While the three Group 1 fixtures on the action-packed Glorious Goodwood card dominated discussion amongst fans and members of the media, there were a number of other races across the five-day meet which were incredibly entertaining in their own right.
Dramatic finishes, dominant displays, and monumental upsets were seen right throughout the week – and with that in mind – read on as we take a look at two other standout races we were treated to at the famed meeting.
Stewards’ Cup
Taking place on the final day of the meeting, the Stewards’ Cup was the feature race on Saturday and consisted of a strong group that included the likes of in-form thoroughbreds Mr. Wagyu, Regional, Whenthedealisdone, Chil Chil, Inver Park, and Great Ambassador.
In what is a race that is notorious for its deep and competitive fields, that reputation was proven true yet again in 2022 with horse betting outsider and last year’s winner Commanche Falls coming away with the chocolates. Entering the race with odds of 25/1, the five-year-old’s win marks the first time in the race’s history that a horse has won it back-to-back.
With the Stewards’ Cup being a six-furlong sprint comprising 28 horses, getting off to a strong start out of the barriers is imperative. Commanche Falls did just that, finding himself in a comfortable position among a group of horses on the nearest rail throughout much of the contest.
The jockey atop the gelding was Connor Beasley, someone who had experienced victories on eight previous occasions with the Michael Dods-trained horse dating back to 2019 – and it was clear they were establishing themselves as a threat to make it nine when the pair made their push down the straight with two furlongs remaining.
The final furlong was a nail-biting affair, with Commanche Falls’ lead being aggressively challenged by world-rated jockey Hollie Doyle who was aboard Tabdeed. Commanche Falls showed all of his class, however, managing to stave off his opposition to reign supreme by a short head and take home £128,850 in prizemoney for the connections.
Vintage Stakes
The Group 2 Vintage Stakes saw 14/1 shot Marbaan put forth an incredible come-from-behind victory to beat Holloway Boy and Mysterious Night. While a win for Marbaan didn’t look particularly likely at the halfway mark of the race, once jockey Jamie Spencer made his move to the outside with a couple of furlongs remaining, it became evident that his two-year-old was getting into the rhythm and was full of running.
The Charlie Fellowes-trained thoroughbred raced home with a wet sail to win by half a length, and in doing so, improved to three wins on the trot. As a result of the triumph, Marbaan has been introduced at 20/1 for the 2000 Guineas.
“I didn’t enjoy a huge amount of it if I’m completely honest,” Fellowes said. “We’ve always thought a lot of Marbaan and it was a real boost over the winter to be sent horses by Sheikh Ahmed Al Maktoum. He has stood out from the get-go.
“He was a really good-looking yearling who has just progressed and progressed. We put him in at the deep end today and I loved it when we got drawn nine of nine which is exactly what you want to see!”
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