Lightning bids to spear Classic winners' hopes

Lightning Spear makes another bid for Group One glory in today's Qatar Sussex Stakes (15.10) at the Qatar Goodwood Festival.

The David Simcock-trained five-year-old (pictured below) produced a career-best to date when third in the Gr.1 Queen Anne Stakes at Royal Ascot, and if reproducing that effort is a danger to his nine rivals. American mare Tepin, and Lockinge Stakes winner Belardo, who finished ahead of Lightning Spear at the Royal meeting, are not in today's line-up, but he faces a quartet of three-year-olds who will be extremely hard to crack.

They include the first three from the Gr.1 St James's Palace Stakes Galileo Gold, The Gurkha and Awtaad who are all Guineas winners this season, plus Ribchester, who won the Gr.3 Jersey Stakes at Royal Ascot. Add in talented older horses such as Kodi Bear and Toormore and it becomes apparent a very good horse will emerge as the winner.

Simcock says of Lightning Spear: ‚"I think he will appreciate the ground and he is a well-balanced horse so I am hoping the undulations are not a problem. The three-year-olds look competitive on paper especially in receipt of 8lb but I do feel his work has been very good and he deserves to take his chance.‚"

Simcock also runs Qatar Racing's Goldmember in the Gr.3 Beringice Gordon Stakes (14.35), which has attracted a field of nine. Goldmember, who has been given an entry in the season's final Classic, the Gr.1 St Leger, won his maiden in good style at Thirsk in May, but was subsequently sixth of nine in the Bahrain Trophy at Newmarket. Simcock says: ‚"It looks a competitive renewal and he is taking on several that ran in the Bahrain Trophy. The trip may be a little on the sharp side, but there are very few races for him in the next six weeks and it will do the horse the world of good to get more experience.‚"

Qatar Bloodstock stallion Harbour Watch, whose first crop are two-year-olds, had a breakthrough victory on Sunday when his son Tis Marvellous won the Gr.2 Prix Robert Papin in France. Trained by Clive Cox, Tis Marvellous won his maiden at Windsor recently and built on that to become a first Stakes winner for his sire, who stands at Tweenhills Stud in Gloucestershire.

Tis Marvellous, a 48,000gns foal, became a £52,000 yearling when bought by his trainer at last year's Premier Sale, now run by Goffs UK at Doncaster. There will be more Harbour Watch yearlings on offer at that event when the 2016 version takes place on August 23 and 24.