Johnston looking forward to Stradivarius rematch with Subjectivist in G1 Al Shaqab Goodwood Cup
Gold Cup hero Subjectivist and four-time Goodwood Cup winner Stradivarius are on course for an eagerly awaited rematch in the £500,000 G1 Al Shaqab Goodwood Cup (27 entries) on Tuesday, July 27.
Entries are revealed today for seven races during the Qatar Goodwood Festival, including the two-mile highlight and the G1 Qatar Nassau Stakes.
The Qatar Goodwood Festival runs from Tuesday, July 27 to Saturday, July 31, with the first three days forming part of the Tote World Pool series.
All eyes were on the John & Thady Gosden-trained Stradivarius at Royal Ascot as he attempted to emulate Yeats’ record of four Gold Cups, but it was Subjectivist who powered to an emphatic five-length victory as Stradivarius met trouble in running to finish fourth.
Mark Johnston’s stable star is building quite a CV, with last week’s success coming on the back of equally dominant victories in the G1 Prix Royal-Oak at Longchamp in October and the G2 Dubai Gold Cup at Meydan, UAE, in March.
Johnston has sent out five winners of the Al Shaqab Goodwood Cup, including Double Trigger, who captured the race three times between 1995 and 1998 – a feat surpassed by Stradivarius last year.
Johnston said: “Subjectivist has had a very easy time of it since his run in the Gold Cup. He will have a gradual return back to full work, with the Al Shaqab Goodwood Cup being the next target.
“Looking back at the Gold Cup, it was a very exciting performance. Whichever way you look at it, whether it be the form, the time, the sectional times, the distance he won by, it all points to it being an absolutely top-draw performance.
“In fairness, his win before that in Dubai was very good, but I suppose everybody is generally slightly sceptical of the Dubai form. But at Ascot he has confirmed it by running a very similar race in terms of style. I don’t think there are any doubts about the horse now.
“It is well-documented that I love the stayers, and it means a huge amount to me personally to have a horse like this. With horses who run in these big two-mile plus races, the big concern is can you keep them sound, but barring any injuries or problems, he is an extremely exciting horse to have.”
Regarding a rematch with Stradivarius, Johnston added: “I think if you read my blog, you will see that I said, ‘Subjectivist was bred by Susan Hearn, Barry Hearn’s wife, and if this was another sport, Barry Hearn would be promoting the rematch and we’d all be making a lot of money out of it!’ But seriously, a big clash between these two horses at Goodwood will be very good for racing.”
Stradivarius has made the Al Shaqab Goodwood Cup his own since landing the spoils for the first time as a three-year-old in 2017. Bjorn Nielsen’s homebred is chasing an unprecedented fifth straight victory, a feat unlikely to be repeated in a race that dates back to 1812.
Other high-profile entries include G2 Yorkshire Cup victor Spanish Mission (Andrew Balding), who was third behind Subjectivist at Royal Ascot, and 2019 St Leger victor Logician (John & Thady Gosden).
Irish trainer Joseph O’Brien has three entries, including Melbourne Cup victor Twilight Payment and prolific G2 Belmont Gold Cup winner Baron Samedi.
The Al Shaqab Goodwood Cup is part of the British Champions Series.
Love and Audarya among 29 entries for Qatar Nassau Stakes
Love and Audarya could lock horns again in the 10-furlong £600,000 G1 Qatar Nassau Stakes (29 entries) for fillies and mares on Thursday, July 29.
The duo both ran mighty races on their seasonal returns to finish first and second against the boys in the G1 Prince Of Wales’s Stakes at Royal Ascot, with Love coming out on top by three-parts of a length.
Audarya was having her first start since providing trainer James Fanshawe with a memorable first Breeders’ Cup success in the G1 Filly & Mare Turf at Keeneland in November. The daughter of Wootton Basset also captured the G1 Prix Jean Romanet at Deauville in August.
Fanshawe said: “Audarya has only been doing steady canters since Royal Ascot, but she seems very well.
