Kodi celebrates Mile win as Goodwood crowds enjoy wonderful weekend

The favourite Kodi Bear delighted his many backers with a comfortable win to take the Doom Bar Celebration Mile - the big race of an action-packed August Bank Holiday Festival at Goodwood.

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Hawksmoor wins the Prestige Stakes on day two of the three-day August Festival / Picture by Clive BennettHawksmoor wins the Prestige Stakes on day two of the three-day August Festival / Picture by Clive Bennett
Hawksmoor wins the Prestige Stakes on day two of the three-day August Festival / Picture by Clive Bennett

Gerald Mosse had to switch the three-year-old from one side of the track to the other after Pat Dobbs took the front-running Fire Ship from the far side to the near-side rail three furlongs from home, bringing the entire field with himand the rest of the field followed suit.

Mosse looked under some pressure after going in front but eventually won by three and a quarter lengths.

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Kodi Bear, who was 4/5 favourite here, is now 6-1 for the Qipco Queen Elizabeth II Stakes, likely to be trainer Clive Cox’s target, but Mosse wasn’t totally convinced his mount could challenge for Group 1 honours just yet.

He said: “He’s not there yet but I think he’s pretty close. He’s a lovely horse. He loved the ground and the distance was perfect. He was cruising and I had to take it up too soon which is not my style but he’s too good a horse.”

The mile contest is Goodwood’s biggest race outside of Glorious and was the highlight for a large crowd who packed into the course to see an excellent second day’s action.

Saturday kicked off with former Goodwood ambassador Harry Bentley continuing to cement his growing reputation with a win on 5/1 shot Hawksmoor in the Group 3 Prestige Stakes for Hugo Palmer.

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The big £100,000 handicap, the 888sport Stakes, was won by a length-and-a-half by George Chaloner on Richard Fahey’s Rene Mathis at 10/1 while there was an even bigger surprise in the listed 888sport March Stakes, as The Twisler, ridden superbly by Frederik Tylicki for Jane Chapple-Hyam, came in at 16/1.

Forgotten Wish ,a 9/4 joint favourite for Richard Hannon and Dobbs, triumphed in the Absolute Aesthetics Maiden Fillies’ Stakes, and then Imshivalla became the day’s second 16/1 winner in the Whiteley Clinic Stakes under Sammy Jo Bell for Fahey, celebrating a 160/1 double.

Saturday’s action closed with Perceus (2/1 fav) winning the Apollo Motor Group Stakes, ridden by Michael Murphy for Marcuc Tregoning.

On Sunday, the big race was the Group 3 Doom Bar Supreme Stakes and it saw the favourite Here Comes When beaten by Daniel Tudhope riding So Beloved for David O’Meara (5/2).

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Only two of the day’s favourites prevailed - Solstalla (2/5) took the Chichester City Selling Stakes under Joe Fanning for trainer William Jarvis, while Adam Beschizza took the Butlins Bank Holiday Stakes on 5/2 shot Threave for Jo Crowley.

The final day opened with Richard Kingscote ridingThanksfortellingme (8/1) to victory in the Nyetimber Maiden Auction Stakes for Ralph Beckett, while the Harwoods Group Stakes went to Richard Hannon’s 9/1 contender Royal Toast, ridden by Cam Hardie.

Brendan Powell-trained Dark Amber claimed the Goodwood Amateur Rider Challenge Handicap (In Memory of The Late Gay Kindersley) at 9/1 and 7/2 starter Bateel took the 888sport Fillies’ Stakes with Fergus Sweeney on board for David Simcock.

The whole festival was a big success, with large crowds enjoying a wide range of entertainment - ranging from funfair rides, to old English seaside resort-themed sideshows and Friday night’s stunning fireworks.

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Goodwood race again this Tuesday (Sep 1) - see this website for tips on the morning of racing.

STEVE BONE

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