Login
Start Trial
Qatar Goodwood Festival: Roger Varian Stable Tour
By Racing TV
Last Updated: Mon 28 Jul 2025
By Graham Clark
Forming a team to take to the Qatar Goodwood Festival takes careful consideration, but trainer Roger Varian believes he has assembled a squad capable of getting him among the winners at this year’s meeting.
Chasing Group One glory might have to be put on hold at the Sussex track this season for the Newmarket handler, but those that are in contention to represent him across the five-day meeting at the picturesque Sussex venue look well worth their place in the line-up.
And after hitting the target with My Cloud in the Royal Hunt Cup at Royal Ascot last month from a select squad he sent to the Berkshire course the Classic-winning handler hopes he can enjoy more of the same with another intriguing team of runners.
Start your FREE Racing TV trial and enjoy all the action from Goodwood and Galway this week!
Varian said: “I think we have got a nice team going to Goodwood. Unfortunately, we haven’t got anything for the Group Ones, but there are some nice horses for some of the handicaps, we have one or two maidens possibly going there and one or two for the lesser Group races.
“It is a little bit like Ascot. We took a strong team there and came away with one winner, but we didn’t run many, but I think they all showed up.
“Goodwood looks similar and we are hopeful we can get on the board through the week with one or two of them.
“Goodwood is a very important meeting and it is valued by our owners. There is very good prize-money on offer and very good racing.
“We need jewels like this in the calendar to advertise the game and reach a wider audience.”
ROGER VARIAN ON HIS GOODWOOD TEAM
ANASHHAD
Races: British Stallion Studs EBF Maiden Stakes (six furlongs and seven furlongs)
He could run in either maiden. He ran very well on his debut at York and that form has worked out well, but he then disappointed us at Ascot two weeks ago over seven furlongs.
I don’t think it was the trip. I think the ground was too firm as he didn’t really let down on the ground. Don’t worry too much about his Ascot run as his York run was very promising.
ANTIPODES
Races: World Pool Bet With The tote Handicap/Coral Golden Rewards Shaker Handicap/Coral Kinscem Handicap)
He is a lovely horse that is just starting to get the hang of it. Each run has been better than the last and the form of his Windsor race looks quite good.
He has not run out of novices races yet, but there is a 0-90 mile handicap and 0-95 nine furlong handicap.
I think he will stay a mile and a quarter, and there is also that option as well for him.
He will do a bit of work this weekend and we will then decide, but he could go to Goodwood as he is going in the right direction.
I think I would favour staying in his own age group for either the mile or the mile and a quarter race.”
DEFIANCE
Race: Coral Chesterfield Cup Handicap
We wanted to run him in the John Smith’s Cup, but I thought it was too firm at York so he will go for the Chesterfield Cup.
I think he is in great form and I think he will love the track. He could go very well in that race.
I thought he ran well at Epsom, but the ground was dead on the day and nothing made up any ground all weekend.
He ended up being too far back off a steady gallop and I thought he did very well to finish fourth.
Once we decided not to go to the John Smith’s Cup we circled this race in the programme book for him.
FRENCH DUKE
Race: Coral Summer Handicap
He ran a lovely race in the Duke Of Edinburgh Stakes at Royal Ascot. He was a bit fresh going down the hill from the gates and they didn’t go very quick, but he finished his race off well.
Had we got him to his prep run in May he would have been much straighter for the Duke Of Edinburgh.
I think he is in good form and James Doyle came and had a sit on him on Wednesday morning and he was very happy with him. I think he will go into this race as a proper contender.
I’d say we have a similar level of confidence with him as we did 12 months ago [when he won at the meeting] as there is a lot more to come from this horse.
FONDO BLANCO
Race: Whispering Angel Handicap or World Pool With the tote Handicap
He is a very promising horse. I backed him up too quickly at Leicester to try and get him to Royal Ascot, but it was putting a round peg in a square hole.
I’ve given him a bit of time as he didn’t go to Ascot, but he is training really nicely.
Seven furlongs around Goodwood should suit him very well. Any rain would help him.
JABAARA
Race: Oak Tree Stakes
She is in great form and she will run well. You can put a line through her last run as she was drawn badly at Chelmsford in the Listed race there and she doesn’t go as well on the all-weather.
