Andrew Nelis racing

One Master made the most of a drop down in class when getting up almost on the line to strike gold in the Saint Clair Oak Tree Stakes at Goodwood. Out of luck in two starts at Group One level this season, the William Haggas-trained six-year-old made her return to calmer waters a triumphant one in the Group Three prize. A fourth straight defeat appeared on the cards for the daughter of Fastnet Rock, who found herself in a pocket between rivals entering the closing stages of the seven-furlong event....                    Andrew Nelis racing .

Nahaarr  bids to continue his ascent up the sprinting ladder with victory in a typically competitive renewal of the  Unibet  Stewards’ Cup at  Goodwood  on Saturday. The son of Dark Angel won his first four starts as a three-year-old last season, before rounding off his campaign by finishing third at Newmarket in August. His return from a 10-month absence on the Rowley Mile was a little underwhelming – but his third in the Silver Wokingham at Royal Ascot was a step in the right direction, and he could hardly have been more impressive at Newbury a fortnight ago...                               Andrew Nelis .

Plans to allow racegoers to attend the final day of the Qatar Goodwood Festival have been scrapped after the Government announced the cancellation of further pilot events for the return of crowds to sporting venues due to the coronavirus pandemic. The Sussex Downs were due to welcome a crowd of 5,000 on Saturday, which would have been the first time racegoers have been allowed on a racecourse since March. The fixture was selected as part of a series of pilot events, along with two county cricket matches and world championship snooker at The Crucible in Sheffield....                     Andrew Nelis Racing .

Fancy Blue fended off fellow Irish raider One Voice to win the Qatar Nassau Stakes at Goodwood. Trained by Donnacha O'Brien, Fancy Blue gave the young handler a landmark first Classic success when lifting the Prix de Diane on her most recent start and she added to those gains with a gutsy performance. Magic Wand, trained by O'Brien's father, Aidan, set a steady pace up front and Fancy Blue sat on her heels throughout before Ryan Moore gave her the signal to go on..

Willie Mullins has a strong hand as he bids to claim the  Guinness Galway Hurdle  for a fourth time. After first landing the prestigious handicap with Mystical City in 1996, the Closutton handler had to wait another 20 years to double his tally with Clondaw Warrior – before the top-class Sharjah provided him with a third victory in 2018. The champion trainer’s son Patrick was aboard Sharjah, and on Thursday takes the ride aboard top-weight  Aramon  – who chased home stable companion Saint Roi in the County Hurdle at Cheltenham Festival in March, before making an impressive return from a break to win the Grade Three Grimes Hurdle at Tipperary last month..

Ed Walker is hoping English King can turn around the Derby form with Khalifa Sat and confirm his Group One potential in the John Pearce Racing Gordon Stakes at Goodwood. The Camelot colt shot to prominence in the Epsom betting after a facile trial success at Lingfield, but he could finish only fifth behind surprise all-the-way winner Serpentine on the big day earlier this month. Khalifa Sat finished second on that occasion, three-quarters of a length ahead of English King - and while Walker's charge was making up ground in the finish, he has full respect for the Derby runner-up..

Nazeef has already exceeded the hopes of her connections and will therefore face her next challenge with "no pressure" in the Qatar Nassau Stakes. Defending champion Deirdre and French Classic winner Fancy Blue lead the six-strong opposition to John Gosden's prolific filly in Thursday's Group One showpiece at Goodwood. Nazeef is already an "absolute star", however, in the words of owner Sheikh Hamdan Al Maktoum's racing manager Angus Gold - who is optimistic that, following her Group One breakthrough in Newmarket's Falmouth Stakes, she will take this move up to 10 furlongs in her stride..                     Andrew Nelis Racing .

Mohaather demonstrated a devastating turn of foot to win a stellar renewal of the Qatar Sussex Stakes at Goodwood. Trained by Marcus Tregoning and ridden by Jim Crowley, the four-year-old endured a luckless run in the Queen Anne Stakes at Royal Ascot - but righted the record as an impressive victor in a top-class running of the Group One showpiece. Queen Anne winner Circus Maximus set out to make all under Ryan Moore and the field was closely bunched with two furlongs to run as the leader tried to press on, with San Donato the first to make his bid and briefly looking as though he could be set to produce a shock...                        Andrew Nelis Racing .

