Lennox Stakes, Nassau Stakes and Stewards' Cup entries among Balding's big Glorious Goodwood hopes

The top trainer – a big supporter of Goodwood and a trainer with an excellent record on the Downs in recent years – talked Sporting Life through his team for the Qatar Goodwood Festival, which begins on Tursday.

Finding winners at the Qatar Goodwood Festival can be tricky given the levels of competition, but following Balding is often a good starting point.

Last year the Classic-winning handler celebrated four winners at the five-day meeting, which sits high on the list of the most prestigious events on the Flat racing calendar. This year the Park House Stables trainer appears to have assembled another useful-looking squad to represent him at the Sussex track, where he has enjoyed many great days.

Although his two-year-old team might be low on numbers, there is no shortage of quality on offer with the older horses.

Throw in some useful handicappers that still look to have plenty of good days ahead of them and it all adds up to Balding putting together a team that will once again be a force to be reckoned with.

Race line-ups subject to change – latest racecards viewable here.

He said: “You know what it's like at Goodwood – it is very difficult to win races there, but we feel the team is strong. At least we have horses going there with chances, and hopefully a few of them can hit the target. We had four winners at the meeting this year, and if we could get three or four again from the team we are sending there this time then that would be ideal.”

Tuesday

MARVELMAN (HKJC World Pool Lennox Stakes)

“I think we will probably run Marvelman in the Lennox. Marvelman was a really good second under a penalty back over six furlongs in the Chipchase Stakes at Newcastle on the all-weather. We always felt afterwards this would be the right race for him as he has got strong form over seven furlongs. He is a better horse with dig in the ground, but we will see how we go.

CRAZEE ICON (Bolney English Win Fillies’ Handicap)

“The plan is to run Crazee Icon here, if she gets in. She has won her last two starts around Chester, but she has deserved to win them both. This is a different test to Chester, but I think that the track will suit her well and she looks ready for the step up to a mile. I would like to hope

she will run well.”

MACHADADORP (The World Pool Bet With the tote EBF Fillies’ Handicap Stakes)

“She has been running well enough over seven furlongs, but we feel that she can drop back to six furlongs on her run last time. She ran well at Newmarket last time when just coming up short in her bid for a hat-trick, however we feel she has the speed to cope with a drop back in trip. Hopefully she can resume her progression and run well again.”

Wednesday

HATTEEN (Coral Handicap)

“Hatteen won very well last time on his first try over a mile-and-a-half in a novice stakes at Doncaster. There is a chance, if the ground isn’t too quick, that he might run in this. The step up in trip clearly suited him last time out, and he won well going away from the field. He is now off a mark of 88, but he is going the right way.”

FAST TRACK (British Stallion Studs EBF Alice Keppel Fillies’ Conditions Stakes)

“She won easily last time out at Beverley and she will now go for the Alice Keppel. She is a nice filly that ran well enough at Royal Ascot in the Queen Mary. She was 1/10 at Beverley last time out, but was impressive in the way that she did it. We thought this was a nice spot for her as she doesn’t get penalised.

“We won the race with Flora Of Bermuda a few years ago, and she would be a similar type at this stage of her career.”

Thursday

SEE THE FIRE (Qatar Nassau Stakes)

“See The Fire has been second and third in the Nassau. It was a messy old affair last year when the race was run in testing conditions. She is a much better filly on quicker ground as the year before she ran a stellar race there.

“It was a big ask taking on the likes of Ombudsman in the Prince Of Wales’s Stakes at Royal Ascot, but this is very much her scene. She looked good following up her win in the Nottinghamshire Oaks when winning the Middleton at York for the second year running. We are confident that she is as good as she has ever been.”

OLD IS GOLD (Buccellati Handicap)

“He has had a few stalls issues, which I think we have ironed out. He would have a big chance. He was good last year in the stalls, but there were certain signs at the end of last year that he was starting to have a few issues with them.

“He blew the start at Sandown Park first time out, and gave himself no chance, then he messed around in the stalls at York and was withdrawn. He hasn’t run since, but this race was always going to be the plan after he missed Royal Ascot. Fingers crossed this can be his race.”

CLARITY (Tatler British EBF Maiden Fillies’ Stakes)

“We are going to run a nice filly called Clarity in the seven-furlong fillies’ maiden. She ran a nice debut when finishing third at Kempton Park over six furlongs. We will now step her up to seven for this race and she goes there with a chance with that bit of experience behind her.”

