By Peter Moore at Goodwood Tuesday 28th July 2026

Scandinavia completed back-to-back victories in the Goodwood Cup, the feature race on the opening day of Glorious Goodwood, in what proved to be a very eventful renewal of the race.

The race itself had plenty of drama, withing seconds of the start.

First Trawlerman anticipated the start as he poached an early advantage under William Buick and then Amiloc unseated Hector Crouch with a skew-whiff exit from the gates.

But the real drama unfolded at the two furlong pole where the riderless horse edged right-handed into Trawlerman’s path, checking the leader’s stride and momentum at a crucial stage, with Scandinavia coming out the better in the mix to power ahead to win cosily by eight and a half lengths.

Having followed up last year’s Goodwood Cup victory, Scandinavia became the third horse to win the race twice for trainer Aidan O’Brien, following in the footsteps of luminaries Kyprios and Yeats.

Having enjoyed his sixth win in the race, O’Brien felt the Irish St Leger was an attractive next target for Scandinavia, who could bid to chase down Yeats’s four Gold Cup wins.

“I think he could,” O’Brien said when asked if he could be the horse to emulate that legendary stayer. “He’s a very high cruiser, very natural and he’s easy to train. He has a great rhythm and loves what he does. He looks exceptional.”

John Gosden expressed his frustration as Trawlerman’s eagerly anticipated rematch with Scandinavia ended abruptly as a loose horse damaged his chance of levelling the scores with his rival in the Group 1 Al Shaqab Goodwood Cup.

“It was a bit of a messy race,” said Gosden. “He got interfered with early, and the pace early was also quite strong, but then he got into a nice rhythm down the hill. I noticed Ryan was beginning to ride, and we had one and a half lengths on him down the back of the straight, but then the horse came back to visit us again.

“Once you check and lose your rhythm, that’s it in any race, let alone when you’re trying to find a rhythm over that trip. That’s life, that’s racing, but it happens more in jump racing than Flat racing.”

Maureen Haggas cited the legendary Martin Pipe as she confirmed that Lake Forest will take his chance in the Group 1 Sussex Stakes, just 24 hours after winning the Group 2 Lennox Stakes.

Ridden by Cieren Fallon, the five-year-old produced a strong turn of foot to hold off Rogue Diplomat by a neck, and Haggas sees no reason why he cannot make a rapid return to action.

“Why not?” she said, when asked if her husband William’s Lake Forest will step up to a mile and take on the likes of Bow Echo and Gstaad. “He’s a five-year-old gelding, and he’s not got to travel anywhere. We don’t know about a mile, but he stays the seven furlongs well. Anything can happen overnight, but that’s the plan anyway.

“They didn’t go like we thought they would. There wasn’t lots of pace, but I think he’s done really well. He’s totally different since he was gelded.”

Despite being the joint-oldest of 23 runners in the Coral Rewards Shaker Handicap, that did not stop the eight-year-old capturing the five-furlong cavalry charge under a well-timed ride from Saffie Osborne.

Twilight Calls, who made his move nearest the stands’ side, got up in the final strides to deny Naana’s Sparkle by a head.

Twilight Calls has now won three of his four starts since trainer Richard Spencer applied a visor and could take his chance in Saturday’s Coral Stewards’ Cup, while Osborne continues a fine run of form after riding a treble at Ascot last weekend.

Rumba Numba provided trainer Roger Varian with back-to-back wins in the Bolney English Wine Fillies’ Handicap, following up the success of Protest last year.

Owned and bred by Apple Tree Stud, Rumba Numba managed to get across from the widest draw in stall 14.

After going for home two furlongs out, Jack Mitchell’s mount was all out late on as she held off the fast-finishing Nanino Niyati by a nose.

William Buick made a perfect start to the 2026 Qatar Goodwood Festival as he guided Al Aali to victory in the opening 10-furlong Coral Chesterfield Cup Handicap.

Al Aali picked up strongly to collar long-time leader Noble Horizon and win comfortably by three-quarters of a length, making it two wins from two starts since the application of blinkers.

Kaiya Fraser celebrated his first Group-race success following an audacious ride on Dr Rascal in the G2 Coral Vintage Stakes over seven furlongs.

Fraser spied the brave man’s route along the rail approaching the final furlong and, despite briefly losing some momentum, the colt found plenty to hold off Haffner by half a length and make it three wins from as many starts.

It was also a first Group-race victory in his own right for trainer Oliver Cole, 20 years after his father Paul trained the last of his three winners of the Vintage Stakes.