Battaash is set to face six opponents as he bids for his fourth successive King George Qatar Stakes at Goodwood. Charlie Hills' brilliant sprinter has made Friday's Group Two race his own for the past three seasons, and is unbeaten at the Sussex track. This time, he arrives on the back of his first Royal Ascot victory, having won the Group One King's Stand Stakes with commanding authority last month...                   Andrew Nelis Racing .

Champers Elysees proved more than able for the step up in class to Listed company in Galway. Punters factored in the red-hot form of her trainer, Johnny Murtagh, in sending her off 15/8 favourite for his seven-furlong test for fillies . Inhale set an honest pace as Ben Coen and Champers Elysees kept an eye on her in fourth. When Coen asked his mount to go after the horses in front of her out of the dip, the response was immediate at the two pole where she improved to second. Inhale was soon swallowed up approaching the home bend as Champers Elysees strode away. She drew further and further clear in the final furlong to prevail by seven lengths....                       Andrew Nelis Racing 

Stradivarius pulled off a dramatic piece of racing history with a memorable performance to win his fourth successive Al Shaqab Goodwood Cup. Sent off the 4-7 favourite, John Gosden's brilliant stayer faced a major challenge on paper from the Royal Ascot and Irish Classic winner Santiago - as a three-year-old in receipt of 15lb. Frankie Dettori and the three-time Ascot Gold Cup winner had plenty on their plate in the two-mile showpiece, forced into fifth on the inside of the field as several rivals came from off the pace which was set by Nayef Road and Santiago...

John Gosden believes Santiago represents a major obstacle for Stradivarius to overcome in his bid for a historic fourth Al Shaqab Goodwood Cup victory. The Bjorn Nielsen-owned Stradivarius has dominated the staying division over the past few seasons and equalled the popular Double Trigger's record of three triumphs in this two-mile Group One with a narrow verdict over regular foe Dee Ex Bee last summer. Having destroyed his rivals when claiming a Gold Cup hat-trick at Royal Ascot last month, Stradivarius will be a warm order on his return to the Sussex Downs - but Gosden is taking nothing for granted, with Stradivarius set to concede more than a stone in weight to Aidan O'Brien's Queen's Vase and Irish Derby hero Santiago...

Classic-winning three-year-olds Kameko and Siskin square up in a field of seven for the race of the season in the Qatar Sussex Stakes at Goodwood. They were victorious in the English and Irish 2000 Guineas respectively and now take on the older horses in Wednesday’s Group One over a mile. Siskin, trained by Ger Lyons, has not raced since scoring in impressive fashion at the Curragh. His rider Colin Keane has made the decision to come over for the ride despite having to face 14 days’ quarantine on his return to Ireland. The Andrew Balding-trained Kameko drops back to this trip after finding a mile and a half too far when fourth in the Investec Derby. The two other three-year-olds in the line-up are the Aidan O’Brien-trained duo of Wichita and Vatican City. The former was second to Kameko at Newmarket, with Vatican City occupying the same spot behind Siskin at the Curragh. O’Brien also again sends over four-year-old Circus Maximus, winner of the Queen Anne Stakes at Royal Asco

Owner Philip Reynolds has confirmed his star chaser Presenting Percy will be trained by Gordon Elliott this season, after being moved from Pat Kelly's yard. The nine-year-old is a dual Cheltenham Festival winner, having supplemented his victory in the 2017 Pertemps Final with a brilliant display in the 2018 RSA Chase that saw him move to the head of ante-post lists for the following year's Cheltenham Gold Cup. However, Presenting Percy raced just once prior to his bid for Gold Cup glory - winning the Galmoy Hurdle at Gowran Park - and finished a disappointing eighth in the blue riband, after which he was diagnosed with a back problem..

Royal Ascot hero  Battleground  puts his tall reputation on the line in the Veuve Clicquot  Vintage  Stakes at  Goodwood  on Tuesday. As well as being a son of American speedster War Front, Aidan O’Brien’s youngster is the first foal out of the yard’s brilliant racemare Found – best known for winning the 2016 Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe. Despite finishing a never-nearer fifth on his racecourse debut at Naas in early June, Battleground was a well-supported favourite for the Chesham Stakes 10 days later – and that confidence was justified with an emphatic victory..