She came to hand early and we chanced our arm in America and because of that we ran her at Wolverhampton in March to get a run into her before going off to America.
She was a bit unlucky in the Group Three down at Lingfield, but then she went and won the Listed race at Musselburgh again.
We saw she handled the track in the race last year and she will go close.
MODEL YUKO
Race: British Stallion Studs EBF Fillies’ Handicap
We withdrew her on Wednesday, but she could line up here. She is a lovely filly with loads of potential. It was great to see her get off the mark at Wolverhampton last time out.
She should improve for going up to ten furlongs. We think this race will hopefully suit her well.
PROTEST
Race: Ridgeview Fillies’ Handicap
She is a lovely filly that has just been shy of getting black-type a couple of times.
She went well at the track in the Conqueror Stakes and that form is strong. She was only two lengths behind them in sixth.
Although sixth doesn’t excite you when you look at the proximity to the principals it was a good run. She will go very well dropped back into a handicap here.
RAHIEBB
Race: HKJC World Pool Gordon Stakes
Rahiebb, in the yellow silks, finishes third in the Queen's Vase
He will go back to a mile and a half for the Gordon Stakes. He was still a bit immature in the preliminaries at Royal Ascot and he didn’t have the perfect passage as he was a bit slow away and he had to come from deep.
Between the two and the one pole he was staying on to win the race. He wobbled a bit the final furlong, but his pre-race antics might have just pinched him late on.
I think he is going to be a good staying horse. I hope he could develop into a St Leger type. I think a run in the Gordon Stakes, and maybe the Great Voltigeur, might just sharpen him up for the St Leger test.
I was always going to go for the Queen’s Vase as it is a very valuable race, and a lovely race to win, and I didn’t see him being quite sharp enough for the King Edward VII Stakes.
He gave Merchant 8lb up at York and he had defeats under penalties to good horses in novices, but it is hard to give weight away in those.
He is not yet the finished article. I think he will run and it would be a good spot for him with the St Leger in mind.
RUMBA NUMBA
Race: Ridgeview Fillies’ Handicap
She is a fast-improving filly that is well worth pitching into a race like this. She might well stay further in time, but we are keen to give her another run over a mile.
She didn’t do much wrong on her last start, she just got beaten by another winner under a penalty. I’m looking forward to seeing her back on turf.
SHADOW DANCE
Race: Coral Chesterfield Cup Handicap
Varian told us more about Shadow Dance after a win at York
It is his first run of the year and he might need it while the trip might be sharp enough. His primary target is the Ebor, but I couldn’t be more happy with him going down to Goodwood given he has had a long time off.
SUDU
Race: Coral Pipped At The Post Winners Handicap
We are going to run Sudu here and this is the race that French Duke won last year. It is the 0-105 over a mile and a half on the Wednesday.
He is a nice horse and he won well at Epsom last time. He has been put up 9lb for that win, but that is probably fair.
He should have won the time before, but he got in a tangle and he got left alone by the handicapper that day so by rights he should have won twice and had two rises.
Getting 9lb for his last win in one hit we can probably live with that.
He has taken a different path to French Duke, but like him we do think he is a nice horse.
Claim your FREE Racing TV Full Zip Tracksuit Jacket!
Racing TV encourages responsible gambling - to find out more click here to head to our dedicated website page.
Check out these bookmaker offers:
Bet £10 get £30 in free bets with Virgin Bet
Virgin Bet: Bet £10 get £30 in free bets with Virgin Bet
Bet £10 Get £30 in Free Bets with LiveScoreBet
18+ New customers only. Opt in via mobile, bet £10+ on horse racing at odds of 2.00+, in 7 days. Get 6x £5 in free bets on selected markets. Bonuses expire in 7 days. T&Cs Apply. GambleAware.org | Please gamble responsibly
Bet £10 get £40 in Free Bets with Boyle Sports
New UK customers (Excluding NI) only. £40 in FREE Bets (FB) as £30 in sports bets & a £10 casino bonus (CB). Min Deposit £10. Min stake £10. 18+ | GambleAware.
Bet £25 get a £50 free bet with BetRino
BETRINO: Bet £25 get a £50 free bet with BetRino
Terms & Conditions
Claim NowCopyright 2025 Racing TV - All Rights Reserved.
Please bet responsibly
Copyright 2025. All rights reserved