Friday

BERKSHIRE SUNDANCE (Coral Goodwood Handicap)

“He has been very consistent in these big staying handicaps, and it was only late on that he weakened out of it in the Queen Alexandra at Royal Ascot. He ran well enough from a wide draw in the Chester Cup on his penultimate run, and the trip should suit him fine. Hopefully the ground will be suitable enough as well.”

FIVE WAYS (Thoroughbred Stakes)

“We are going to try Five Ways over a mile for the first time in the Thoroughbred Stakes as he ran well over seven furlongs in a Listed race at Chester last time out. He was a Group Three winner over six furlongs in the Sirenia Stakes at Kempton Park, but he was then too keen in the Middle Park, however he is settling very well now.

“He doesn’t get penalised for this, and it is the first real chance he has had this year providing he stays the mile. He is by Kameko so should do so it is worth a shot.”

MISTER WINSTON (Coral Golden Mile)

“We have three entered in the Golden Mile, but I would say that Mister Winston is most likely to run. He has won twice this year already, but he never really got into the Royal Hunt Cup. He was fourth over course and distance last year in a meeting at the track later on in August. He is up to his highest mark now, but he is a good solid handicapper for a race like this.”

JONQUIL (Regent Seven Seas Cruises Bentinck Conditions Stakes)

“He will have to carry a five-pound penalty for winning a Listed race at Ascot earlier this year, but we would like to see him over a little bit further, and this is nine furlongs. He had a rotten draw in the Summer Mile and he had to drop in last, but they went no gallop up front.

"Just like More Thunder, he had no chance from where he started, so you can put a line through that effort.”

THE DANCING PIRATE (Hawes & Curtis Nursery Handicap)

“The Dancing Pirate might run in the six furlong nursery. He has been consistent in all of his starts without yet getting his head in front. He brings a fair level of form to the table and this six furlong nursery could suit him.”

MYTHICAL VALENTINE (World Pool Bet With The Tote Handicap)

“He has been very consistent in his six career starts to date. He has only won a novice event at Windsor so far, but I thought he ran quite well in the Bibury Cup at Salisbury, even though he was third of three. He will like the trip here.”

ZGHARTA (British Stallion Studs EBF Fillies’ Handicap)

“She was very unlucky at Chester last time, but I think the mile-and a-quarter will suit her particularly well here. She won a maiden over the distance at Newmarket last year, but we dropped her back down to a mile afterwards as she only just appeared to get the trip that day. She is settling much better now and this looks to be her distance.”

Saturday

TARRIANCE (Highclere Castle Gin Summer Handicap)

“He has been off for a bit, but ran a good race in the Yorkshire Cup which was his last start. He has had a bit of a break as he ran in Saudi Arabia earlier in the year, so he had a busier time earlier on and we just gave him that bit of time off after York.

“I think he is well handicapped, and that is why we decided this, and the Sky Bet Ebor, would be his primary targets in the second half of the season.”

BERSKSHIRE WHISPER/COOL HOOF LUKE/DANCE IN THE STORM (Coral Stewards’ Cup)

“We are likely to have three runners in the Stewards’ Cup. Berkshire Whisper is there or thereabouts in these types of races. He has been freshened up specifically for this race. Cool Hoof Luke, who I actually thought ran quite well at Newcastle last time out, will go here. He was a Group Two winner as a two-year-old, and he likes fast ground, so conditions should suit him well.

"Dance In the Storm might go for the seven furlong handicap earlier in the week as she was second over course-and-distance at the meeting last year, but she will be left in the Stewards’ Cup.

“We just have to try and work out after the next forfeit stage if she will get in the Stewards’ Cup. I think if looks like she is going to do so then we will wait for that as we want to try her over six furlongs.”

GHOST MODE (Phase Eight Handicap)

“He wouldn’t be without a chance. He actually ran quite well at Newmarket last time over six furlongs. Everyone that has ridden him just feels that he would be much better suited by a turning track. He won over seven furlongs last year, but we have been running him over shorter as that is where we felt the right fit was. He is settling well, and he is ready for the step back up to seven furlongs.”

POINT OF CONTACT (Coral Handicap)

“He would have a good chance in the nine furlong handicap which ends the meeting. He was disappointing at Sandown Park last time, but I think he probably didn’t stay the stiff mile- and-a-quarter there. Nine furlongs seems to be his trip and he wouldn’t have a problem with Goodwood as he ran well at the track last year.”