Colin Keane is counting down the days until he is reunited with Siskin in a mouthwatering renewal of the Qatar Sussex Stakes. The Ger Lyons-trained colt won four times as a juvenile last season, with his top-level triumph in August's Phoenix Stakes proving to be his final appearance after he reared up in the stalls and was withdrawn prior to the Middle Park at Newmarket. With the coronavirus pandemic delaying his return, Siskin went straight into last month's Irish 2,000 Guineas and stretched his unbeaten record to five with a dominant display - providing both his trainer and jockey with a first taste of Classic success..

Barney Roy claimed the third Group One of his career in Sunday’s Grosser Dallmayr-Preis – Bayerisches Zuchtrennen at Munich. Now a six-year-old, he won the St James’s Palace Stakes in his younger days for Richard Hannon and went on to be narrowly defeated in the Eclipse. Following a failed spell at stud, he was gelded and sent to Charlie Appleby before adding to his Group One tally at Meydan in March. It looked a good opportunity in Germany to further supplement to his haul, but it was hard work for William Buick. As the field turned into the straight, stablemate Spotify was better positioned in second with Barney Roy last and being ridden vigorously. He began to respond, though, and while Joseph O’Brien’s Patrick Sarsfield briefly looked like hitting the front, Barney Roy hit top gear. Quest The Moon pushed him all the way to the line, but Barney Roy held on by a neck with Patrick Sarsfield’s winning run coming to an end in third. “There was a strong pace from the start

Ken Condon's Thunder Beauty went into plenty of notebooks after landing the two-year-old fillies' maiden on debut at the Curragh. The daughter of Night Of Thunder attracted plenty of support this morning as her price halved from 16/1 to 8/1 before going off 12/1 at the track. She broke smartly in this big field of 17 runners over six furlongs and was well to the fore under Billy Lee. She had front-running Moon In Her Eye and Allagar well within range at halfway and readily tanked into the lead when asked for more by Lee over a furlong out. Harannda challenged her inside the final furlong, but Thunder Beauty always looked to have her measure and went on by a length and three quarters. The winner had to survive a stewards enquiry, though, as she edged left and tightened up Harannda approaching the final 100 yards...

Stradivarius will face Irish Derby winner Santiago as he attempts to win the Al Shaqab Goodwood Cup for a fourth time on Tuesday. John Gosden's chestnut looked imperious in winning a third Gold Cup at Ascot last month and will aim to keep hold of his title as the best stayer around. However, he needs to give 15lb to Aidan O'Brien's Santiago, who like Stradivarius won the Queen's Vase at Ascot, but charted a different path by dropping back in trip to claim Classic glory...

Blue Mist put his luckless run at Royal Ascot behind him with a dominant victory in the Moet & Chandon International Stakes. Roger Charlton's charge was a well-supported favourite for the Silver Wokingham at the Berkshire circuit last month - but a tardy start put him on the back foot, and he encountered trouble in running on his way to finish a never-nearer ninth. There were no such problems on his return to Ascot this time, however, as the 9-2 market leader travelled strongly for much of the seven-furlong journey under Ryan Moore before displaying a sharp turn of foot to leave his rivals trailing in his wake..

Aspetar ran out an impressive winner of the Sky Bet York Stakes to complete a memorable 15 minutes for Roger Charlton. Hot on the heels of Blue Mist winning the Moet & Chandon International Stakes at Ascot for Charlton, his five-year-old turned what looked a competitive Group Two into something of a stroll on the Knavesmire. Aspetar had in fact won a Group One in Germany last season, but escaped a penalty for that success, and surely more races at the highest level await following this impressive display..