“The Prince Of Wales’s Stakes was her first run of the year, so you are never totally sure what to expect, and the same applied to Love obviously, but I was just really pleased with her performance and the way she has come out of the race.
“She has a couple of other entries beforehand, but the Qatar Nassau Stakes is a really nice race to aim for. Thanks to the support of Qatar, the prize money is fantastic, and it usually throws up a good clash between the three-year-olds and the older fillies and mares.”
Love’s trainer Aidan O’Brien has a formidable eight-strong team in total, with Love joined by Classic winners Snowfall, Mother Earth, Joan Of Arc and Empress Josephine.
Snow Lantern (Richard Hannon) could tackle a mile and a quarter for the first time following her encouraging second in the G1 Coronation Stakes, as could G1 Lockinge Stakes runner-up Lady Bowthorpe (William Jarvis).
Ebaiyra (Alain de Royer-Dupre) is the sole French-trained entry following a decisive success in the G2 Prix Corrida at Saint-Cloud in May.
The Qatar Nassau Stakes is part of the British Champions Series.
Battaash, Space Blues and Wonderful Tonight among high-class entries for G2 prizes
Entries are revealed today for the G2 Qatar Lennox Stakes, G2 King George Qatar Stakes and G2 Qatar Lillie Langtry Stakes.
King George Qatar Stakes
Battaash (Charlie Hills) is likely to bid for an unprecedented fifth straight victory in the £300,000 G2 King George Qatar Stakes (25 entries) on Friday, July 30. The seven-year-old has posted some of his standout performances at the Qatar Goodwood Festival, including when breaking the five-furlong track record in 2020 with a time of 55.62s.
The entries also include top-class filly Glass Slippers (Kevin Ryan), who enjoyed a golden autumn in 2020, plundering both France’s G1 Prix de l’Abbaye and the G1 Breeders’ Cup Turf Sprint at Keeneland. Impressive Wokingham victor Rohaan (David Evans) and Dragon Symbol (Archie Watson), who lost the G1 Commonwealth Cup in the stewards’ room, are other eye-catching contenders.
Qatar Lillie Langtry Stakes
Fresh from victory in the G2 Hardwicke Stakes, Wonderful Tonight is the headline act in the £300,000 G2 Qatar Lillie Langtry Stakes (35 entries) over a mile and three-quarters on Saturday, July 31.
The David Menuisier-trained filly, who also holds an entry in the G1 Qatar Nassau Stakes, has won her last three starts, having ended last season with a G1 double at Longchamp and Ascot against her own sex.
The 35 entries also feature Irish raider Search For A Song (Dermot Weld), who has been successful in the last two editions of the G1 Irish St Leger.
There are two possible French-trained runners in Valia (Alain de Royer-Dupre), who chased home Subjectivist in the G1 Prix Royal-Oak, and Listed scorer Noble Music (Jerome Reynier).
Qatar Lennox Stakes
Last year’s winner Space Blues is one of 40 entries for the G2 Qatar Lennox Stakes over seven furlongs on Tuesday, July 27. The five-year-old subsequently went on to G1 success in the Prix Maurice de Gheest at Deauville. His trainer Charlie Appleby can also call upon Creative Force, who continued his rise through the ranks with a fourth straight victory in the G3 Jersey Stakes at Royal Ascot.
Lope Y Fernandez heads three entries for Aidan O’Brien following a good second to Palace Pier in the G1 Queen Anne Stakes, while Chindit (Richard Hannon) has run with credit to finish fifth in both the G1 QIPCO 2000 Guineas and G1 St James’s Palace Stakes.
Unibet Stewards’ Cup and Unibet Golden Mile
Entries also closed for the two feature handicaps of the week – the £225,000 Unibet Stewards’ Cup on Saturday, July 31 and £150,000 Unibet Golden Mile on Friday, July 30.
Arecibo (Robert Cowell), runner-up in the G1 King’s Stand Stakes, tops 123 entries for the Unibet Stewards’ Cup, while G1 Queen Anne Stakes third Sir Busker (William Knight) heads 75 entries for the Unibet Golden Mile.
