By Peter Moore at Goodwood Wednesday 24th September 2025
Northern trainer Julie Camacho recorded her biggest win for two years after 33-1 outsider Naqeeb took the Virgin Bet Foundation Stakes, a Class 1 Listed Race at Goodwood on Wednesday.
The market had called it a two-horse race between Ancient Wisdom and three times winner Saddadd, but it was the five-year-old who spoiled the party by coming through late on to hold off the challenge of Saddadd to win by a neck.
Camacho’s husband and assistant Steve Brown said: “We’re absolutely thrilled with the result and delighted for the horse as well. He’s run some big races in defeat this year, so it’s lovely to see him get his head in front.
“His starting price probably reflected his chance, but he’s a decent animal and it was a case of having a go and trying something different. I’m thrilled for Ryan [Sexton], who rode him very well, he had him in the perfect position and committed him at the right time.”
The success on soft ground has led to Brown rethinking their plans, and he said: “He’s no real profile on soft ground, so we thought this could be his last run of the year, but now we need to sit down and have a think about it. We also might consider going to the Middle East with him in March.”
To cap a great afternoon, Sexton and Camacho teamed up to take the finale on the card when Noble Consort defied top weight to win the 6f handicap at 15-2.
Royal Playwright had to survive a long stewards enquiry in the opening 1m2f conditions stakes, with officials deeming him not to have interfered with Mister Rizz, who finished a length and a quarter behind the odds-on favourite.
Oisin Murphy was aboard the Andrew Balding-trained colt, who had won on his debut but had gone winless in eight starts since.
Balding told Racing TV: “I was very pleased with the performance. He’s a talented horse who hasn’t had things go his way this year, but we’ve been really happy with him at home and I think he’s at his best at the moment.
“He ran a muddling race in the Dante which sort of threw us off. I was hoping we would step him up to a mile and a half and things didn’t pan out that way. In hindsight, we should have put a line through it and cracked on with what we had in mind.”
The most valuable race on the day went to another northern trainer after Timeforshowcasing scored in the British EBF £100,000 2YO Fillies Series Final, worth over £50,000 to the winner.
The Charlie Johnston trained filly relished the drop in class from a Group 2 to a Class 2 to come through the field to win by one and a quarter lengths from Wetsand.
Bay Of Brilliance managed to improve from his debut at Newbury where he finished fifth by taking the 1m 2f maiden stakes with Hector Crouch aboard for Ralph Beckett.
The well backed Cerulean Bay became yet another winner for a northern yard after scoring in the 1m handicap stakes for David O’Meara who had won this race in 2023 and 24 with Rhoscolyn who was bidding to make it three in a row.
It wasn’t to be his day with Rossa Ryan steering Cerulean Bay to victory by a length and a quarter.
Billy Loughnane showed why he is already being touted as a forthcoming champion jockey after a patient ride on Dancingwithmyself paid off by taking the 1m 6f fillies handicap.
Loughnane, had to come from the back of the eleven runner field to weave his way through after a gap appeared for him to steer the four-year-old first past the post, ahead of Finalise.