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Racing News |
Cocked Hat Option for Progressive Spillway
15/05/13
Goodwood plays host to the exciting May Festival of horseracing on Thursday, Friday and Saturday, May 23, 24 and 25.
The three-day meeting was re-introduced to the programme at Goodwood in 2012 after a hiatus of six years and, with four Listed contests plus a host of competitive handicaps, the May Festival offers top-quality action.
Adam Waterworth, Managing Director of Goodwood Racecourse, commented: “We were delighted with the success of the May Festival in 2012 and now look forward to building on that foundation this year.
“With record prize money of £374,000 on offer, we are keen to make the May Festival the early-season highlight at Goodwood, offering three days of high-class racing.”
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Another horse who could reach those heights is the Eve Johnson-Houghton-trained Spillway, who is unbeaten in three starts this season and was last seen annexing a competitive 10-furlong handicap at Sandown on April 27.
Johnson-Houghton, who does well with her runners at Goodwood having saddled two winners at the course last year, said: “Spillway is a possible runner in the EBF CASCO Cocked Hat Stakes. He is also in a handicap at Newbury on Saturday but we have thought about the Cocked Hat and it will depend on ground and things like that.
“He has been in good form since his win at Sandown and I have been really pleased with his progress this season. He has always looked nice and worked well at home but he just does enough and has kept on improving.
“The races at Sandown and Kempton have worked out well and I would like to think there is plenty more to come from him.
“I think he could be Royal Ascot horse and he has three options there – the King George V Handicap, the Tercentenary and I have put him in the King Edward VII. That might be flying a bit high but you have to enter quite early so we will have a look at it.”
The May Festival starts on Thursday, May 23, when the highlight is the £40,000 Height Of Fashion Stakes (3.45pm) over just short of 10 furlongs for three-year-old fillies. Since its establishment in 2007, the Listed contest has been a tremendous guide to future success at the highest level with the 2010 heroine Snow Fairy going on to capture the Oaks at Epsom on her next start plus a further five Group One contests around the world.
A cracking card on the Saturday has two Listed contests. First up is the £40,000 32Red Festival Stakes (2.05pm) over just short of 10 furlongs, which boasts the likes of Ile de Bourbon, Rainbow Quest and Sixties Icon on the illustrious roll of honour.
The second Listed contest on Saturday, May 25, is the £40,000 Tapster Stakes over a mile and a half. A thrilling finish to this race last year saw Sea Moon get the better of Dandino, with the winner progressing to take the Group Two Hardwicke Stakes at Royal Ascot next time out.
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The four-year-old Motivator filly last appeared in October, her sixth outing in an initial season of racing which saw Vow succeed on her first two starts and then get within two lengths of Classic victory at Epsom Downs.
Saturday’s richest race is the new £50,000 32Red Handicap (3.35pm), a seven-furlong contest for three-year-olds.
The first race on both Thursday and Friday, May 23 & 24, is at 2pm, while the action gets under way at 2.05pm on Saturday, May 25. To book tickets, please go to www.goodwood.co.uk and obtain a discount or call the ticket office on +44 (0) 1243 755055.
Seamus Buckley, Clerk of the Course at Goodwood, said today: “The course has recovered well following our first two days of racing in 2013 and is in good condition ahead of the May Festival.”
Magnificent Record of Racing Ambassador
Hayley Turner, Britain’s top female jockey and Goodwood’s new Racing Ambassador, achieved a magnificent 100 per cent record from her first rides at the Sussex course this year on the second raceday, Thursday, May 9.
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Turner’s prowess meant she came home in front in the opening contest, the Goodwood Business Club Maiden Stakes, on the Sir Michael Stoute-trained Enobled.
She enjoyed her second victory of the afternoon on Ribbons, trained by James Fanshawe, in the Nissan Innovation And Excitement Fillies’ Handicap.
Both races were over a mile and Turner settled her mounts towards the rear before coming through to lead in the final furlong.
She is now looking forward to Goodwood’s May Festival; three days of terrific racing on Thursday, Friday and Saturday, May 23 to 25.
Turner said this morning: “It was a wonderful day last week. Goodwood is a beautiful track and I always like doing well there.
“It was great to get the ball rolling at Goodwood this season with two winners.”
Goodwood Racecourse’s Ambassador achieved two successes at last year’s May Festival and is hoping to do well again in 2013.
The jockey added: “It is too early to say what I will be riding at the May Festival but Marcus Tregoning always seems to have a good team going there and perhaps I might get on one or two for him.
“It is all about the horses at the end of the day. I am dependent on what sort of rides I get so fingers crossed.”