Weights for both races will be published on Wednesday, June 30.
Unibet Stewards’ Cup - Unibet prices:
8/1 Boomshalaa
12/1 First Folio, Meraas
14/1 Fresh, Hurricane Ivor
16/1 Aljady, Boardman, Desert Safari, Kimifive, Rebel At Dawn, Summerghand, Zarzyni,
18/1 Saint Lawrence
20/1 Arecibo, Atalanta’s Boy, Bielsa, Chil Chil, Edraak, Ejtilaab, Get It, Lampang, Major Jumbo, Only Spoofing, Royal Scimitar, Stone Of Destiny, Verhoyen
25/1 Bickerstaffe, Boundless Power, Commanche Falls, Dubai Station, Final Song, Gulliver, Indian Creek, Lexington Dash, Mr Lupton, National League, Ostilio, Premier Power, Punchbowl Flyer, Shine So Bright, Staxton
33/1 Above, Chiefofchiefs, Danzeno, Firepower, Hey Jonesy, Hyperfocus, Mighty Gurkha, Mo Celita, Mondammej, Motagally, Open Wide, Raaeb, Roulston Scar, Streamline, Tinto, Tone The Barone
40/1 Barbill, Blind Beggar, Chairmanoftheboard, Danzan, Great Ambassador, Justanotherbottle, Power Over Me, Shark Two One, Society Lion, Sunday Sovereign, Total Commitment, Zargun, Zip
50/1 A Pint Of Bear, A Sure Welcome, Able Kane, Brian The Snail, Celsius, Count Otto, Equality, George Bowen, Global Warning, Jadwal, Jonah Jones, Manigordo, Mokaatil, Raatea, Sir Benedict
Soldier’s Minute, Treacherous, Venturous, Yimou, Zhui Feng, Zim Baby
66/1 Abduction, Ascot Adventure, Be Prepared, Bernardo O’Reilly, Concierge, Dark Shift, Ebury
Embour, Gabrial The Devil, Ivasecret, Music Society, My Wagyu, Quickstep Lady, Show Me Show Me, Strongbowe, Thegreatshowman
100/1 Be Proud, Bowling Russian, Call Me Ginger, Kendergarten Kop, Lockdown, Mamillius, May Remain, Stake Acclaim, The Lamplighter, Tommy G, Victory Angel
150/1 Dark Shot, Giogiobbo, Primo’s Comet, Tanasoq
Unibet Golden Mile - Unibet prices:
6/1 Real World
7/1 Aldaary
8/1 Ajyaall
10/1 Ametist, Magical Morning, Perotto, Rhoscolyn, Thibaan
12/1 Montatham, Variyann
14/1 Marie’s Diamond, Maydanny, Sir Busker
16/1 Finest Sound, Raadobarg, Qaader
20/1 Ascension, Baashir, Chance, Danyah, Grove Ferry, Johan, Syrtis, Titan Rock
25/1 Cruyff Turn, Irish Admiral, Jumaira Bay, Kyrnen, Lord Campari, Matthew Flinders, Path Of Thunder, Qaysar
33/1 Acquitted, Afaak, Beat Le Bon, Bedouin’s Story, Corazon Espinado, Dalanijujo, Dingle, Dogged, Dubai Mirage, Epic Endeavour, Escobar, Fox Champion, Ouzo, Ropey Guest, Starshiba, Stunning Beauty, Talbot, What’s The Story
40/1 Caradoc, Dyami, Orbaan, Trais Fluors
50/1 Another Batt, Artistic Rifles, Caspian Queen, Crownthorpe, Eagleway, Fantasy Believer, Hartswood, Hieronymus, Hortzadar, Jack’s Point, La Maquina, Plantadream, Shelir, Tadleel, Tintoretto, Zip
66/1 Cliffs Of Capri, Ebury, Greenside, Milltown Star, Power Of States