Who To Follow On Day Four Of Glorious Goodwood 2023

James Mackie | @JMackieRacing

Thu 03 Aug 2023 13.59

Goodwood 14:35

6(3)

Highfield Princess

J: Jason Hart

T: John Quinn

N/A

Age: 6

Weight: 9-1

OR: 117

Days: 41

The feature races of the afternoon on Friday is the Group Two King George Qatar Stakes over 5f and Highfield Princess has been presented with a perfect opportunity to get back to winning ways.

The six year old has been a superstar for her connections throughout the last few years starting off by winning a handicap off a mark of 58 and she is now rated 117.

Last season she took her form in the sprinting division to a new level winning the Group Two Duke Of York Clipper Stakes and then heading to Royal Ascot and finishing a credible sixth of 24 in the Platinum Jubilee Stakes.

Off the back of that run she went on to win a hat-trick of Group One races, firstly in France when taking the Prix Maurice De Gheest on good to soft ground and then in August on much quicker ground went on to bolt up in the Nunthorpe Stakes off top weight.

Her final win of the season came at the Curragh when again bolting up in the Flying Five Stakes and that set up a trip to America for the Breeders' Cup.Finishing off her season at Keeneland in the Breeders' Cup Turf Sprint she was a very good fourth behind the likes of Caravel, Emaraaty Ana and Creative Force.

Returning this season as a six year old trainer John Quinn was unsure if she will train on at her age, but she put up a superb performance in the Group Two Duke Of York Clipper Stakes to finish 1/2 a length second to Azure Blue giving her 5lb.

That set her up perfectly for her next run in the Group One King’s Stand Stakes at Royal Ascot where she was only beaten by a length from Bradsell who was getting 3lb.

Connections decided to turn her out later in the week at the same Royal Ascot meeting and once again she ran another superb race to finish a close up third of 16 in the Group One Queen Elizabeth II Jubilee Stakes and now dropping back into a weaker Group Two event she can get back to winning ways.

Form: 14223View

Date	Course	Distance	Type	Weight	Position
01/10/23	LON	5	GS	9-7	1
10/09/23	CUR	5	Gd/Y	9-3	5
25/08/23	YOR	5	GF	9-10	2
04/08/23	GOO	5	GS	9-1	1
24/06/23	ASC	6	GF	9-2	3

Leading British trainer Sir Michael Stoute has two runners at Glorious Goodwood on day four of the meeting with both of them looking to have leading chances.

The first and stronger chance of the two is the Group winner Nostrum who made a pleasing comeback at Newmarket 22 days ago and this looks a perfect next stepping stone.

Stoute's other runner of the afternoon is Nader King who is the favourite in the final event of the day and off a mark of 87 could still be well in on his second handicap start.

The trainer heads into the meeting sporting a strike rate of 21% for the last two weeks, managing to land three winners from his last 14 runners.

Already a big race winner this week at Goodwood in the Group One Goodwood Cup, he has a nice book of rides on Friday which makes him the rider to follow.

In the opener he teams up with Hughie Morrison again looking to close in a marathon race again on board the likeable Vino Victrix.

He then links up with Charlie Hills in the Group Three Bonhams Thoroughbred Stakes with Galeron and having ran well in defeat in better races this term he could outrun his odds and grab a place.

Marquand then rides the favourite in the 20 runner Golden Mile with Lattam still looking well handicapped off a mark of 95.

In the feature event of the afternoon the rider jumps on Makarova for Ed Walker in the Group Two King George Qatar Stakes where place claims aren't out the question again.

One of his best chances of the day comes on the old boy Hamish who has been placed perfectly all season and this looks a very winnable race again if in the same form.

Marquand finishes the afternoon in the Coral Handicap on Rathgar for Jack Channon and having course form could see him go well at a big price.