'A top effort from limited involvement' - who were the big winners this week?

The Racing Post's awards honour the best (and sometimes worst) performances and raise talking points from the last seven days of racing. This week's winners are . . .

Performance of the week

Hewick

There was some fabulous racing at Goodwood and Galway but the standout winner was €850 purchase Hewick, who landed the Galway Plate for Shark Hanlon.

Having won the 3m5f bet365 Gold Cup in April, he produced a heroic performance over far shorter than his optimum trip, fending off a host of smart rivals – one without its jockey.

Hanlon seemingly has the Midas touch with these bargain buys and, with his handicap mark likely to take a hit, Hewick could be a Graded performer in the making. In fact, Hanlon was bullish in his assessment of the winner, saying he could be a Cheltenham Gold Cup horse.

Jockey of the week

Benoit de la Sayette

William Buick took home the top jockey honour at Glorious Goodwood and would be an obvious winner of this accolade, but Benoit de la Sayette deserves it every bit as much.

Benoit de la Sayette: the young rider is enjoying a remarkable campaignCredit: Mark Cranham (racingpost.com/photos)

He had just three rides at the meeting and certainly made them count, coming away with wins on Caius Chorister and Trawlerman, judging both races to perfection.

The young rider is enjoying a remarkable campaign, posting a 20 per cent strike-rate in 2022. Calling him a 'star of the future' is a cliche but wholly accurate in this case.

Trainer of the week

Michael Dods

A similar top effort from limited involvement at Goodwood came from Michael Dods, who sent three runners (two in the same race) from his County Durham base and returned with two winners, including in Britain's most valuable sprint handicap.

Commanche Falls, despite not having his preferred ground, put in a tremendous performance to win successive renewals of the Stewards' Cup, and Tinto, the trainer's other runner in the race, finished a close fifth.

Prairie Falcon had already put Dods on the Goodwood scoresheet earlier in the meeting, and those winners helped him towards a 26 per cent strike-rate for the week overall.

Ride of the week

Liam McKenna on Tudor City

Winning the Galway Hurdle would be difficult for even a match-fit jockey, let alone one who was having their first ride of the season.

Liam McKenna rode just two winners last season and had not been in competitive action since the Irish Grand National, in which he broke his collarbone.

The 7lb claimer was paired with Tudor City on his return and he made no mistake, steering the ten-year-old to his second win in the race.

Finish of the week

Goodwood Cup

There was a plethora of storylines heading into the Goodwood Cup and we were treated to an incredible spectacle, with Kyprios, Stradivarius and Trueshan all having their say in a gripping finish.

Thrilling finish: Kyprios (near) pips Stradivarius in the Goodwood CupCredit: Mark Cranham (racingpost.com/photos)

Stradivarius, a four-time winner of the race, came with a withering late run under Andrea Atzeni but, despite the crowd attempting to lift him home, narrowly missed out. It felt like a changing-of-the-guard moment, as Gold Cup winner Kyprios took the staying crown from the former king.

Thankfully, we should have another chance to see Stradivarius, as he looks likely to contest the Lonsdale Cup at York, in which he could renew rivalry with the other big gun of the scene Trueshan in another potential epic.

Debut of the week

Laurel

Juddmonte unleashed some impressive prospects during the week, none more so than Laurel, who looked out of the top drawer at Newmarket on Friday.

The daughter of Kingman travelled well throughout but looked in trouble when Robert Havlin was unable to find a gap at the two-furlong pole. Once switched into daylight on the rail, however, she quickened away impressively, beating a 95-rated rival who was last seen finishing fifth in the Sandringham.

Given the record her joint-trainers John and Thady Gosden have with fillies, she could be the real deal.

Read more from The Last Word . . .

Racing Post Ratings: still scope for impressive Baaeed to improve over longer trip at York (Members' Club)

Cook Review: Commanche Falls should get his chance to be the Red Rum of sprint handicappers (Members' Club)

View From The Saddle: 'He blew out of the water the way that you would normally ride over these trips (Members' Club)

Sign up to receive On The Nose, our essential daily newsletter, from the Racing Post. Your unmissable morning feed, direct to your email inbox every morning.