Hello all! Did you miss me?! Anyway, onto business: It is been confirmed in the last 30 minutes that just 2 horses will take on CANFORD CLIFFS and FRANKEL in the Sussex Stakes on Wednesday. French raider RAJSAMAN and Godolphin's RIO DE LA PLATA are the only two willing to take on the big guns. http://www.racingpost.com/news/hors...-scare-off-their-sussex-stakes-rivals/889704/ A great shame in my opinion - there was prize money on offer down to 6th place. Whoever finishes last, and they could trot home if they wanted to, nets over £16,000!
Hello Princess, very nice to see you on here!! It's a crying shame that these two all-age Group 1s, steeped in history and tradition, run within a few days of each other, will attract a total of only 9 runners between them. I applause the decision to supplement Nathaniel and it was duly rewarded, but it doesn't dtract from the fact that far too few horses are running in these races. It's difficult to understand why this is. I don't believe the entry fees are that onerous and I would guess the original entry was pretty decent. If there is prize money down to 6th in the Sussex stakes it beggers belief that we only have 4 runners. It would be interesting to view the original entry for the race and understand why so few make it to the start on Wednesday. Reasons I would expect are: Injured, generally nowhere near good enough, alternative plans, different trip (i.e. the horse turned out to be a sprinter or a stayer).
OddDog, I'll have a dig around and see if I can find the original entries. I'm sure they'll be around somewhere!
I don't really care about the numbers, its the quality that is important in this race and we have the big two meeting. It has to be run at a proper pace because if they go slow then it surely sets it up for Canford Cliffs. I don't really see who you can add to the race to make it more appealing, perhaps Dick Turpin and Goldikova are the only two I would add. The other three year olds are dropping into Group 2s and they have been beaten by Frankel anyway.
Nass might one have said the same about the King George before Nathaniel was supplemented? Workforce, Rewilding and SNA looked about the best on paper over 12F before the race ....................
Oddy the difference is that we have no pacemakers and its just a simple race, Frankel to pop out quicken in the last 2 or 3 and see if anything can pass him.
Hear what you're saying Nass, but I would still like to have seen connections of: Dux Scholar, Neebras, Misty For Me, Dubawi Gold, Famous Name, Delegator, Poet's Voice, Roderic O'Conner, to name but a few, having a crack. In all reality no chance with the front 2 but I guess 3rd place pays a pretty penny, and you never know if one of the 2 market leaders has a real off day.
I am surprised that connections have not left in a pacemaker for Frankel. Maybe their intention is to make all and hope to kick away from Canford Cliffs at the two pole. The poor turnout for the two big Group 1s in the last week is very disappointing and it seems the two big guns have scared off everything else at Goodwood. Rajsaman represents Freddie Head but his best form this season has been over further than a mile. OddDog, I would not see Famous Name lining up as he must have soft ground, has never won a Group 1 and is owned by Khalid Abdulla. By dropping back to sprinting, Godolphin have finally accepted that Delegator does not stay a mile. I think that Aidan O’Brien has decided that Misty For Me wants some juice in the ground and may be heading for the Nassau Stakes on Saturday. There was never any prospect of Goldikova running at Goodwood and I suspect that she will not have featured amongst the original entries. She will almost certainly be heading to Deauville for the Prix Rothschild on Sunday, presumably followed once again by the Prix Jacques le Marois in August.
Again, I think the race will come down to just how it will be run. If Frankel lobbs out and does no work early on, will Hughes on Canford Cliffs take the race by the throat and go forward, or will he sit and try and finish over the top of Frankel? If Frankel is allowed a couple of easy sectionals, he's going to take some running down. Just imagine what he'll do if he's allowed to amble to the half mile. If that happens, I don't think there is a horse on the planet who can then spot him a start and a beating.
