Naana's Shadow sprints clear under Oisin Murphy

Our takeaways from the Qatar Goodwood Festival

Horse Racing

Sat August 01, 2026 · 2h ago

Nic Doggett and Ian Ogg offer their reflections on the Qatar Goodwood Festival presented by Visit Qatar.

A classic crop

The three-year-olds have it.

Of that there can be little doubt following scintillating performances from Bow Echo and Diamond Necklace. Both had their knockers which is perfectly reasonable when you're at - or close to - the top of the tree whether you're a punter or just wondering whether it's too early to anoint the next star.

I suppose you could argue that Bow Echo has largely been beating the same horses and it's a shame that Rayif didn't make Royal Ascot nor Notable Speech the Sussex but that's largely the nature of the (very good) programme for the division that builds nicely towards the all age contests in the second half of the season. There were plenty who thought Opera Ballo would lay down a strong challenge and he was brushed aside as were more in-running travails. The next chapter is eagerly awaited.

"She did everything remarkably well. I knew how good she was since Leopardstown when she gave me such an amazing feeling. It's difficult to say she's the new Zarkava but for me today was something rare. For me she's a special filly."

That was Christophe Soumillon after winning the Prix Marcel Boussac and now we have heard Ryan Moore describing Diamond Necklace as "a proper racing machine". She sprinted away from a couple of very good older horses to leave some suggesting she could be even better than stablemate Constitution River - now that would be some race but they won't, will they? (Ian Ogg)

Bow Echo flashes home late to land the Sussex Stakes

Aidan O'Brien is the best loser

Yes, the lengthy name checks of everyone involved with each winning horse feels like as much a distraction tactic as genuine praise – and I do think it is genuine – but there's certainly a contrast between the reactions to this week's defeats for Gstaad and Trawlerman.

Straight after the Goodwood Cup, John Gosden said: “It was a messy race. He got interfered with early and then the pace early was quite strong. He got into a nice rhythm down the hill and I noticed Ryan was beginning to ride on Scandinavia and we had a length and a half on him.

“The loose horse came back and visited us again and, once you check and lose your rhythm, that's it in any race, let alone when you're finding a rhythm over that trip.

“When you've been crossed like that and checked, he's not the type to turn around and start quickening. He has to build it up, which he was. But look, that's the way it is. We got the worst of it and we went from being a length and a half in front to a length and a half behind. That's racing.”

Though it ended with a touch of c'est la vie, it felt a little like a toddler bemoaning the loss of sweets that weren't theirs in the first place – surely only the blinkered (or goggled) would think that the result would have been any different. The only sadness was that racing fans didn't get a repeat of the protracted tussle we enjoyed at Royal Ascot.

In contrast, that's exactly what we were treated to in the Sussex 24 hours later, and it's what we should be in for again later in the season according to O'Brien.

Speaking on Thursday, he said: "We've met these types of horses, such as Sea The Stars, before, and we love that challenge. It's what makes it very interesting. We have to keep tweaking and changing things, working out what you can do, to try to make them better. Maybe they won't come on as quickly as you want them to, but that's part of it.

"There's very little between them. We'll try to beat him. Gstaad and Bow Echo are two very good colts, and yesterday was against the older horses too. What's in our horse's favour is that he's a big horse and is physically improving all the time."

It's hard to see the tables ever being turned, really, but it's much easier to cheer for someone who appears to relish the challenge rather than the lament. (Nic Doggett)

Dr Rascal comes out on top in the Coral Vintage Stakes

Over the moon

Last Saturday emotion nearly got the better of Andrew Balding and on Tuesday it was Oliver Cole's turn after Dr Rascal made the most of a small gap up the inside to win the Vintage Stakes under Kaiya Fraser.

It was a first Vintage Stakes for Cole whose father, Paul, won it three times and the victory clearly meant a huge amount to both trainer and jockey as the former seeks to establish himself and re-establish the stables towards the higher echelons. A lot has changed since the likes of Generous and Snurge graced the Whatcombe gallops but the ambition and determination clearly burns brightly in the current licence holder.

It appears to have been a smoother passing of the baton from Mark Johnston to Charlie Johnston for all that neither stable has the patronage they once did. Both Johnstons tend to play off the front foot and are always engaging interviewees and Charlie was typically straightforward following Sword Salute's 33/1 success in the Whispering Angel Nursery.

Long gone are the days when the Middleham team used to mop up races this week but it was enjoyable to see the Johnston team remind people, if a reminder was needed, that they can produce the results given the right material.

Richard Hannon's interviews are usually conducted in a breezier manner but it still made the ears prick up when he answered "over the moon" to the question of whether he was happy with the strength of his juveniles. There could be a lot more to come from the East Everleigh Stables, and Pershaada in particular. (Ian Ogg)

Naana's Shadow sprints clear under Oisin Murphy

Bargain buys to the fore

A lot of the focus these days is on those huge sums of money being bandied around for all types of horses by those who have enough to lose down the back of the (designer) sofa. The seven Wathnan Racing winners cost an average of £350,000, though at least they won, which looks money well spent compared to some.

But not, it turns out, compared to quite a few others.

The Molecomb winner Pershaada cost 88,000 guineas – a relatively large sum for her owners – but has already recouped most of that, while fellow two-year-old winner Avalon Queen cost 50,000 guineas despite being out of a dual Group winner who is from the family of Monsun.

Tuesday's five-furlong handicap winner Twilight Calls was picked up at the 2024 Autumn Horses In Training sales for 80,000 guineas, while Sing The Blues – who won the six furlong three-year-old contest a couple of hours later – is surely the greatest bargain of all at just 6,000.

Bought online out of the William Haggas yard, the Space Blues filly has won both starts since and is now unbeaten in three under Cieren Fallon; hopefully he has been given a finder's fee.

Wednesday's six-furlong sprint for older horses went to French Affair on his first start for Jennie Candlish (and owners Pompey Ventures) since leaving Richard Hannon; 55,000 guineas well-spent, if not fully recouped just yet.

Finally, in amongst the O'Brien winners on Thursday, was Naana's Shadow, one of the success stories of the season.

Trained in the Borders by Katie Scott, she was bought by Summerstorm Bloodstock for 20,000 guineas in November and has won four races since, including plundering valuable pots at Epsom, York and now Goodwood.

The Prix de l'Abbaye remains a long-term target - "I took a bit of a mad turn" said Scott – but it looks a lot less rash now. (Nic Doggett)