Surprise Investec Derby winner Serpentine will head to France for his next outing in the Juddmonte Grand Prix de Paris. The Group One on September 13 takes place at ParisLongchamp on the same day as the Prix Vermeille and Prix Foy, but there will be no Prix Niel this season as a result. Serpentine made every yard of the running at Epsom – winning by five and a half lengths, having only broken his maiden a week earlier. “The plan with him is to go for the Grand Prix de Paris on the same day as the Arc trials,” said trainer Aidan O’Brien. “The lads (owners Coolmore) wanted to keep him at a mile and a half, with a view that he could go for the Arc or something like that. “Santiago, we always had marked down with the Leger – which is why we’re going to Goodwood with him in between – (and) I wouldn’t imagine Serpentine will go the Leger.                        Andrew Nelis racing 

Last year's winner Magical is the star attraction among six horses declared for the Tattersalls Gold Cup at the Curragh on Sunday. Aidan O'Brien's mare was a brilliant winner of the 10-furlong Group One last season and was last seen adding a fifth top-level success to her record in the Pretty Polly Stakes four weeks ago. Magical also had the option of taking on old foe Enable in the King George VI And Queen Elizabeth Qipco Stakes at Ascot on Saturday, but connections elected to keep her at home and she will be red-hot favourite to become the first horse to claim back-to-back renewals of the Tattersalls Gold Cup since So You Think (2011 and 2012)...                     Andrew Nelis Racing 

The  Derby  Festival at Epsom is open to a new lead sponsor and naming partner from 2021 after the Jockey Club and Investec agreed to end their 12-year partnership. As well as the Derby itself, sponsorship of the Oaks and the Coronation Cup is up for grabs, with the latter event set to return to Epsom in 2021 having been moved to Newmarket this year due to the coronavirus pandemic. In normal years, the Derby Festival is usually run over two days, with Derby day taking place on the first Saturday in June. This year the meeting was condensed to one afternoon on July 4 and successfully delivered behind closed doors..                        Andrew Nelis Racing .

Roger Varian has paid tribute to his "trainer's dream" and Royal Ascot winner Mountain Angel. The six-year-old was being prepared for the Group Two Sky Bet York Stakes when suffering a fatal injury in his final gallop before this weekend's race. Mountain Angel proved himself better than ever by beating the classy Sir Dragonet in the Wolferton Stakes at the Royal meeting last month - and Newmarket trainer Varian was so impressed that he was planning ahead to a possible return to Ascot in October for the Champion Stakes...                Andrew Nelis Racing .

Marcus Tregoning is under no illusions as to the calibre of opposition Mohaather is set to tackle at Goodwood next week. The Qatar Sussex Stakes is shaping up to be one of the races of the season, with British and Irish 2000 Guineas winners Kameko and Siskin set to face off over a mile on the Downs, and unbeaten dual Group One winner Earthlight another possible challenger for the Classic generation. The older horse division is also set to be more than well represented, with Queen Anne winner Circus Maximus a likely contender along with Tregoning’s Mohaather, who had a luckless passage behind that rival at the Royal meeting but has since returned to Ascot to claim a bloodless victory in the Summer Mile. Siskin's trainer Ger Lyons has already singled out Mohaather as his biggest concern on Tuesday - and Tregoning certainly reciprocates that healthy respect.                        Andrew Nelis Racing 

Enable will face just three rivals - all trained by Aidan O'Brien - as she bids for a piece of history at Ascot on Saturday afternoon. John Gosden's six-year-old mare will become the first horse ever to win the King George on three separate occasions if she can go one better than on her seasonal comeback in the Coral-Eclipse earlier in the month. Standing in her way are just a trio of horses from the Ballydoyle camp, namely Japan, Anthony Van Dyck and likely outsider Sovereign....

Aloha Star could take on the boys in next month’s Keeneland Phoenix Stakes following her Group Two triumph at the Curragh. Despite having opened her account at the third time of asking at Bellewstown on her previous outing, Fozzy Stack’s filly was a largely unconsidered 33-1 outsider for Sunday’s Airlie Stud Stakes. However, her performance in beating odds-on favourite Frenetic by a head came as no surprise to her trainer. Stack said: “It was great to see her go and do that, because she’s a filly we always thought a lot of. “She was just a bit dizzy and fresh in Naas the first day, and then Chris (Hayes) taught her a lesson in how to settle in Tipperary. “She won well in Bellewstown and stepped up again on Sunday, so it’s great.” Considering future targets, he added: “We’ll think about the Phoenix Stakes — she would have to be supplemented for that. Later on you’ve got the Moyglare, which we can put her in at the second entry stage. “I was thinking about the Lowther at Y