Review of the action from day three of the Qatar Goodwood Festival

More Group One glory for Godolphin

Wild Illusion put her superior stamina to good use to win the Qatar Nassau Stakes at Goodwood.

Trained by Charlie Appleby and ridden by William Buick, the 4-1 shot stepped up on her second places in both the Oaks at Epsom and the Ribblesdale at Royal Ascot to claim the second Group One success of her career.

Buick opted to set the early gallop in the six-runner heat, with Wild Illusion rolling along nicely in front and Urban Fox and Rhododendron keeping tabs on her, along with Veracious.

However, when the pace heated up in the straight, Aidan O'Brien's Rhododendron dropped away tamely, leaving the William Haggas-trained Urban Fox to serve it up to the front-runner, who was also fourth in the 1000 Guineas.

Dropping back to 10 furlongs from a mile and a half, Wild Illusion had plenty in reserve when push came to shove, kicking on again to win by two lengths.

Derby-winning trainer Appleby, who along with Buick has had a tremendous season, said: "We've been looking for her three-year-old career to get that Group One tag under her belt.

"Coming into the race - take out Rhododendron - in respect of the three-year-olds, she brought the best two-year-old form into it. She is a past winner of the Marcel Boussac and I felt dropping back to 10 furlongs would suit her. William gave her a great tactical ride from the front. He is fantastic on the front end, we have seen that time after time and he had the right, willing partner.

"I just said to William, from half a mile out start to stretch them as she will get a mile and a quarter standing on her head, so let's see if the batch in behind would see it out. As far as I'm concerned, she saw it out gamely and the others haven't. The Yorkshire Oaks is potentially there under consideration. That (Prix de l'Opera) is what we had her earmarked for."

Appleby added: "In the spring, she ran well in the Guineas and I was having to slightly mind her going into the Oaks and since Ascot, she has turned a corner.

"Physically I think that is the best she looked so far this season, walking round the paddock. She is a Dubawi and this is their time of year. They thrive in the second half of the season.

"As I said to the lads in the yard, it is fantastic but the only problem is it puts the mantle higher for next season. It has been a phenomenal season and I'm just lucky to be in this position, with this calibre of horse and the team behind me."

Haggas felt Urban Fox, winner of the Pretty Polly Stakes at the Curragh, had simply been beaten by a better horse on the day.

He said: "She ran well. I think the winner was a good filly today, but she has run a very solid race and I'm very pleased with her. Danny (Tudhope) said the winner kept finding and kicked and he could never quite get to her. She has won well the winner.

"Our filly stayed OK, it was a strong field and I don't think I see the need to try a mile and a half.

"We've put her in the Romanet (at Deauville). It's two weeks away and it might be a bit early, but it is four-year-olds and up and that might be more appealing than giving the three-year-olds eight 8lb.

"I'm not complaining about the weight for age and that could prove to be her best run today."

Richard Hannon's 1000 Guineas winner Billesdon Brook stayed on in fourth at her first try at a mile and a quarter, leaving her trainer planning a drop back in trip.

Hannon said: "I thought she travelled very well and I thought she would go close for a bit. For me and Tom (Marquand, jockey), we just felt the speed of the race took the zip out of her a bit. She has run a super race and there are all sorts of Group One winners in there.

"I'm delighted with her and we've got our filly back. We will probably go back to a mile. I'm not sure she did get the trip, but at the end of the day the winner is a good filly.

"The Guineas was no fluke and she has proved that there. She is a lovely filly to go on with this year.

"There are a few options this year. There is the QEII at Ascot. The Sun Chariot has got to be her obvious target. She has not had a hard year and we finished fifth in this with Sky Lantern before winning the Sun Chariot."

Welcome winner for Ballydoyle

Aidan O'Brien scored his first winner of the week at Goodwood as Land Force lifted the Qatar Richmond Stakes.

The Ballydoyle handler has made no secret of the fact his yard is not quite firing on all cylinders at present, but Land Force was nevertheless well supported for this Group Two heat, being sent off the 5-2 favourite under Ryan Moore.

A son of No Nay Never, Land Force raced prominently enough as Konchek helped force the early pace and Moore was left in front with a couple of furlongs to run, but the challengers would not go away.

He appeared to hit a bit of a flat spot inside the distance, but as Marie's Diamond came up to his quarters, Land Force found a little extra to come home a length clear.

Anglesey Stakes winner Marie's Diamond, who was led out unsold at £675,000 at the Goodwood Sale on Wednesday evening, clung on to minor honours by a neck from Shine So Bright.

