Too Darn Hot Takes Center Stakes in Sussex Stakes

Day one of Glorious Goodwood was too darn windy but normal service may be about to be resumed with Too Darn Hot all the rage to show his true colors in the Qatar Sussex Stakes (G1) the £1 million highlight July 31. 

Last year's champion juvenile, Too Darn Hot had been expected to start the current campaign as dominantly as he had ended the previous but was prevented from running in the QIPCO Two Thousand Guineas (G1) with a minor injury that rather threw his schedule into flux.

Instead of Newmarket, he started his season at York, when failing to quite see out the extended mile and a quarter in the Al Basti Equiworld Dubai Dante Stakes (G2) and again came out second best in the Tattersalls Irish Two Thousand Guineas (G1) nine days later.

Those reverses did not stop him starting favorite for the St James's Palace Stakes (G1) at Royal Ascot, however, where he looked the most likely winner turning for home, only to succumb to Circus Maximus and stablemate King of Comedy late in the final furlong.

Yet just as it appeared that last year's sheen had faded away, he put in a performance that had all the hallmarks of his 2018 dominance when dropped back to seven furlongs in the group 1 Qatar Prix Jean Prat at the start of the month and he once again finds himself in a familiar position at the head of the market for Wednesday's group 1.

The main question now revolves around the return to a mile and whether Too Darn Hot's speed will be as potent over an extra furlong, although Goodwood's helter-skelter mile would be less of a stamina test than Ascot's round mile.

Circus Maximus and Phoenix of Spain, who defeated Too Darn Hot at the Curragh, reoppose while the redoubtable Queen Anne Stakes (G1) winner Lord Glitters leads the older milers into battle in a race that has often provided a memorable clash of the generations. 

Lord Glitters faces just one of the rivals he defeated in the Queen Anne, with only Accidental Agent—who refused to race at Royal Ascot—re-opposing O'Meara's 6-year-old. I Can Fly is the only filly in the field.

Away from the day's big-race and ground permitting, Wesley Ward will saddle his first runner at Goodwood when Maven tackles the group 3 Markel Insurance Molecomb Stakes.

A son of U.S. Triple Crown hero American Pharoah , Maven was a late absentee from the Norfolk Stakes (G2) last month due to soft ground but made up for that with a group 3 win at Chantilly and his natural speed should be seen to good effect on this speedy five-furlong track.

His main rival according to the market is Liberty Beach, who is also blessed with brazen speed and the winner of three of her four starts.

Stamina rather than speed is the key to winning the opening Unibet Goodwood Handicap, with winning chaser Lil Rockerfeller out to score back-to-back wins in the two mile and four-and-a-half furlong handicap.

Last year the popular stayer, who refuses to go into the stalls, bolted up by 15 lengths in a race which is started by flag and tape rather than starting gates.

The Sussex is a Breeders' Cup Challenge event carrying "Win and You're In" status to the TVG Breeders' Cup Mile (G1T). The race also is a British Champions Series event.