Bargain-buy Raasel made favourite for Group 2 success at Glorious Goodwood

Raasel looks to have a golden opportunity to continue his ascent up the sprinting ladder in next Friday's Group 2 King George Stakes, the feature race on day four of Qatar Goodwood festival.

The success of the cheaply bought five-year-old, trained by Mick Appleby, has been one of the stories of the season and he features alongside Mitbaahy, the horse he denied by a neck in the Group 3 Coral Charge at Sandown to make it eight wins from his last ten starts. He cost his owners the Horse Watchers 10,000gns from Shadwell two years ago.

Several of Raasel's main rivals in ante-post lists were not among the 16 six-day confirmations, including Nunthorpe-bound Royal Aclaim and King's Stand runner-up Twilight Calls.

Acklam Express, who was one place behind Twilight Calls at Ascot at odds of 200-1, stands his ground at Goodwood, as does last season's Flying Five heroine, Romantic Proposal.

Godolphin look to have a strong hand in what remains one of the big betting handicaps of the British summer, the Coral Golden Mile.

The lightly-raced Shining Blue has been well supported ahead of Friday's Coral Golden Mile at GoodwoodCredit: John Grossick

The unbeaten Shining Blue and his nearest market rival Noble Dynasty both feature among the 34 remaining entries, in a race where the weights have risen 4lb owing to the absence of Accidental Agent.

Shining Blue's trainer Saeed bin Suroor will also be hopeful of a bold show from Passion And Glory, the second highest-rated behind Hamish among 15 entries for the Group 3 L'Ormarins Queen's Plate Glorious Stakes over a mile and a half.

The ultra-consistent Lusail heads nine entered in the Group 3 Bonhams Thoroughbred Stakes – a race won last year by Baaeed – as he seeks to improve on fine placed efforts at Group 1 level in the St James's Palace Stakes and the Prix Jean Prat.

Lusail also holds an engagement in the Group 2 World Pool Lennox Stakes on day one of Glorious Goodwood, a race for which he is no bigger than 5-1.

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