O'Brien was not present, leaving Coolmore's UK representative Kevin Buckley to outline possible plans for the colt.

He said: "We are very pleased with that, as he ran on very gamely at the end. He fought for Ryan nicely, he was very pleased with his attitude and it was stepping back up to six (furlongs) again - we couldn't be happier.

"We would have preferred a slightly better draw, but Ryan got him in a nice position and he battled on well for him. If you look back at his run at Ascot (third in the Norfolk Stakes), that was good form. He is out of a mare by Rock Of Gibraltar and is by No Nay Never, so it is fantastic for him to have a Group Two winner in his first crop. We will probably step him up in class now and whether we look at the Morny or the Phoenix Stakes at the Curragh, they could be on the agenda."

Varian ace edges Langtry thriller

Pilaster and Maid Up fought out a thrilling finish to the Qatar Lillie Langtry Stakes, with the first-named just prevailing in the Goodwood Group Two.

Trained by Roger Varian and ridden by David Egan, who only recently relinquished his apprentice status, Pilaster (11-4) had to fight back after being headed, to just steal the verdict by a short head.

Flattering had set the early gallop along with favourite God Given, and it looked as though the front group of four runners had stolen the advantage turning for home.

However, their early efforts told in the straight, with Pilaster and Maid Up staying on from the back to take the honours, while third-placed Star Rock was also putting in her best work at the end of the mile-and-six-furlong heat.

The stirring finish caught the eye of the stewards, but the placings remained unaltered following an inquiry.

Johnston edges closer to record

Mark Johnston inched closer to becoming the most numerically successful trainer in British racing history when Communique landed the £75,000 Matchbook Best Value Exchange Handicap.

Ridden by Silvestre De Sousa,the 7/2 favourite pulled a length-and-a-half clear of Zaman (12/1) inside the final furlong with Global Giant (25/1) a further short-head away in third.

Johnston, who has been leading trainer at the Qatar Goodwood Festival on 11 occasions, said: "After he won at Newbury earlier this season we might have thought he would be moving on to even bigger things, but he had a couple of slightly disappointing runs when things didn't go his way, and they went very much his way today.

"People talk about keeping horses busy, but he hasn't had a gallop at home since before the season started, so he's not particularly busy and they all thrive on racing. He's rated 97 so the next step is either more valuable handicaps or to go up to Pattern company."

Of his bid to land the record for number of winners in Britain, which is 4,193 and held by Richard Hannon Snr, He added: "I believe we are 17 behind now and there are lots of people talking about it, but we will enjoy it when it comes. I'm proud of it - I've never disputed that the trainers' championship should be decided on prize money won, not winners, although if it had been I would have been champion trainer on 12 occasions.

"Winners are important to owners big and small, and every year that we have a good season in terms of winners we know the owners will be back again the following season. The owners want to win more than anything else, so, of course, to train the most winners is a very important thing."

Double up for Johnston

Mark Johnston made it two winners on the day and three for the week as Accordance made it second time lucky.

The Middleham handler enjoyed a high-profile success with Dark Vision in the Vintage Stakes on Tuesday and Accordance looked another nice juvenile prospect in running out a clear-cut winner of the Goodwood Markel Insurance British EBF Maiden Fillies' Stakes.

Second on her debut at Doncaster last month, Accordance (9/2) put that experience to good use when kicking three-quarters of a length clear of Rux Power in the seven-furlong contest.

The trainer's son and assistant, Charlie, said: "She is a lovely filly. She had not really come on our radar at all six weeks to two months ago. She has really improved the last four weeks.

"As soon as she crossed the line in that race at Doncaster, I thought she was the perfect filly for the seven-furlong maiden here.

"It is not impossible to think she might come back here for the Prestige Stakes. We will look for some black type for her."

More, more more for Fahey

The Richard Fahey-trained More Than This (4/1 joint-favourite) maintained his unbeaten record with a game success in the Telegraph Nursery Handicap.

Ridden by Paul Hanagan, the two-year-old son of Dutch Art ran on strongly on the far-side rail to score by a length and a half in the seven-furlong contest.

Hanagan said: "More Than This did it really well. He has got a big, long and lovely stride.

"I managed to get a lovely breather into him turning in. He got a bit lonely in front, but once he was challenged, he went again. More Than This showed a great attitude and I am really looking forward to him next year.

"I don't think it is that important to get the rail, I just wanted something to race against as he is quite immature and he is such a big horse."

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