Glorious Goodwood countdown: Kyprios to head O’Brien squad

Kyprios and Order Of Australia will spearhead what could be a select Qatar Goodwood Festival team for Aidan O’Brien.

The Al Shaqab Goodwood Cup is Kyprios’ target after he announced his arrival as the latest star of the staying scene with victory in the Gold Cup at Royal Ascot last month, with Stradivarius and Princess Zoe poised to renew rivalries while reigning champion Trueshan could also lie in wait on Tuesday.

Order Of Australia returned to form with a Group Two win at the Curragh last Sunday and is primed to step back up to the highest level in Wednesday’s Qatar Sussex Stakes – in which the unbeaten Baaeed and 2000 Guineas winner Coroebus are two of the headline horses.

O’Brien said: “We are happy with Kyprios and the Al Shaqab Goodwood Cup has always been the plan since Ascot.

“The plan is for Order Of Australia to run in the Sussex Stakes, provided everything goes well between now and then. He has come out of the Curragh well.”

O’Brien has a clutch of entries across the week, with Concert Hall set to tackle Thursday’s Qatar Nassau Stakes after finishing fourth in the Belmont Oaks earlier in the month while New York City could move up in trip for the seven-furlong World Pool Lennox Stakes after coming home last in the Sapphire Stakes over the minimum trip last Saturday.

Irish Oaks fourth Emily Dickinson is another who could make a swift return stepping back up to 14 furlongs in the Qatar Lillie Langtry Stakes.

The Ballydoyle handler said: “The plan at the moment is for Concert Hall to run in the Nassau Stakes. She is just back from America and seems very well, so we are thinking of letting her take her chance.

“New York City has a couple of entries and, if he is to go anywhere, it would probably be the World Pool Lennox Stakes. We will speak to Ryan (Moore) closer to the time and see what the race looks like.

“Emily Dickinson is a possible for the Lillie Langtry Stakes. She only ran last weekend and we are just going to see how she is, but she is in good form and the trip will suit.”

O’Brien has three contenders for the Japan Racing Association Vintage Stakes headed by last Saturday’s impressive Curragh scorer Hans Andersen.

Age Of Kings was a beaten favourite in the Tyros Stakes on Thursday evening, with his other entry Greenland yet to get his head in front.

O’Brien added: “We have not decided about the Vintage Stakes yet.

“Hans Andersen only won last weekend whereas Greenland is still a maiden and the other horse (Age Of Kings) ran at Leopardstown last night. We will decide nearer the time.

“The Vintage Stakes is a prestigious race and we like to have something good for it. If a horse does go to stud, it looks very good on their CV.”

Andrea Atzeni has spoken of his delight at being reunited with Stradivarius in Tuesday’s Al Shaqab Goodwood Cup.

The Italian is unbeaten on the Bjorn Nielsen-owned eight-year-old having won the Queen’s Vase and 2017 and 2018 Goodwood Cups on the chestnut.

John and Thady Gosden’s stalwart had, however, built up an amazing rapport with Frankie Dettori in the interim but Nielsen announced on Tuesday that the change was via “mutual consent” following defeat in the Gold Cup at Ascot.

“It’s a great opportunity for me to get back on him. I had a sit on him and gave him a blowout on the Cambridge Road, he feels in good order and I’m looking forward to Tuesday,” Atzeni told Sky Sports Racing.

“I didn’t have much to do with him at home when I rode him as a three and four-year-old. I’d say he’s not a flashy worker, he just gets the job done.

“He’s been there and done it a million times, he knows the time of day but he seems well within himself.

“He’s been solid all the way through. To keep a horse of his age, a full horse too, it’s unbelievable what they’ve done with him.

“He owes us nothing, everyone connected with him, and hopefully he’ll turn up on Tuesday and we’ll see the Stradivarius we’ve seen in the past.”

Andrew Balding expects Alcohol Free to put up a staunch defence of her crown in the Qatar Sussex Stakes at Goodwood on Wednesday.

The daughter of No Nay Never enjoyed an excellent three-year-old campaign last season, winning the Fred Darling at Newbury and the Coronation Stakes at Royal Ascot before beating the boys in the Sussex.

She is set to return to Goodwood at the top of her game having bagged a third Group One victory in the July Cup at Newmarket a fortnight ago – and while she has plenty on her plate, faced with the likes of Baaeed and Coroebus, Balding is hopeful she can make her presence felt.

“We’ve been very happy with her,” said the Kingsclere handler.

“It was two weeks ago she won so she hasn’t worked since then, she’s just been cantering, but she has eaten well and put all the weight she lost back on.

“She looks very well in herself, and she’ll have a light piece of work on Saturday which will hopefully put her spot on for next Wednesday.”

Alcohol Free carries the colours of prominent owner-breeder Jeff Smith, who has enjoyed his fair share of success on the Sussex Downs, with this year marking the 30th anniversary of his magnificent mare Lochsong’s victory in the Stewards’ Cup.

Lochsong went on to establish herself as one of the top sprinters of the 1990s by winning the Nunthorpe at York and the Prix de l’Abbaye twice.

Balding added: “Jeff Smith has been a tremendous supporter of the yard and so many other people in racing for a long time.

“He’s a fantastic owner-breeder, and a great man to train for. He loves Goodwood and has enjoyed some pretty massive successes at Goodwood in the past.

“It’s always an important meeting for us to try to get some of Jeff’s horses there to Goodwood with a chance. It would be a big occasion if Alcohol Free could pull it off again.”

Nashwa will face a maximum of 10 rivals when she shoots for a second Group One victory in Thursday’s Qatar Nassau Stakes at Goodwood.

The Frankel filly gave jockey Hollie Doyle a first Classic victory when landing the Prix de Diane at Chantilly and is an odds-on shot to add to those laurels in this 10-furlong contest.

Trained by John and Thady Gosden, Nashwa also finished third in the Oaks at Epsom and she could cross swords again with the fourth-placed Concert Hall, who is one of two possibles for Aidan O’Brien along with History.

William Haggas has two strong contenders in Middleton Stakes winner Lilac Road and Pretty Polly second My Astra, but the Newmarket handler has indicated only one of the pair will run with the first-named filly requiring quick conditions and the latter wanting more cut.

Dreamloper adds further Group One depth to the field having won the Prix d’Ispahan on her penultimate start for Ed Walker, although she was only sixth in the Pretty Polly at the Curragh last month.

Aristia chased home Lilac Road at York and could try her luck again for Richard Hannon, with Middleton fourth Ville De Grace in the mix for Sir Michael Stoute.

Tom Clover’s Oaks seventh Rogue Millennium, the Johnny Murtagh-trained One For Bobby and Fonteyn, a York Listed winner for Kevin Ryan, complete the contenders.