Glorious Goodwood: eight losers who can soon be winners

The Roger Varian-trained gelding had caught the eye at Epsom in June after nearly a year off and it was a similar story here, as he kept on to finish third from off the pace. 

He was the one horse in the first five who didn’t race somewhere near the pace, plus easily fared best among those drawn high. And in another stride or two, he would have claimed second. 

Westridge was an emphatic winner, so I’d imagine Defiance will be left on the same mark. A mile and a quarter on a more galloping track may suit him better, while it would be no surprise if the Camelot gelding is given another go over 12 furlongs, too, as he clearly was not right when running over the trip in last year’s King Edward VII Stakes. 

Like father, like daughter? Harry Angel was a fractious horse at the stalls and Fair Angellica revived memories of her sire by completely blowing the start in this Group Three contest. 

RaceiQ tells us that it took her 3.77 seconds to reach 20mph, a full 1.38sec slower than Jabaara, who was quickest away. Consequently, Fair Angellica gave the opposition something like an eight-length head start, perhaps even more. 

She was not really entitled to budge out of last place, but she passed five rivals in the final furlong, when her final sectional of 11.85sec was second best of the 13 runners. 

She ended up being beaten an aggregate of about three lengths, which was some effort given the way she had started. 

Maybe being drawn widest of all was a factor in her fluffing her lines, or maybe she just fell asleep. It’s not been a common trait, as generally she’s broken on terms and even been best away on occasions. She’s got an entry in the Group Two Hungerford Stakes on August 16 but will be better off sticking to Listed or Group Three races. 

The form of one of the most competitive mile handicaps of the summer should be worth following with RaceiQ’s Time Index for the race being 9.7, compared to a meeting average of 7.1. 

Course specialist Rhoscolyn took the spoils, but a couple caught the eye in defeat, particularly Greek Order, who finished a never-near fourth, beaten an aggregate of 2½ lengths, under Oisin Murphy. 

It looked like the five-year-old finished with more left in his tank, having been fourth in the Royal Hunt Cup earlier in the summer. His Finishing Speed Percentage of more than 106% was highest of the first nine home. 

He could make a swift return to action as he is entered in the Dubai Duty Free Shergar Cup Mile at Ascot on Saturday, but surely his main aim for the rest of the year is the Cambridgeshire, in which he finished runner-up two years ago. 

William Haggas had scooped this contest in 2024 and many fancied High Degree to follow suit on what was his handicap debut, but his supporters must have quickly feared the worst as he raced keenly from a wide draw. 

RaceiQ records that he was fast at the head of affairs in the first furlong, very fast in furlongs two and three, and then fast again in furlong four. It was predictably a different story in the second half of the race and his Finishing Speed Percentage was lowest of the first 11 home. 

The early pace set by High Degree teed things up for those who were patiently ridden, with the first three home being 15th, 16th and 17th at halfway. 

High Degree was having his first start beyond a mile and left the impression that he didn’t stay the ten-furlong trip, although his enthusiastic nature didn’t help. My best guess is that he will be back over a mile next time, and that he remains one to be positive about. However, he could probably do with a bit of downtime after this. 

There are eye-catchers, and then there are massive eye-catchers. Morris Dancer fits into the latter category. 

He had been green in his first two races, despite winning at Haydock on the second occasion, and looked raw here, too, as he was last turning into the straight in a race run at honest, rather than breakneck gallop. 

However, the son of Palace Pier then stayed on powerfully to beat all bar the tenacious Zavateri, who had previously landed the July Stakes. In third was another solid yardstick in Do Or Do Not, with plenty of other interesting juveniles among the support cast. 

Morris Dancer had the distinction of being fastest of the whole field in each of the final four furlongs and had he not also had to also switch wide for a clear run, then he might even have won. 

The Godolphin homebred, out of a Dubawi mare, is an intriguing prospect for the second half of the season and beyond. He gave Palace Pier his first winner as a sire and, on this evidence, could well be the first to give him a Group success. 

John Gosden told the Godolphin website: “We are thrilled with Morris Dancer, who has run a great race. He won at Haydock and then just had a little niggle and cough. So, we backed off and he came here off the minimum work. William said don’t be frightened to step up to a mile with him and we will do that somewhere.’’ 

I must declare an interest here, having backed Native Warrior in what was the closing handicap of day two. He had looked unfortunate not to win at the meeting last year, over nine furlongs, and it was the same story here, when racing over seven. 

To an extent, the four-year-old beat himself as he was sluggish to reach 20mph (just two of the 20 runners were slower) and was languishing in the second half of the field until the final couple of furlongs. 

He kept on well to be third, with his final furlong the best of the bunch, but ran out of road. Finding a bit of trouble in the closing stages just rubbed some more salt into the wound. 

The four-year-old is quoted at 16-1 for the York Clipper Handicap on August 21 and looks worth an ante-post interest. The past four winners of that race (including his stablemate, Thunder Run, last year) have been rated 95 or 96, and he himself will compete off 95. His owners, Wathnan, have six entries in the race, but he looks the best qualified of them to win it. 

An image that few will forget is Clive Cox and his team getting an almighty drenching after Coppull had won the Richmond Stakes on Thursday. 

He might have even enjoyed it after the defeats of Redorange and Cracking Gold on the first two days of the meeting because their narrow reverses are likely to have raised his temperature. 

Redorange was an unlucky loser and, having previously made the frame in two big-field sprints at Ascot, a decent sprint surely has his name on it over the coming weeks. 

Being slow to reach 20mph did not help his cause – he was 18th of 20 in that department – and he was still adrift in 15th place after two furlongs. From then on, he motored past rivals but Brazen Bolt and Adrestia, who by contrast were always in the thick of the action, were not for catching. 

He signed off with closing sectionals of 10.81sec and 11.73sec; being the quickest of the whole field each time. And the sixth home, Jakajaro, quickly franked the form when subsequently third in the Stewards’ Cup a few days later. 

One of the year’s hottest sprint handicaps made for remarkable viewing for trainer Richard Spencer and owner Phil Cunningham. 

The pair were responsible for three of the 28 runners, and they finished first, fourth and fifth. Two Tribes landed a big gamble, with Run Boy Run and Twilight Calls adding to the party mood. 

Twilight Calls looks the one to take out of the race as he raced on the disadvantaged far side and was first of 14 on his part of the track. For the sixth year in succession, high numbers dominated, so he was up against it from the start. 

He briefly went clear on his side after clocking 10.38sec in the third furlong, 10.73sec (almost quickest) in the fourth, and then 11.47sec in the fifth (second quickest) but those on the other part of the course already had his measure. 

Twilight Calls only joined Spencer this season and this suggests he can exploit a slipping mark, not least because he will be able to race off a 2lb lower rating going forwards. The Ayr Gold Cup seems a likely aim, although the slightly shorter trip of the Portland, at Doncaster in September, may suit him even better.