Group One Goodwood Cup Guide 2022

A few seasons ago Stradivarius was the undeniable top stayer in the world. Now at the age of 8, he’s not managing to have the same impact in top races.

A winner of three Ascot Gold Cups and a four time winner of this race, he’s proven himself time and time again at this level but age might just be catching up with him. The emergence of Trueshan gave him difficulty as that rival got the better of him twice last season.

Now Stradivarius arrives off the back of another disappointment in the Gold Cup. Tactically it would appear that Dettori got him trapped during a crucial time of the race again and he did still rattle home well for 3rd.

A change in jockey hopefully brings about a change of fortune for his swan-song.

This 6 year old has won 5 of his 30 career starts and has mainly spent his career in handicap company. Starting his career racing with Archie Watson, he looked well outclassed in group and listed races.

A move to Andrew Balding saw him repurposed as a staying horse and he found success over 2 miles in handicaps. Scoring at Wolverhampton last February and scoring again on the all-weather at Newcastle in March.

After another impressive handicap win over 14 furlongs, he then ran well in group company to be 2nd in the Henry II Stakes but last time was well beaten in the Queen Alexandra Stakes.

Moving up in grade, a lot more will be needed of him here and it’s hard to see him playing a major role.

A true model of consistency for Alan King, Trueshan climbed the ranks as a handicapper before having his real potential unlocked in the British Champions Stayers race in 2020.

Cutting through the mud in style he looked a real force to be reckoned with in the staying ranks. Despite defeat in last year’s Northumberland plate under top weight, he bounced back to score this race with bundles in hand.

He backed that up in style to easily win the Prix Du Cadran in France before another win on Champions’ Day. This season he looks as good as ever.

Scoring a listed race easily on return before one of the best weight carrying performances in recent memory to win the Northumberland plate off a mark of 120. He’s bang in form but will need the rain to fall to line up.

Ismail Mohammed has tried this horse over a variety of trips over the last couple of years. Having found some success in handicap company over middle distances having been gelded, a mark in the low 100’s meant that he was struggling to stay competitive in handicaps.

A trip over to Meydan last spring saw him run well in handicaps but find group races a little too difficult to get involved in. However he did run exceptionally well to be 3rd in the Dubai Gold Cup.

He hasn’t won since September of 2020 and trying 12 furlongs up to 16 furlongs hasn’t unlocked any improvement.

With a prep run in the Hardwicke Stakes last time out he’ll need to come out bundles for that to be effective in group 1 company.

At the foot of the betting is Thunderous for Mark Johnston. After looking an impressive sort as a juvenile he scored listed honours on his last outing as a 2 year old.

He looked equally talented at 3 when winning the Dante Stakes but an injury kept him off the race track until last year. He didn’t hit the same heights as a 4 year old and failed to really make a mark in any of his races at group level.

Gelded at the end of the year, he’s not been in good form this year having found group level too taxing over 12 to 16 furlongs.

Even more will be required against this deep field and he looks well out of his depth.

Anthony Mullins’ mare made waves in handicap company back in 2020 and looked to be improving with every run. Graduating from handicap ranks she then scored a listed race over 12 furlongs on bottomless ground.

This teed her up nicely for an almighty performance to win the Prix Du Cadran smartly. Her form took a major dip off the back of a group 1 win and she failed to score in any of her outings last year. Her best running being a placed effort in the Ascot Gold Cup.

She looked more herself in an impressive win over 2 miles at Ascot to score a group 3 event narrowly.

However, last seen in the Ascot Gold Cup she was well beaten. An excuse has come out since for her poor run and if back to her best she isn’t without hope of hitting the frame.

After starting life with John Gosden, Enemy failed to win in any of his runs as a 3 year old and found himself sold and moved over to France.

He fared a little better south of the channel and managed to score a low level conditions race. With success being hard to come by again, he found himself moving yards to be in the care of Ian Williams.

Running in group level in Meydan failed to bring about any results, but an impressive win in handicap company over 14 furlongs looked smart.

However, last seen in group 3 company over 2 miles, he’s looked well outclassed and hasn’t managed to record a placed effort. More will be required here and it doesn’t look like he’s made of group 1 material.

After looking a decent enough handicapper as a 3 year old, Coltrane found himself gelded at the end of his opening campaign which included an impressive win in the Melrose Handicap at York. ]

His form dipped off thereafter when running on the all-weather and having a lengthy lay off. But coming back to turf recently saw him improve again.

A close 2nd over 18.5 furlongs at Chester behind Cleveland, he then scored the Ascot Stakes smartly before a lethal display in a listed race at Sandown over 2 miles last time out.

This is another step up which will require more but he looked excellent over 2 miles last time out and looks to have really found his niche. Not without hope to hit the frame.

Middle distance trips didn’t bring out the best in Kyprios as a 3 year old last season, despite only being seen twice he scored over 10 furlongs at a low level before looking well outclassed at listed level over 11.5 furlongs.

Returning as a 3 year old he’s been invincible. Scoring a listed race over 14 furlongs with plenty in hand, he was then sent for a group 3 over the same trip and looked to be gifted with plenty of stamina to stretch clear of the 2nd place without breaking sweat.

Last seen really putting his stamina to the test, the son of Galileo scored the Ascot Gold Cup. Narrowly holding off Mojo Star, it looks like he can continue his progression here.