Qatar Goodwood Festival Saturday reports and replays: Sweet William Ebor favourite
By Sporting Life
19:09 · SAT August 05, 2023
A review of the rest of the action from the final day of the Qatar Goodwood Festival.
Sweet summer success
Sweet William (9/4 favourite) lived up to his billing in the Coral Summer Handicap, completing a hat-trick in the process.
The ante-post favourite for the Sky Bet Ebor needed to win this prize to be in with a chance of making the field at York and did so in fine style despite drifting across the track.
Torcello took the field along for much of the mile and six furlongs but Sweet William and Adjuvant swept past him in the straight and it was the former who showed the better turn of foot, winning comfortably.
Adjuvant kept on for second with veteran Euchen Glen staying on for third, as he did in last year's renewal, ahead of a game Torcello.
There was a further going change following the race with conditions described as heavy (from heavy, soft in places).
A 16/1 shot with the Ebor sponsors overnight, Sweet William was cut to 8/1 and then 5s by Sky Bet. Betfair Sportsbook and Paddy Power quote John and Thady Gosden's charge at 7/1 (from 12s).
Winning rider Rab Havlin said: "He's a character all right, but he's going the right way since a gelding operation and blinkers were applied.
"I didn't want to be too handy in the race, but neither did I want to give him too much to do. I didn't want to be in front too soon, but Frankie (Dettori, on Adjuvant) came and took me along. He still idled a bit in the last half a furlong when he was on his own, but he has lots of potential.
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"I spoke to Freddy Tylicki, who won on the dam, and he said she loved the mud, which gave me a bit of confidence.
"We're hopeful that with another penalty he could get into the Ebor, and that will probably be his next target. I don't think he needs mud, but he's handled it, he stays well and I think he's pretty versatile with regards to ground.
"Philippa (Cooper, owner/breeder) has been brilliant to me over the years and always keeps me on her horses. I'm really grateful to her for that."
John Gosden added: "The York Ebor meeting might nearly be my favourite meeting of the year, but we have got to get in the race, that's the thing, it will be touch and go. If not, he is a horse who might one day step up the ladder to Cup races.
"He only ran a fortnight ago, but he did it really well. He is not a horse to train much at home, let him race, but he has grown up a lot. As soon as he hit the front he starts looking ago and he was checking the sign 'Farewell Frankie'! Next thing Frankie came upsides which focused his mind again.
"He is becoming more straightforward, he has been a lot of fun to train and it was a long time until he could race for various reasons. He does have a strong view on life and it is not necessarily where you want him to go! He is getting the idea of it well now."
Kodi claims consolation
Monsieur Kodi wins under Oisin Orr
Monsieur Kodi (9/2 favourite), trained by Richard Fahey, dominated the Coral Stewards' Sprint Handicap, the consolation race for the Stewards' Cup.
There was drama before the start when leading fancy Zaman Jemil was withdrawn after getting loose. Once the stalls opened, the majority of the field opted to race on the far side bar two running stands' side.
Live In The Moment 'won' that race but was fourth overall as the far side dominated.
Capote's Dream closed to within half a length at the line but the race was long over as Monsieur Kodi had burst clear under Oisin Orr to open up a commanding advantage inside the final furlong.
Many A Star was a further three parts of a length back in third.
The going was changed after the race to heavy, soft in places (from soft, good to soft in places).
"It's hard work, and I think it's not far off heavy ground," Orr said. "But this lad has shown he can handle it before so it was probably a bonus to us.
"It (the far rail) is the freshest ground and if you can get an advantage anywhere it's on fresher ground, so we were aiming to get over there and it's worked out."
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It wasn't all good news for Orr who picked up a four day ban for careless riding in a stewards' enquiry which found he had allowed his mount to shift right-handed when insufficiently clear for several strides, hampering Royal Parade who in turn hampered Justcallmepete.
Harriet Cozens, part of owners Middleham Park Racing XVI, said: “I think there are six of us here today. We were hopeful, very hopeful, he likes the ground.
"Callum said he had a really good chance today, it really depended on whether he could cope with the really soft ground, but they were very, very hopeful for an excellent run – and it’s brilliant that he’s got his head in front again, as he is superb.
"It’s totally glorious. To have a horse win on one of the biggest days of the race meeting of the whole calendar is very special. Very special.”
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