Ian Ogg, Andrew Asquith and Matt Brocklebank look ahead to day three of the Qatar Goodwood Festival following Thursday's confirmations.
We have a short-priced Nassau Stakes favourite in Diamond Necklace – are you likely to be for or against?
Ian Ogg: See The Fire, who didn't have her ground last season, has finished second and third in the last two renewals and was only beaten a neck in 2024, while Group 1 winner Friendly Soul has shaped as though retaining all of her ability in a luckless 2026 so it might not be as straightforward as the odds suggest for Diamond Necklace. That said, I'm in no rush to take on such an exciting filly who remains unbeaten with connections on record as saying is a filly who just does enough.
Andrew Asquith: Diamond Necklace is clearly a smart filly who has done nothing wrong in her career so far, but at her current odds I’d have to be against her. The obvious one to me would be Friendly Soul, a Group 1 winner in 2024 who put an unfortunate run after 20 months off at Haydock behind her when an unlucky third at Royal Ascot last month. She didn’t get the rub of the green that day, but she did confirm herself still capable of smart form, and she’s still not fully exposed.
Matt Brocklebank: She's clearly talented but is going to be a tad too short for my liking. I'm also just a little bit wary of a Ballydoyle filly coming back from 46 days off, having been finely tuned for two Classics and with some big challenges to come deeper into the campaign. Diamond Necklace may not need to be at her absolute best to add the Nassau to her tally but I came away from Royal Ascot thinking Friendly Soul was a mare back on track after the Haydock mishap (no fault of her own) and I've no reason to change my mind now. As a former Prix de l'Opera winner she's got plenty of quality about her and is going to relish the step back up to 10 furlongs here.
The Group 2 Richmond Stakes brings together some interesting contenders. Who do you like here?
Ian Ogg: The Crisfords won this race in 2023 with Vandeek and they have another exciting youngster on their hands in Flann Sunna. He beat a subsequent winner in good style at Windsor on debut and improved from that experience to win what could turn out to be a pretty well contested conditions stakes at Ascot (replay below). Flann Sunna won by over four lengths in Berkshire, showing plenty of dash, and he should be able to make a winning start for his new owner.
Andrew Asquith: Cut A Dash ran to a high level for a two-year-old newcomer when making a winning start at York in a race which produced a very good timefigure and he was far from disgraced pitched into the Coventry at Royal Ascot on just his second start. He coped well with the different demands of a bigger field and that should have aided his development further so he would be top of my shortlist.
Matt Brocklebank: Persian Spring was spared a hard race after getting a troubled passage in the Norfolk Stakes and he could be worth another shot to prove himself at Group level. The son of Persian Force won a York novice in decent style in May and he looks to have enough natural pace to cope well with this speed-favouring course.
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Do you have an early view on the Gordon Stakes?
Ian Ogg: The Gordon Stakes could go to the winner of the King George V Stakes for the second year in succession. Merchant did the double 12 months ago and Enceladus looked to be a Group winner in waiting when scoring at Royal Ascot. With that prestigious handicap win under his belt, Joseph O'Brien didn't hide the fact that that is where he hopes Enceladus' future lies with the St Leger mentioned as an end of season target and he can take a step towards that objective in what doesn't appear to be the deepest renewal.
Andrew Asquith: Enceladus looks the most interesting horse among the entries. He opened his account in a maiden at Cork on his return and improved a chunk to follow up in the ultra-competitive King George V Handicap at Royal Ascot last month, relishing the step up to a mile and a half. There’s plenty about him physically, just the sort to go on improving throughout the season, and he’s a horse who looks ready for the move up into pattern company.
Matt Brocklebank: Like the others, I'd be strongly in favour of Enceladus here. He looks to have a top attitude to match his class and the son of Sea The Stars is going to carry on improving as he matures. His King George V Stakes defeat of Al Azd gets tested at Ascot on Friday afternoon (16:05) but regardless of how that one gets on, I think Joseph O'Brien has the horse they all have to beat in the Gordon.
Give us one other to look out for on day three of the Qatar Goodwood Festival?
Ian Ogg: Keep Grating looks to have been brought along with nurseries in mind and can make his mark in the Whispering Angel Nursery for Richard Hannon. The Salisbury novice he contested on debut (16/1) has worked out respectably and I'm hoping the same will be true of the conditions race at Ascot (33/1), won by Flann Sunna, where Keep Grating was more professional out of the gates. He took another step forwards at Doncaster - first two clear of the third - and should keep progressing.
Andrew Asquith: I’ve been impressed by Ciarrai Abu so far this year and he looks interesting in the opening handicap. He does also hold an entry in the closing handicap over a mile, but to me he’s ready for a step up to a mile and a quarter given the way he shapes and the stamina in his pedigree. He has some strong form in the book and won have won more convincingly at Ascot last time if he’d not veered across the track. Ciarrai Abu is progressing with each run and looks one to keep on side wherever he turns up next.
Matt Brocklebank: I was ultimately a bit disappointed with the effort of Pilu in the big three-year-old sprint handicap at Newmarket earlier this month but I think we're dealing with a well-treated horse, in essence. He attracted good support in the market last time, his earlier Leicester form having worked out well, and he could be worth another chance off a 1lb lower mark on this occasion.
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