With five days of thrilling action set against the magnificent backdrop of the rolling Sussex Downs countryside, the Qatar Goodwood Festival – popularly known as ‘Glorious Goodwood’ – is one of the highlights of the Flat racing season.
The Qatar Sussex Stakes, part of the QIPCO British Champions Series, is the highlight of the five-day Qatar Goodwood Festival, which runs from Tuesday, July 31 to Saturday, August 4, and one of the world’s leading mile races, with a tremendous roll of honour.
The John Gosden-trained Without Parole, owned and bred by John & Tanya Gunther,is the market leader for this year’s renewal as he looks to extend his unbeaten record to five. The son of dual Sussex Stakes winner Frankel (2011 & 2012), registered a half-length success on his latest outing in the G1 St James’s Palace Stakes over a mile at Royal Ascot on June 19.
Aidan O’Brien – five wins in Sussex Stakes
Britain and Ireland’s reigning champion Flat trainer Aidan O’Brien has won the Qatar Sussex Stakes five times, most recently with The Gurkha in 2016.
The master of Ballydoyle has seven horses still in contention for the G1 contest over a mile including Gustav Klimt, who was second to Without Parole at Royal Ascot, and G1 Al Shaqab Lockinge Stakes scorer Rhododendron.
Dual G1 winners Happily and Hydrangea are also still engaged, along with Deauville, Clemmie and Threeandfourpence.
Godolphin has won the G1 Qatar Sussex Stakes on three occasions courtesy of Aljabr (1999), Noverre (2001) and Ramonti (2007), will the trio all trained by Saeed bin Suroor. The Newmarket handler has Benbatl, winner of the G1 Dubai Turf at Meydan in March, going forward.
Godolphin’s famous blue silks could also be carried by Wootton (Henri-Alex Pantall FR), who ran fourth in the G1 Poule d’Essai des Poulains at Longchamp in May, before finishing third to Without Parole in the G1 St James’s Palace Stakes.
Sussex Stakes – Last 25:
| Horse | Age | Owner | Trainer |
| BEAT THE BANK | 4 | King Power Racing Co Ltd | Andrew Balding |
| BENBATL | 4 | Godolphin | Saeed bin Suroor |
| CLEMMIE (IRE) | 3 | Michael Tabor, Derrick Smith & Sue Magnier | Aidan O’Brien IRE |
| DEAUVILLE (IRE) | 5 | Fitri Hay/Michael Tabor/Sue Magnier/Derrick Smith | Aidan O’Brien IRE |
| EMARAATY | 3 | Hamdan Al Maktoum | John Gosden |
| GABR | 3 | Hamdan Al Maktoum | Sir Michael Stoute |
| GUSTAV KLIMT (IRE) | 3 | Sue Magnier, Michael Tabor & Derrick Smith | Aidan O’Brien IRE |
| HAPPILY (IRE) | 3 | Derrick Smith, Sue Magnier, Michael Tabor | Aidan O’Brien IRE |
| HERE COMES WHEN (IRE) | 8 | Fitri Hay | Andrew Balding |
| HEY GAMAN | 3 | Sultan Ali | James Tate |
| HYDRANGEA (IRE) | 4 | Derrick Smith, Sue Magnier, Michael Tabor | Aidan O’Brien IRE |
| IMAGING | 3 | Khalid Abdullah | Dermot Weld IRE |
| LIGHTNING SPEAR | 7 | Qatar Racing Limited | David Simcock |
| LORD GLITTERS (FR) | 5 | Geoff & Sandra Turnbull | David O’Meara |
| ORBAAN | 3 | Prince A A Faisal | Andre Fabre FR |
| RHODODENDRON (IRE) | 4 | Sue Magnier, Michael Tabor & Derrick Smith | Aidan O’Brien IRE |
| SO BELOVED | 8 | Thoroughbred British Racing | David O’Meara |
| SOCIETY POWER (IRE) | 3 | Sheikh Rashid Dalmook Al Maktoum | William Haggas |
| STORMY ANTARCTIC | 5 | P K Siu | Ed Walker |
| SUEDOIS (FR) | 7 | George Turner & Clipper Logistics | David O’Meara |
| TEPPAL (FR) | 3 | HH Sheikh Mohammed Bin Khalifa Al Thani | David Simcock |
| THREADING (IRE) | 3 | Sheikh Hamdan Bin Mohammed Al Maktoum | Mark Johnston |
| THREEANDFOURPENCE (USA) | 3 | Evie Stockwell | Aidan O’Brien IRE |
| WITHOUT PAROLE | 3 | John Gunther & Tanya Gunther | John Gosden |
| WOOTTON (FR) | 3 | Godolphin SNC | Henri-Alex Pantall FR |
25 entries remain following July 10 scratchings deadline
8 Irish-trained
2 French-trained
