Trio of Guineas Winners Face Off in Sussex
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Photo: Mathea Kelley
Galileo Gold wins St. James's Palace Stakes in June at Royal Ascot
Three Guineas winners top a superb field of 10 for the £1 million Qatar Sussex Stakes (Eng-I), the highlight of the Qatar Goodwood Festival, July 27.
QIPCO Two Thousand Guineas (Eng-I) winner Galileo Gold, trained by Hugo Palmer; Poule d'Essaid des Poulains (French 2,000 Guineas, Fr-I) victor The Gurkha, conditioned by Aidan O'Brien; and Awtaad, successful for trainer Kevin Prendergast in the Irish Two Thousand Guineas (Ire-I) when he defeated Galileo Gold by two and a half lengths, will meet for the second consecutive race.
The three colts were last seen in the St. James's Palace Stakes (Eng-I), also at one mile, at Royal Ascot June 14 when Galileo Gold came out on top by 1 1/4 lengths from The Gurkha, with Awtaad another half-length back in third.
Five-year-old Toormore (Richard Hannon/James McDonald) bids for a third Qatar Goodwood Festival success following wins in the 2013 Vintage Stakes (Eng-II) and 2015 Lennox Stakes (Eng-II), both at seven furlongs. His owner Godolphin is also represented by 3-year-old Ribchester, trained by Richard Fahey, successful in the seven-furlong Jersey Stakes (Eng-III) at Royal Ascot in June, and 4-year-old Richard Pankhurst from trainer John Gosden's stable.
Fahey also will send out 7-year-old Gabrial, third in the 2012 and 2015 renewals of the Sussex Stakes.
Kodi Bear, a 4-year-old with trainer Clive Cox, is a winner over the course and distance, having taken the Celebration Mile (Eng-II) last August, and trainer David Simcock's 5-year-old Lightning Spear was a creditable third in the Queen Anne Stakes (Eng-I) over the straight mile at Royal Ascot.
Six-year-old So Beloved, a David O'Meara-trained runner who won the seven-furlong Supreme Stakes (Eng-III) at Goodwood in 2015, completes the lineup.
The field of 10 marks the highest number of runners for the Sussex Stakes since 2005 when 12 went to post.
The Sussex winner will receive an automatic berth into the $2 million Breeders' Cup Mile (gr. IT), set for Nov. 5 at Santa Anita Park, through the international Breeders' Cup Challenge series.