Ladies' Day at Glorious Goodwood: Updates, pictures and video from the big occasion
It’s one of the social and sporting highlights of the Sussex summer – Ladies’ Day at Glorious Goodwood.
A huge crowd filed into the racecourse for the third day of the Qatar Goodwood Festival, the day when the ladies take centre stage.
Highlights on the track included the Group 1 Qatar Nassau Stakes – won by the favourite Diamond Necklace, ridden by Ryan Moore for Aidan O’Brien – for fillies and the charity race for amateur lady riders, the Markel Magnolia Cup.
Diamond Necklace (4/6F) turned on the style to take the G1 Nassau with the minimum of fuss and stamp herself as the best three-year-old filly in Europe.
A dual Classic winner in France earlier this season, Diamond Necklace travelled powerfully into contention under a confident Moore and, when he pushed the button, the response was devastating.
The daughter of St Mark's Basilica swept past G1 scorer Friendly Soul (5/2) with a furlong to go and cleared away to win by almost three lengths, with See The Fire (7/1) a further five lengths back in third.
Diamond Necklace is now unbeaten in six starts for O’Brien, including four at the highest level, and could take in some of Europe’s premier middle-distance contests before the year is out.
O’Brien said: “Diamond Necklace is a lovely filly who has danced every dance. This was up to a mile and a quarter against older fillies, so we did not really know what was going to happen, but we wanted to put on pace to find out. We did not want a Mickey Mouse race.
Watch Steve Bone’s video feature on Diamond Necklace – from pre-parade ring to winners. enclosure – in the video player above
“She has options now, whether she stays at a mile and a quarter and goes to the fillies’ race in France, or to Leopardstown or an Arc trial. She has all of those options open to her. She goes on soft ground as well as fast ground. She is a great cruiser and progressing well.
“She is very high quality. You can see the way she travels through her races. Ryan was just saying that he was hoping to leave her longer but, when she came out, he had to go on with her because her stride was broken. She has a lot of class.
“It is possible [the Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe]. I do not know how far we ask her to go, and it will depend on everything, but the next run will tell us where she is going to go after that. She loves nice ground and a fast track, so she has lots of options.
“Constitution River will get all the options too. At the moment, he is going to York, so we are looking forward to him. The lads are never afraid to run against one another, but we will get the next one out of the way and see where we are at.”
Moore said: “That is the best Diamond Necklace has felt. She is improving with her racing. Aidan said she was up in her weights a bit today, so she is obviously thriving. She is classy, very easy really. She travelled smoothly and quickened up well.
"She is still a little bit idle in front, but she is a proper racing machine. She gives you a classy feel. Every time I have ridden her, she has travelled with loads of pace, loads of enthusiasm, and she has a turn of foot. That is what her father had, a really good turn of foot, and that is evident with her.
“I think 10 furlongs is probably her optimum, but with those classy horses, they do everything right, so there is a chance she would stay further. She would have no trouble dropping back as well. We will see.”
Co-owner Derrick Smith said: “She certainly was an enjoyable watch today. That is what we are in the game for, to see horses like this. She is six from six, she has done a Bow Echo, on all types of ground, so it is fantastic.
“You get nervous when they go in the gates and, when the gates go up and the race is on, you think, ‘Maybe it is not going to be as easy as we thought it was going to be.’ But that is what we are in it for – ‘the buzz’, as they call it, and it never leaves you. You just want more and more.”
The day began with the Markel Magnolia Cup charity race for amateur lady riders, won by Khor Al Adaid, ridden by Imaan Rasul-Healer, a racing industry employee from Newmarket,, trained by Scott Dixon.
A charity race over five and a half furlongs that features 12 participants, the Markel Magnolia Cup has raised more than £3.5 million since its launch in 2011. This year, the race supports the Education Above All (EAA) Foundation.
The global non-profit organisation transforms the lives of those affected by poverty, conflict and disaster through education and employment opportunities. It has supported more than 18 million children and young people across 77 countries since it was established in 2012 by Her Highness Sheikha Moza bint Nasser.
Rasul-Healer, who initially was first reserve and replaced Molly Hunter in the line-up this week, said: “I have got no words. It is some feeling, it is amazing. I did not think I was going to win after not having too much preparation. I got to ride the horse for the first time last Friday and thought, ‘This horse is kind of cool.’
“Scott [Dixon, trainer] let me ride him, and thank you to everyone at Amo Racing as well. I did not have any boots, and one of the jockeys gave me these on Saturday! They sorted my saddle out too, so they have been a big help.
“I was in the process throughout, and it has just been a journey. For every single fitness test, I just seemed to be ill or something was wrong. Then I fell off a two-year-old filly and hit my head and got a concussion, so I was not allowed to do my final fitness test. That is why I was first reserve, and I got the call last week and, thankfully, I have been back riding.
“The experience has been amazing. The variety of girls in the race is just amazing, and you meet so many different personalities and people from different backgrounds. You are doing it for the most amazing reason, and I think that is the main focal point – it is a charity race. It is fun, and it does not matter if you win; go out there, raise some money and just have fun."
