Glorious Goodwood Festival 2009
28 July – 1 August 2009
The balmy days of high summer usher in one of the most fashionable meets of the flat horseracing season – the Glorious Goodwood Festival. The drama is played out over five days on the rolling hills of the Sussex Downs, where the vistas of emerald green to the far-off Isle of Wight often compete with the sheer strength and beauty of the very best thoroughbreds the international racing community has to offer.
Glorious Goodwood, named after the overwhelming beauty of the venue, has a long, illustrious history which tells of Dukes and Kings and legendary things, like the invincible Lester Piggott, who has won at Goodwood too many times to mention, and the famed Coolmore Stud Farm, where so many of the top race horses are bred and trained.
Panama Hats, Pimms and parasols are very much the accepted attire of the festival, and sleekly dressed ladies strut around in their stiletto heels, competing with the graceful fillies and yearlings which take part in the 35 races scheduled for the event.
The course itself is a challenging one. It is a roller coaster ride of twists and turns and encompasses both uphill and downhill racing, which tests the skill of even the finest of jockeys and horses. The two premier races are the Nassau Stakes and the richest race of all, the Sussex Stakes - both are Group 1 Pattern Races for three year olds or above, but the Nassau Stakes are for Fillies and Mares only. The remainder of the races encompass both Group 2 or 3 conditions races, and handicaps.
The pairing of trainer Aiden O’Brien and jockey Johnny Murtagh claimed enormous victories at the 2008 Glorious Goodwood festival. They won the 2008 Sussex Stakes with American-bred Henrythenavigator, the 2008 Nassau Stakes with Halfway to Heaven and the Goodwood Cup with the famous Yeats.
In 2007, The Coolmore Stud Farm in Ireland dished up yet another winner when Peeping Fawn, ridden by Johnny Murtagh, won the 1 Furlong 192 yard Nassau Stakes. Murtagh too is considered one of the very best jockeys of the era and he is sure to be in contention again in 2009.
At the 2007 Sussex Stakes, the masterful Frankie Dettori claimed the honours on the five year old, Ramonti, owned by the United Arab Emirate team, Godolphin Stables, and trained by Saeed bin Suroor. Dettori has a long, successful record at Goodwood and he is definitely one of the jockeys to watch in 2009.
Glorious Goodwood Tickets for the five days are already available at ‘early booking’ prices, and there are several hospitality packages to choose from which offer an array of food, tipple and other entertainment.
Betting and horseracing are synonymous, but before you place those bets, take a look at our Glorious Goodwood betting types and betting odds pages.