World Class Entries For Sussex Stakes

   The G1 Sussex S. the feature race of the five-day Qatar Goodwood Festival, which runs from July 28 to August 1 inclusive, has attracted a worldwide entry of thirty nine horses. The one mile contest sees its prize-money boosted from £300,000 last year to a staggering £1,000,000 this year. Among the tremendous international entries are the latest two winners of Newmarket’s G1 2000 Guineas. The 2014 Classic hero Night Of Thunder (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire}) who has since added the G1 Lockinge Stakes to his CV is entered along with Gleneagles (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}), who became a dual Classic winner last weekend.

   Britain’s champion trainer Richard Hannon holds a particularly strong hand as his five entries also include 2013 champion two-year-old Toormore (Ire) (Arakan), and Ivawood (Ire) (Zebedee {GB},who has finished third in both this season’s Newmarket and Irish 2000 Guineas. Aidan O’Brien, with four victories in the race to his name, has a total of 10 entries which also include Highland Reel (Ire) (Galileo{Ire}), successful at Goodwood last year in the G2 Vintage Stakes. Not since the victory of Bigstone (Ire) (Last Tycoon [GB})  in 1993, has a French trainer won the race and this year sees a quartet of entries from France including the G1 Breeders’ Cup Mile hero Karakontie (Jpn) (Bernstein), recent G1 Poule d’Essai des Poulains winner Make Believe (GB) (Makfi {GB}) and the top-class Solow (GB) (Singspiel {Ire}) who is unbeaten in his last six starts and about whose trainer Freddy Head commented, “He seems to be blossoming with age and I hope he can continue to do so.”

   There is also interest from further afield, with one entry each from Hong Kong and Australia. Star performer Able Friend (Aus) (Shamardal) is a four-time Group 1 winner for Hong Kong trainer John Moore, most recently in the G1 Champions Mile May 3. The Australian entry is the triple Group 1 winner Criterion (NZ) (Sebring {Aus}). Adam Waterworth, Sports Managing Director, Goodwood Estate, commented: “Goodwood Racecourse is delighted that the G1 2015 Qatar Sussex Stakes has attracted such high-class international entries.” These thoughts were echoed by Clerk of the Course at Goodwood Seamus Buckley who added, ” With entries from Hong Kong, Australia and France adding to very strong support from UK and Irish trainers, the race will undoubtedly be one of the highlights of the year.”