Royal Ascot whets appetites for Goodwood's big race

Here Comes When wins the 2017 Sussex Stakes / Picture by Malcolm Wells

The £1m Qatar Sussex Stakes is traditionally the first chance for this year’s top three-year-old milers to take on their older counterparts.

Two races on the opening day of Royal Ascot – the Queen Anne and St James’ Palace Stakes – often set the scene for a duel on the Downs.

And Goodwood bosses were delighted to see that a host of horses that fared well in front of The Queen were ones entered in the Sussex.

In fact of the 12 horses that made up the first six to finish in both races, nine are contenders for the Wednesday, August 1 highlight of Glorious Goodwood.

One of the favourites for the Sussex race could be Without Parole, a talented three-year-old trained by John Gosden and ridden to victory in the St James’ Palace Stakes by Goodwood favourite Frankie Dettori.

The Sussex field also has entries bidding to take the crown overseas, while older horses set to be a threat include Lord Glitters and Lightning Spear, second and third in the Queen Anne.

Stick with this website and the Chichester Observer for all the news in the build-up to the Qatar Goodwood Festival