STRADIVARIUS was one of many non-runners on the opening day of the Qatar Goodwood festival as an overnight thunderstorm and further heavy rain turned the ground against the four-time winner and in favour of Alan King’s Trueshan (115) who, in the hands of Hollie Doyle, ran out an impressive winner of the Group 1 Al Shaqab Goodwood Cup.

The times of the races that preceded the feature backed up the view that ground conditions were as described and heading towards heavy ground.

This resulted in a muddling early pace as predicted pace angles Amhran Na Bhfiann and Nayef Road took the field along at a modest gallop.

In a post-race interview, rider Hollie Doyle revealed she was aware of the pace and moved at halfway to ensure it was a test of stamina rather than speed to play to the strengths of her mount.

The second half of the race was as Doyle desired and her partner thrived, asserting with authority from the furlong pole to put three and three-quarter lengths between himself and shock package of the race Away He Goes.

A closing sectional of 49.98 seconds from the intersection of the tracks compared favourably with the very impressive first-race winner Migration (100+) who covered the same ground in 48.67 seconds.

Pattern races

David Menuisier’s gelding has returned better than ever following a near two-year lay-off and looks destined to contest pattern races down the line.

In what was a messy race William Buick was unhurried and determined not to make his move until running to the furlong marker, an estimate of his finishing effort was around four lengths faster than his nearest pursuer Caradoc (96) who was racing on a soft surface for the first time and did not appear to be inconvenienced.

Kinross (112) and Angel Bleu (98) gave Ralph Beckett a notable double when winning their respective seven-furlong contests.

Kinross registered an overall time that would be expected for the Group 2 Lennox Stakes, while his closing sectional of 48.21 seconds was closer to Angel Bleu (48.98 seconds) who, despite looking a tricky ride, has ability and handles soft ground very well.