A Racenews press release on the race: FRANKEL AND CANFORD HEAD ELITE QUARTET FOR THE “DUEL ON THE DOWNS” WATERWORTH ANTICIPATES A FASCINATING RACE A select field of four will line up for the most anticipated race of the summer after Frankel, Canford Cliffs, Rio De La Plata and Rajsaman were today declared for the £300,000 Group One QIPCO Sussex Stakes (3.10pm) at Goodwood on Wednesday, July 27. 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 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 Group One QIPCO 2,000 Guineas at Newmarket in May and followed up with success in the Group One St James’s Palace Stakes 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 Veuve Clicquot Vintage Stakes at the course as a two-year-old, is a solid Group One performer for Godolphin and trainer Saeed bin Suroor. The five-year-old also landed the Group One Prix Jean Luc Lagardere as a juvenile and collected a pair of Group One races over a mile and 10 furlongs in Italy last autumn. He was fourth to the Richard Hannon-trained Canford Cliffs in the Group One Queen Anne Stakes at Royal Ascot. French trainer Freddy 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 Group One Prix d’Ispahan at Longchamp in May, just a length behind the great mare. The QIPCO Sussex Stakes is part of the QIPCO British Champions Series, forming the fifth leg in the mile category. Adam Waterworth, Managing Director at Goodwood Racecourse, said today: “I am delighted with the field for the QIPCO Sussex Stakes. 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 ten past three on Wednesday.” Wednesday’s excellent card also features the £60,000 Group Two Veuve Clicquot Vintage Stakes (2.35pm) for two-year-olds over seven furlongs, which has seven declarations. They include Red Duke, who took the Group two 32Red.com Superlative Stakes over the distance at Newmarket on July 9 for trainer John Quinn, defeating the Richard Hannon-trained Chandlery by a neck. Hannon saddled King Torus 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 Sakhee colt Red Seventy, Newmarket maiden victor Rockinante and Lingfield maiden winner Minal. The trainer also took the race in 1986 with subsequent 2,000 Guineas hero Don’t Forget Me. Clive Cox won the Veuve Clicquot Vintage Stakes in 2009 with Xtension and is set to saddle Lethal Force, who exhibited high-class form on June 14 when less than two lengths fourth to Power in the Group Two Coventry Stakes at Royal Ascot. Mark Johnston won this race with Lucky Story (2003) and the outstanding Shamardal (2003). The trainer runs Elkhart who was third to Rockinante at Newmarket before easily landing a Beverley maiden on July 2. Wednesday’s action commences with the week’s longest race, the £30,000 Goodwood Handicap over two miles, five furlongs (2pm, 20 runners). The remaining contests on the fantastic card are the £40,000 UBS Handicap (3.45pm, 12 runners) over a mile and a half, the six-furlong £15,000 Markel International Fillies’ Maiden (4.20pm, 13 runners), the £40,000 Harwoods EBF Hellvelyn Classified Stakes (4.55pm, 15 runners) over seven furlongs and the nine-furlong £15,000 EBF Nayef Fillies And Mares Handicap (5.30pm, 18 runners).
I think Canford is more likely to win the stronger the pace. If the pace is steady (and Frankel settles) then there is only one result and that is Frankel by at least 2 lengths. It must be remembered that he ran the first 5f in the Guineas in a faster time than the 5f Group 3 on the same card. This is a horse that is lightning fast and has an immense turn off foot. If he turns up in form then i don't think he can be beaten. I have the utmost respect for Canford Cliffs, i have won a bit on him and he is one of my favourites too, but he is very good but not great, and to beat an on form Frankel he will need to be an all time great. The only way i can see Canford winning is if Frankel goes too fast early, and gives Hughes a tow into the race, then weakens in the final furlong, when Canford can pick him up. In a 4 runner race this scenario seems unlikely, especially as Cecil has said that the Guineas tactics will not be repeated. I just hope that both horses turn up in top form and give us all the race we have been waiting for.
If Dick Turpin was to show up RH would send him there half fit again just like he did in the Lockinge, how dare John Manley attempt to lower Canford Cliffs colours (the stables favourite horse) for a 3rd time. We will see something special from Frankel on Wednesday, he will be waited with until the 2 pole, and then Boom, bye bye Canford Cliffs
Only four entries - you'd think there were no decent milers about. Much as I love Rio de la Plata I can only see him coming in third ....to Frankel
Shergar - I think CC is the stable's favourite horse because he is the best horse they have ever had, by some distance. I think the jockey is going to have to get it absolutely right to beat CC and I think the race is likely to be set up for Hannon's horse. I'm a huge Frankel fan and I would be delighted if he won and showed himself to be the best miler in the last 4o years - but I just think things may fall for CC.
Fulkes.....I'm not disputing that they believe Canford Cliffs to be the best they've had, but I just find it odd how below par Dick Turpin ran in the Lockinge, when through a line through City Scape he is there or there abouts with Canford Cliffs and Goldikova. As for Frankel he is something else and I can't wait to see Hannon and Hannon Jnrs faces after Frankel leaves CC for dead at the 2 pole
With only the 4 left in I can see Frankel making the running, holding it until around the 2 or 3 pole and kicking for home. Not surprised there's only 4 but realistically it's just a match between CC and Frankel and as long as they are there everyone will overlook the tiny field
when they start going full pelt down the hill there is only one winner, and thats canford cliffs.and with a couple of lengths in hand to boot
