” the mile contest sees the outstanding
three-year-old Frankel, currently rated the best horse in the world, go
toe-to-toe with last year’s victor Canford Cliffs, who was hailed as the top
older miler on the planet following his defeat of the great Goldikova (Ire) (Anabaa)
at Royal Ascot last month.
The Sir Henry-Cecil-trained Frankel, last year’s joint-champion two-year-old,
stunned seasoned observers when storming to a scintillating six-length victory
in the Two Thousand Guineas (Eng-G1) at Newmarket in May and followed up with
success in the St James’s Palace S. (Eng-G1) at the Royal Meeting in June.
An added draw to the “Duel on the Downs” is the contrasting styles of the two
principals. Canford Cliffs is a renowned hold-up performer with a blistering
late turn of foot whereas Frankel, up to now, has dominated his rivals with
devastating mid-race pace and a long surge for home.
Rio de la Plata, successful in the Vintage S. (Eng-G2) over the course as a
two-year-old, is a solid Group 1 performer for Godolphin and trainer Saeed bin
Suroor. The five-year-old also landed the Prix Jean-Luc Lagardere (Fr-G1) as a
juvenile and collected a pair of Group 1 races over a mile and 10 furlongs in
Italy last autumn. He was fourth to the Richard Hannon-trained Canford Cliffs in
the Queen Anne S. (Eng-G1) at Royal Ascot.
French trainer Freddie Head is hoping that Rajsaman can succeed where his
illustrious stablemate Goldikova failed, by overcoming Canford Cliffs. The
four-year-old colt was last seen finishing strongly to take third in the Prix
d’Ispahan (Fr-G1) at Longchamp in May, just a length behind the great mare.
“I am delighted with the field for the QIPCO Sussex S.,” said Adam Waterworth,
managing director at Goodwood Racecourse. “The whole focus was the ‘Duel on the
Downs,’ so to get the big two is fantastic. Obviously, we have known about that
for a couple of weeks, but it is still always a relief to see them still in
there with the race just two days away.
“Numerically, we would have hoped for a few more runners than the four we
have, but with Frankel and Canford Cliffs in there, it is not too big a surprise
to see a small field.
“It is brilliant that we have a runner from France for the first time in a
while and Rio de la Plata is a very good horse who has a little bit of history
at Goodwood. We have four fantastic horses in the race and we can’t wait for the
day.
“I cannot think of a Flat race that has attracted the attention and
anticipation that this race has. A lot of that comes down to the contrasting
running styles of the two main protagonists.
“To get what looks like being the best three-year-old we have seen in a very
long time up against a four-year-old that is already proven is brilliant.
Tactically, I think it is going to be a fascinating race, with those two horses
and the way they run.
“You do not necessarily need 12 runners to have a spectacular race. I think
we would have a great race with only Frankel and Canford Cliffs but the fact
that we have another two in there that are very good horses in their own right
is fantastic. I just cannot wait for 10 past three on Wednesday.”
Wednesday’s excellent card also features the £60,000 Vintage for
two-year-olds over seven furlongs, which has seven declarations.
They include RED DUKE (Hard Spun), who took the Superlative S. (Eng-G2) over
the distance at Newmarket on July 9 for trainer John Quinn, defeating the
Hannon-trained CHANDLERY (Choisir) by a neck.
Hannon saddled King Torus (Oratorio [Ire]) to land the prize last season, and
Chandlery is the pick of a quartet that the trainer has declared for the
prestigious prize. The others are the twice-raced and unbeaten RED SEVENTY (Sakhee),
Newmarket maiden victor ROCKINANTE (Rock of Gibraltar [Ire]) and Lingfield
maiden winner MINAL (Compton Place).
The trainer also took the race in 1986 with subsequent Guineas hero Don’t
Forget Me.
Clive Cox won the Vintage in 2009 with Xtension (Xaar) and is set to saddle
LETHAL FORCE (Dark Angel), who exhibited high-class form on June 14 when less
than two lengths fourth to Power (Oasis Dream [GB]) in the Coventry S. (Eng-G2)
at Royal Ascot.
Mark Johnston won this race with Lucky Story (2003) and the outstanding
Shamardal (2003). The trainer runs ELKHART (Refuse to Bend [Ire]), who was third
to Rockinante at Newmarket before easily landing a Beverley maiden on July 2.
Glorious Goodwood runs over five days, from Tuesday through Saturday.