Five day race meeting Glorious Goodwood returns with an expected clash of equine stars

This year has been the year of major clashes in sport; Nadal v Djokovic, Haye v Klitschko, Oxford v Cambridge and now the Sport of Kings, horseracing, will witness its very own clash, between FRANKEL, the Qipco 2,000 Guineas winner, who is so far unbeaten in his career and CANFORD CLIFFS, who has won his last five starts, all at the highest level. Both horses are expected to line up for the Qipco Sussex Stakes at Goodwood Racecourse on Wednesday 27 July, 2011.

The five day race meeting that is Glorious Goodwood, one of the summer highlights of the flat racing calendar, takes place from Tuesday 26 July to Saturday 30 July and this year’s racing is set to be even more exciting with the expected clash of the equine stars on the second day of the event.

Frankel, a three-year-old colt, is trained in Newmarket by Sir Henry Cecil and of his previous seven starts, he has won them all in impressive fashion, most notably at the 2,000 Guineas at the beginning of May where he dominated the rest of the field. Owned by Prince Khalid Abdulla of Saudi Arabia, the colt is named after an American racehorse trainer, Bobby Frankel, who died last year and it is fitting that his namesake should be such a talented racehorse.

Frankel’s sire (father) is Galileo, undoubtedly the premier stallion in Europe at the moment, and his dam (mother) Kind, also a useful racehorse. Although never sold at public auction, Frankel’s residual value as a racehorse, just based on his breeding, is at the high end of the scale.

Canford Cliffs, Frankel’s main competition in the Qipco Sussex Stakes, which is run over a distance of a mile, hails from a rather different background. A year old than Frankel, Canford Cliffs is by a much less fashionable, cheaper stallion, Tagula and he was bought at public auction prior to his racing career for 50,000 guineas*.

Canford Cliffs is trained by Richard Hannon and has a bit more experience than Frankel on a racecourse. Of his ten races, Canford Cliffs has never been out of the top three and he has won last five starts, which have all been over the same distance of a mile, including last year’s renewal of the Sussex Stakes. Two wins under his belt this summer include one at Royal Ascot, the Queen Anne Stakes, where he beat the hugely talented, globetrotting mare Goldikova.

This will be the first time that these talented horses have met and it is a race with huge anticipation of what will ultimately be the “Duel of the Downs”.

Glorious Goodwood takes place over five days,  26 -30 July, at Goodwood Racecourse on the Sussex Downs. For tickets or information visit www.goodwood.com

Tuesday 26 July: Sporting Greats Day

The first day of the five day horse racing spectacle that is Glorious Goodwood provides an opportunity to meet past and present Olympic greats and your sporting heroes.

Wednesday 27 July: Sussex Stakes Day

The Sussex Stakes is regarded as one of the best mile races the world has to offer, a thrilling show of ruthless power and sheer speed to see who will reign as champion.  

Thursday 28 July: Ladies Day

Thursday is always Ladies day. A host of celebrities, horse racing enthusiasts and fashion icons gather at the Sussex Downs to show off and display their latest fashions. On the racecourse, Goodwood’s oldest and most popular race takes place, the Goodwood cup, which first took place in 1812.

Friday 29 July: totesport Mile Day

Friday remains one of the most popular days of the Festival with two of the most eagerly anticipated races of the week. The Richmond Stakes, a 6 furlong Group 2 flat race first run in 1877, and the Golden Mile prove to be crowd favourites year after year.

Saturday 30 July: Finale – Blue Square Stewards Cup Day

The pinnacle of Glorious Goodwood falls on Saturday when the breath-taking Stewards Cup is run; the cavalry charge of 28 horses provides one of the greatest spectacles in horse racing.

For further information visit Goodwood online:  www.goodwood.com  

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