Sussex Stakes Guide 2021

What a revelation this horse has been this season. His 2 year old campaign finished with a brilliant Group 3 victory but he’s since ascended to the very top of the 3 year old 1 mile division.

Winning a listed race at Leopardstown over 7 furlongs on seasonal comeback put him in perfect condition to win the 1000 Guineas at Newmarket by a short head to Master Of The Seas.

Connections tried to be audacious and capture a 1 mile classic treble as he attempted both the French and Irish Guineas within three weeks. Coming 6th and 2nd respectively, he showed his hardiness by putting in massive shows in a short space of time.

Last seen running away with the St James’ Palace Stakes, Jim Bolger’s stable star spread eagled the field and established himself as the best in his age range.

Taking on his elders here will really test him but he’s the one to beat on paper and has been given plenty of time to freshen up after Ascot.

This 3 year old filly earmarked herself for greatness when winning the Cheveley Park Stakes at the end of last season. One of the few group 1 races for 2 year olds, she showed pace and tenacity to score over 6 furlongs.

Returning as a 3 year old, she captured the Fred Darling Stakes on comeback before a mighty run in the 1000 Guineas saw her come 5th.

She bounced back to form at Royal Ascot last month and cut through the heavy ground to comfortably beat Snow Lantern.

That rival reversed the form recently at Newmarket in the Falmouth Stakes with Alcohol Free only managing 3rd, just behind Mother Earth.

Any rain will be of no concern and she gets all the weight allowances from older rivals and the boys.

A 3 year old filly who was bred for greatness. A daughter of Frankel and Sky Lantern, she recently gained vengeance for her mother’s defeat in the Falmouth Stakes by winning the very same race recently.

She only ran once as a 2 year old and was beaten into 2nd by Zabeel Queen.

This season she’s begun to fulfil the promise her breeding suggested on paper. She handily scalped Derab on seasonal debut to shed her maiden tag and was rightfully moved up in grade after that.

Beaten in listed company, she left that behind quickly to run a blinder to be 2nd in the Coronation Stakes at Ascot behind Alcohol Free.

Snow Lantern reversed that form recently when winning the Falmouth Stakes to beat the 1000 Guineas winner Mother Earth and Alcohol Free.

She looks to be her best on quicker ground so there might be a concern with rain around Goodwood.

Ryan Moore’s pick of the Ballydoyle horses, Order Of Australia didn’t manage to break his maiden until late into his 3 year old season but really improved for getting his head in front for the first time.

Winning over 10 and 12 furlongs, his biggest success came at the Breeder’s Cup meeting at Keeneland where he beat stablemates Circus Maximus and Lope Y Fernandez for Group 1 spoils.

He couldn’t live with the emphatic Palace Pier on seasonal reappearance but has since easily recorded group 2 success over 7 furlongs at the Curragh in the Minstrel Stakes.

He’s struggled on soft ground before but has form over further, so has the stamina to cope with a slog. Ryan Moore certainly thinks he’s the best of the O’Brien contingent.

Charles Hills 4 year old comes off the back of a group 2 success recently at Ascot in the Summer Mile Stakes.

He’s been very lightly raced for his age but has been improving when he gets a string of runs behind him.

A course and distance winner at this meeting last year, he captured the Thoroughbred Stakes with ease under Ryan Moore. He rounded out the season coming 4th behind Kameko at Newmarket.

A couple of runs abroad were on the agenda at the start of this year. Trying his luck in the Neom Turf Cup at Riyadh, he only managed 5th in the big money race.

A brilliant run at Longchamp in late May saw him go down narrowly to red hot favourite Skalleti, 9 furlongs just taxing his stamina too much.

Dropping back to a mile last time out saw him win well and he’ll be ripe and ready for a crack at a group 1 race.

Frankie Dettori and Aidan O’Brien team up again with Lope Y Fernandez. As a 2 year old he took group 3 honours and went off favourite to beat Pinatubo in the 2019 Chesham Stakes.

Tried over a variety of trips as a 3 year old, he bounced between sprinting and going over a mile, he was unable to notch a single win during the entire season but ran well many times in defeat.

He’s come back as a 4 year old in great fettle and won a listed race on return without breaking sweat. Unable to get competitive in the Lockinge Stakes at Newbury, he most recently ran a near career best to be 2nd to Palace Pier in the Queen Anne Stakes.

A mile certainly looks like his ideal trip now he’s a 4 year old and he was the best of the rest behind Palace Pier on rattling fast ground. One to keep on each way shortlists.

Richard Hannon’s 3 year old Chindit was a highly prolific 2 year old having won 3 of his 4 outings. His maiden win was swiftly followed by listed and a Group 2 success. He only tasted defeat when contesting the Dewhurst at the end of the season behind Saint Mark’s Basilica.

He made the perfect return to action this season when winning the Greenham Stakes in a tight finish.

Looking perfectly teed up for a tilt at the 2000 Guineas, he ran creditably but was left behind by the front 4 to be 5th home.

Last seen in the St James’s Palace Stakes at Ascot last month, he again filled the 5th placed spot behind Poetic Flare.

He’s been brushed aside by Poetic Flare twice already this season and will have a job reversing that form.

French trainer Andre Fabre sends over his 5 year old Dulhail. Gelded before he ever saw a racecourse, he looked smart immediately when winning a couple of 3 year old races before narrowly being denied in listed company.
He’s won a few decent pots over in native France, mixing it between 6.5 furlongs and a mile. Clearly talented with plenty of pace, Goodwood could be his ideal course.
His form this season has been outstanding. He hasn’t finished outside of the top 2 in any of his 5 runs. A group 2 win in early May has seen him carry a penalty in subsequent runs but he’s ran incredibly well in defeat since.
This son of Lope De Vega has won over sprinting distances and handles any underfoot conditions, not one to be written off.

A 7 year old for Simon and Ed Crisford was an emphatic course and distance winner in a Group 2 race in the Celebration Mile last year. Easily leaving behind the likes of Sir Busker, Regal Reality and Duke Of Hazzard.

Having 32 runs in his career, he’s had a few runs in group 1 races but has yet to taste success at the top table.

His career best certainly came in the Group 2 race last year and it was his only run at Goodwood so maybe the course brought out the best in him.

He is at home on soft going but has been well beaten in all his previous Group 1 attempts. He’s only made his presence felt in a listed race so far this season so might have a hard time getting competitive here in a deep looking renewal.

The current rank outsider of the field is Space Traveller for Richard Fahey. In a shock upset back in 2019 he managed to defeat Space Blues narrowly at Ascot in the Jersey Stakes.

He also managed to notch an impressive Group 2 victory at Leopardstown later that same year to beat Matterhorn.
He’s struggled for fitness and form since then.

Only running once last season was an average outing to come 6th in the Queen Anne Stakes won by Circus Maximus.

Beaten out of sight in listed company on seasonal comeback, he blew away the cobwebs and managed to secure a listed win at York on rattling fast ground.

Last seen being tested for his quality again, he finished 8th of 9 runners in the Summer Mile behind Tilsit and Century Dream.

His form this season shows that he has plenty to find with rivals who will likely get the better of him again here.