“The charity is everything, and I am the second Muslim to win it. Charity is a huge focal point of our religion, so it is just amazing. We have got the Goodwood Ball this evening, which should be so much fun, but I will be celebrating over the next few days. It has been amazing."
Ciarrai Abu (10/3F) displayed quirks and talent in equal measure as he captured the Coral Kincsem Heritage Handicap for Harry Eustace and OTI Racing.
Having unshipped his rider George Wood on the way to post for the 10-furlong contest, Ciarrai Abu cruised into contention and looked the likely winner when taking it up a furlong out. However, he wandered around under pressure and had to repel challengers on both sides. Once straightened out, the winning margin was a decisive length from Bourbon Blues (25/1), with Evanesco (11/1) a short-head further back in third.
Successful at Goodwood in June, Ciarrai Abu has now won three of his last four starts and is likely to ship to Australia in the future.
Eustace said: “Ciarrai Abu does not make it easy for any of us, before or after, but he has obviously got plenty of ability; we just have to direct it in the right direction. He is obviously not straightforward and does not want to arrive there too quickly. He does not make it easy, but I thought George gave him an absolute peach. It was fantastic.”
Billy Loughnane, riding high from his Sussex Stakes win on Bow Echo on Wednesday, was unseated in the opener when Savvy Disko got squeezed between runners. He walked back to the weighing room on his own, while the colt stood up and boarded the horse ambulance for checks.
A quick turnaround proved no issue for Man’s Best Friend (11/2) as he produced a sizzling display in the G2 Markel Richmond Stakes over six furlongs.
Straight out of maiden company after winning at Naas last week, Ryan Moore’s mount had to overcome traffic problems from halfway but looked a threat once finding racing room inside the final furlong.
The son of No Nay Never readily ran down Adaay Of Scarlett (8/1) to score by a length, with the runner-up having filled the same position in the G2 Coventry Stakes and G2 July Stakes. Night In Vegas (6/1) was third, a further length and a half in arrears.
Trained by Aidan O’Brien, Man’s Best Friend has G1 entries over six and seven furlongs in the coming weeks.
O’Brien said: “I am delighted with Man’s Best Friend. The last day at Naas was only his second run and he is a baby of a horse. We thought bringing him here today was going to do him good, win, lose or draw.
“Ryan said he had nowhere to go through the whole race, but he liked him. He said he felt classy and that he would get further. He thought he travelled well.”
King George V Stakes winner Enceladus (6/4F) continued his rise through the ranks with a convincing victory under Dylan Browne McMonagle in the 12-furlong G3 Maison Perrier Gordon Stakes.
The three-year-old pinched a couple of lengths on the strong-travelling Geryon (15/2) approaching the final furlong and kept on stoutly to prevail by just over a length. The 110-rated Venetian Lace (25/1) was more than four lengths further back in third.
A son of Sea The Stars, Enceladus is now unbeaten in three starts this season for Joseph O’Brien and could target the G1 St Leger in the autumn.
Browne McMonagle said: “Enceladus is a lovely, big, straightforward horse. He has done nothing but improve; each run he is getting better and sharpening up with experience. I think he is going to be a very nice horse going forward.
“It was a straightforward race. We went nice and even all the way, and he picked up well when I needed to go. He did [handle the track]; he is a lovely, big mover. He handles that ground well and I think he has that bit of class.
Naana’s Shadow (5/1JF) once again showcased the talents of Galashiels-based trainer Katie Scott as she overcame a career-high mark of 94 in the five-furlong Buccellati Handicap.
Lining up against 17 rivals, the progressive grey made good headway under Oisin Murphy to lead entering the final furlong and extended nicely to beat U S S Charleston (50/1) by almost two lengths. Miss Yechance (17/2) and Manatee Mehmas (14/1) filled the minor places.
Sword Salute (33/1) made the most of an uncontested lead as he led from pillar to post in the Whispering Angel Nursery Handicap over seven furlongs.
Rowan Scott stacked the field up before kicking for home at the two-furlong pole and his mount galloped out strongly to cross the line two lengths clear of The Ginger Kid (11/1). The Bookkeeper (3/1) was a short-head further back in third, with Primal (12/1) the same distance behind in fourth.
Avalon Queen (4/1) made her experience count as she downed 4/7 favourite So Lovely in the Tatler British EBF Maiden Fillies' Stakes over seven furlongs.
The daughter of Derby winner Masar led the chasing pack behind runaway leader Donna Beauty and, having got first run on So Lovely, she found generously for Billy Loughnane to hold on by a diminishing head. Newcomer Beguiled (16/1) shaped with promise in third, a further length behind.
The heavily backed Exclusive Code (2/1F) rounded off another profitable day for punters in the mile HKJC World Pool Handicap for Archie Watson and James Doyle.
Thirteenth when drawn on the far side in the Britannia Stakes on his previous start, the Wathnan Racing-owned three-year-old left that form well behind with an impressive front-running performance.
Here are some other useful links as Glorious Goodwood continues in the sunshine.
Check out today’s Chichester Observer for reports and pictures from the early part of the week – and stick with this website and the Observer app for reports, pictures and more over the rest of Glorious week.