The opening day of Glorious Goodwood delivered high drama in the £1.5 million Group 1 Goodwood Cup, where Scandinavia confirmed his status as the world’s leading staying horse with an emphatic eight-length victory in the gruelling two-mile contest.
However, much of the post-race discussion centred on the crucial intervention of a loose horse, Amiloc, that appeared to compromise the chances of Godolphin’s gallant Trawlerman, who was looking to gain revenge on the winner following a narrow defeat in the Group 1 Ascot Gold Cup last month.
As Scandinavia, ridden by the incomparable Ryan Moore, swept to victory, Trawlerman, with William Buick in the saddle, had to settle for second place as the Dubai-owned Rahiebb stayed on for third.
While the winning margin suggested Scandinavia’s superiority, the race took an unexpected turn just as the eagerly anticipated rematch between the two outstanding stayers two furlongs from home.
Trawlerman appeared to be travelling strongly at the head of a classy eight-horse field, as Buick began to ask the dual Group 1 winner for his effort.
Instead, Amiloc, who had unseated jockey Hector Crouch when leaving the starting stalls, drifted sharply across the course and into Trawlerman’s path on the rails.
Buick was forced to stop riding for several strides and alter his course, costing Trawlerman valuable momentum at this decisive phase.
After the race, Buick said that he did not doubt that the incident had a significant impact on his horse’s chances.
“He (Amiloc) got in my way in the most important part of the race,” said the rider. “To try to manoeuvre around a loose horse is never easy. I went the shortest route, but he only got in my way again.
“It’s unfortunate; I know the winner won well on the day, but on a horse like him (Trawlerman) at that stage of the race it is obviously not ideal, so he’s run a super race.”
Although no one can say with certainty whether the outcome would have been different, a loose horse can often have a major influence on a race. Even without making physical contact, it can force jockeys to change course, disrupt a horse’s momentum, or distract racehorses who are naturally inclined to follow other horses.
In staying races, a brief interruption can prove costly.
That said, it would be unfair to detract from Scandinavia’s achievement. Once Ryan Moore asked him to lengthen, the son of Justify quickened impressively before powering clear to retain the Goodwood Cup he won twelve months ago, where he had beaten stable companion Illinois.
Scandinavia has now compiled an outstanding sequence of victories that includes the St Leger (G1) and the Ascot Gold Cup, firmly establishing himself as the benchmark among the world’s staying horses like Double Trigger and Stradivarius.
For Trawlerman, it was a frustrating race. The John and Thady Gosden-trained gelding has been one of Europe’s most consistent stayers and has carried the famous Godolphin blue with honour.
Interestingly, his preparation has not always been straightforward. Trawlerman suffers from a condition that makes his eyes particularly sensitive to bright sunlight and has become well known for wearing protective ski goggles before races and during training. Despite this added complication, he has continued to perform at the highest level, earning tremendous praise for both his durability and courage.
Hall of Fame trainer John Gosden accepted the setback with characteristic good humour, joking afterwards: “Next time I’ll make sure all the jockeys stay on!
“It was a messy race. He was interfered with early, and the pace early on was quite strong. He got into a nice rhythm. The loose horse came back and visited us again, and once you check and lose your rhythm, that’s it in any race, let alone when you’re finding a rhythm over that trip.
“But look, that’s the way it is. We got the worst of it, and we went from being a length and a half in front to a length and a half behind. That’s racing.”
Earlier in the afternoon, former Meydan performer Al Aali got the Goodwood Festival off to a winning start for trainer George Scott, jockey William Buick and owners Victorious Forever by landing the Coral Chesterfield Cup Handicap.
Victorious Syndicate was founded by Shaikh Nasser bin Hamad Al Khalifa and his brother Shaikh Khalid bin Hamad Al Khalifa, members of Bahrain’s royal family.
Al Aali had a spell in Dubai with Bahraini trainer Fawzi Nass after previously racing in France. His Dubai campaign included runs at Meydan in early 2026.
Source: Khaleej Times