Alderwood: will be ridden by Tony McCoy in the Galway Plate

 PICTURE: Patrick McCann (racingpost.com/photos)

Strong challenge for McManus in Plate

TOPWEIGHT Kid Cassidy heads a battalion of runners for JP McManus in Wednesday’s thetote.com Galway Plate, as the leading owner seeks a third consecutive win in the race.

McManus won with  Bob Lingo in 2012 and Carlingford Lough 12 months ago, and seven of the 22 runners in the race will carry his famous yellow and green colours. McManus also has Jacksonslady as second reserve following Tuesday’s declarations.

Tony McCoy has opted to ride the Thomas Mullins-trained Alderwood, with Wise Old Owl – another McManus-owned runner – the last to get in the field.

There is a strong British challenge for the 2m6f chase, with Charlie Longsdon running Vulcanite and Grandads Horse, while Paul Nicholls has Caid Du Berlais.

Jonjo O’Neill is responsible for two of the McManus squadron, Rum And Butter and It’s A Gimme.

With a full field declared, Orpheus Valley, Jacksonslady and Usuel Smurfer are the three reserves.

 

Brown Panther: last year’s winner of ten left in Goodwood Cup

 PICTURE: Patrick McCann (racingpost.com/photos)

Panther to face nine rivals in Goodwood Cup

LAST year’s Artemis Goodwood Cup winner Brown Panther will face nine rivals on Thursday, as he bids to defend his crown for trainer Tom Dascombe.

Should the six-year-old triumph, it would be a poignant victory for part-owner and breeder Michael Owen, as Brown Panther’s mother Treble Heights died on Monday aged 15.

Ahzeemah, Estimate, Cavalryman and Forgotten Voice are among Brown Panther’s rivals.

The unbeaten Ivawood heads a field of nine for the Group 2 Qatar Bloodstock Richmond Stakes, with stablemate Sixty also declared for Richard Hannon.

Ascot Gold Cup third Missunited has been left in the Group 3 Sterling Insurance Lillie Langtry Stakes, along with 2013 Oaks winner Talent, who was also entered for the Goodwood Cup.

 

Pineau De Re: may be campaigned over hurdles before tackling Aintree

 PICTURE: Getty Images

Pineau De Re to go hurdling before National

GRAND NATIONAL winner Pineau De Re has returned to pre-training but may not run again over fences until he bids to retain his crown next spring.

The 11-year-old warmed up for his Aintree triumph last April by finishing third in the Pertemps Hurdle Final at Cheltenham and could follow a similar build-up this season.

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Trainer Dr Richard Newland said: “He is fine, he has had a lovely holiday and he has just gone back into pre-training this week.

“He will run over hurdles once, maybe twice before Christmas, then hurdles again until the National hopefully. We will go for the same kind of races as last year, he may go to Cheltenham for the Paddy Power meeting in November for a first run if he is ready.

“It is very exciting to have a horse like him to plan with.”

Pineau De Re won at Aintree by five lengths under Leighton Aspell and is a general 25-1 chance to come out on top again this season.

 

Domination: versatile performer bids for second chase victory

 PICTURE: Getty Images

Domination out to prove he can cut it over fences

DOMINATION has already proved himself to be remarkably versatile, and the seven-year-old bids for second win over fences this evening in the Latin Quarter Chase (5.35) at Galway.

A four-time winner on the Flat, plus four victories over hurdles, Domination has won over distances ranging from 1m4f to 3m, and can boast wins on heavy ground as well as good to firm.

Successful at Royal Ascot last month when swooping down the outside under Fran Berry in the Ascot Stakes, Domination was then third at Sandown, before returning to Ireland and finishing runner-up in a novice chase at Killarney last time.

Trainer Charles Byrnes has decided to put a visor on Domination for the first time in an attempt to straighten up his jumping and, if it has the desired effect, his 11 rivals could be in serious bother.

Byrnes said: “He’s just not as good over fences as he is on the Flat but we decided to give him another go. I’ve put the visor on him to see if it will help him jump straighter. I was a bit disappointed he didn’t win at Killarney last time. He’s in good form, though, and this looked a better opportunity for him than the Plate given the rating he has.”

As well as the Galway festival, Glorious Goodwood starts today, and there are also meetings at Beverley, Perth, Worcester and Yarmouth.

 

Toormore: Craven Stakes winner has failed to fire in subsequent runs

 PICTURE: Edward Whitaker (racingpost.com/photos)

Classy Toormore out to regain his confidence

THE Qipco Sussex Stakes may have been on the agenda for Toormore before the season began, but a couple of disappointing efforts from the three-year-old leads him to a retrieval mission in the Group 2 bet365 Lennox Stakes (3.05) this afternoon.

The Middleham Park-owned colt, who was champion two-year-old in Europe last year, did not pick up as expected when seventh in the 2,000 Guineas, while he compromised all chance of success in the St James’s Palace Stakes at Royal Ascot by taking a fierce hold in the early stages.

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Connections have targeted the Lennox Stakes in the hopeToormore can get back on track, and it is a race the Classic generation historically do well in, with three-year-olds winning six of the last ten runnings.

Trainer Richard Hannon, who has enjoyed great success at Glorious Goodwood with his father, said of Toormore: “We hope this might prove a launchpad to Toormore returning to Group 1 races, but a drop in grade could be what he needs to restore his confidence.

“He never ran his race at Royal Ascot and things haven’t happened for him since he beat French Derby winner The Great Gatsby in the Craven at Newmarket in April. He’s put on 14kg since the start of the season and showed he was on the way back when working with Toronado last week.”

Leading fancy Gregorian has been ruled out of the race, along with Toormore’s stablemate Professor, reducing the field to eight.

Following a dry night, the going at Goodwood remains good, good to firm in places on the round course, with a dry day forecast.

 

Toronado (right): a brilliant winner of the Sussex Stakes 12 months ago

 PICTURE: Edward Whitaker (racingpost.com/photos)

Kingman confirmed for Toronado clash in Sussex

WEDNESDAY’S ‘Duel on the Downs’ at Glorious Goodwood is on after Kingman’s connections confirmed him for his clash with Toronado in the Qipco Sussex Stakes.

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John Gosden, who trains the Irish 2,000 Guineas and St James’s Palace Stakes winner for Khalid Abdullah, was at Goodwood on Sunday to inspect conditions and was seemingly happy with what he saw so the star miler has been given the go-ahead to meet top four-year-old Toronado, who produced a brilliant performance to win the Sussex Stakes 12 months ago.

The Aidan O’Brien-trained pair Darwin and War Command and Godolphin’s Breeders’ Cup winner Outstrip complete the line-up.

Eight horses were declared for the Neptune Investment Management Gordon Stakes on the card.

The race is a trial for the Ladbrokes St Leger and Ed Dunlop has booked Ryan Moore to ride Red Galileo, who was last seen finishing fifth in the Derby under Oisin Murphy.

Also taking place on Wednesday is the Veuve Clicquot Vintage Stakes, which has attracted a field of eight.

 

fonte: RacingPost