- The 2026 horseracing season concludes with Season Finale presented by Virgin Bet.
- Oisin Murphy wins Goodwood Racecourse’s Leading Jockey title.
- Richard Hannon crowned Goodwood Racecourse’s Leading Trainer.
- Racecourse Director James Crespi looks back on a successful 2026 season.
Goodwood Racecourse’s 2026 horseracing season came to a close on Sunday 11 October with an unforgettable afternoon of racing at Season Finale presented by Virgin Bet. Across the past six months and 19 fixtures, the Sussex racecourse has welcomed visitors internationally and staged some of the year’s most exciting Flat racing. The final fixture saw Oisin Murphy win Leading Jockey for the 2026 season, while Richard Hannon took the title of Leading Trainer capping a successful year at Goodwood.
After being crowned Leading Jockey, Oisin Murphy said: “I’m delighted to be leading rider at Goodwood Racecourse again in 2026. I can’t thank everyone at Goodwood enough, obviously to the Duke of Richmond for employing great people like Ed Arkell and Adam Waterworth and everyone who’s behind them. They work really hard all year round to put on a great show, and I’ve been very lucky here, so let’s look forward to 2027.”
The racecourse’s flagship event, the Qatar Goodwood Festival presented by Visit Qatar, enjoyed five days of glorious sunshine, welcoming racegoers globally to a packed programme of world-class racing and hospitality. One of the week’s defining races was Bow Echo’s historic Visit Qatar Sussex Stakes victory under Billy Loughnane, completing the 2,000 Guineas, St James’s Palace Stakes and Sussex Stakes treble.
Goodwood Racecourse Director, James Crespi said: “We’ve had another fantastic year at Goodwood, with exceptionally warm weather, incredible racing and memorable moments both on and off the track. The Qatar Goodwood Festival presented by Visit Qatar was, as always, a particular highlight. It’s also a pleasure to see so many people from across the UK and overseas support the sport and come together to enjoy the unique atmosphere at Goodwood.
It’s been a packed programme of events, from our popular Three Friday Nights where local DJ Riordan played to a sell-out crowd, to the Markel Magnolia Cup, a much-loved fixture in the Goodwood calendar featuring jockey silks designed by Gabriela Hearst. We also continued our series of pop-ups from award-winning local restaurants and welcomed Bolney as our Official English Wine Partner.
As we bring the 2026 season to a close, I’d like to thank our racegoers, partners, owners, trainers, jockeys, stable staff and the wider Goodwood team for making it so memorable. We are already looking ahead to 2027 and building on a very successful 2026 season.”
Season Finale results:
Division Day ridden by Charlie Deutsch wins the The Alderbrook Handicap Stakes (For Professional Jump Jockeys).
Brynmair Gold ridden by Oisin Murphy wins The Virgin Bet/British EBF Restricted Novice Stakes.
Lots Road ridden by Rhys Clutterbuck wins The Irish Stallion Farms EBF Nursery Handicap Stakes.
Deep Havana ridden by James Doyle wins The Virgin Bet Daily Extra Places Handicap Stakes.
Royal Acclamation ridden by Billy Loughnane wins The Virgin Bet EBF Novice Stakes.
Naval Light ridden by James Doyle wins The Inkerman London Handicap Stakes.
Spirit of Athene ridden by Ashley Lewis wins The Virgin Bet A Good Bet Fillies’ Handicap Stakes.
-ENDS-
