Glorious embarrassment of riches for Sheikh Hamdan at Goodwood

Battaash and Nazeef will spearhead a strong Glorious Goodwood squad for Hamdan Al Maktoum, with the former champion owner's team buoyed by a surge of successes at Royal Ascot and Newmarket's July festival.

Sheikh Hamdan's prolific team left last month's royal meeting with six winners, including a first King's Stand for Battaash, who will bid for a record fourth victory in Friday's King George Qatar Stakes.

While the superstar sprinter will steal the headlines if successful in the Group 2 again, the owner will be hoping to add another Group 1 to Battaash's win in the King's Stand and Nazeef's Falmouth Stakes at Newmarket.

Nazeef has been tasked with doing exactly that in Thursday's Qatar Nassau Stakes as the owner's ante-post favourite and Saint Alary winner Tawkeel is staying in France to contest the Shadwell Prix de la Nonette at Deauville on August 20.

Check out Nazeef's Group 1 win at Newmarket

Angus Gold, Sheikh Hamdan's racing manager, said: "Nazeef has been a star as, after discussions at the end of last year, she was kept in training to make her a stakes winner.

"For her to win her Listed, Group 2 and then Group 1 is something they don't often do. She is stepping up in trip but everyone says she will stay the extra two furlongs and the ground should be perfect for all the horses with it being on the easy side of good with a couple of drying days to go."

On the Charlie Hills-trained Battaash, who is the 2-5 favourite for Friday's Group 2, Gold added: "It will be fabulous if Battaash can win the King George again for the fourth year."

Royal Ascot six of the best

Motakhayyel - Buckingham Palace
Battaash - King's Stand
Nazeef - Duke of Cambridge
Hukum - King George V
Molatham - Jersey
Khaloosy - Britannia

Mohaather, unlucky in the Queen Anne but impressive in the Summer Mile back at Ascot, bids to turn the clock back for his trainer Marcus Tregoning at one of his favourite meetings where he has enjoyed ten festival winners.

However, the Sussex Stakes promises to be one of the races of the week, with Queen Anne winner Circus Maximus, 2,000 Guineas winner Kameko and unbeaten Irish 2,000 Guineas victor Siskin all in opposition.

Gold added: "I saw Mohaather ten days ago and he looked in great shape, but it's a great race on paper and we are up against it and don't want the ground to go too firm for him."

Al Aasy (Jim Crowley, left) wins the Bahrain Trophy at Newmarket's July meeting with third-placed Al Dabaran left trailingCredit: Edward Whitaker

Bahrain Trophy winner Al Aasy will run in the John Pearce Racing Gordon Stakes, which could be one of the three-year-old races of the week as Derby runner-up Khalifa Set and other Epsom contenders English King, Mogul and Highland Chief are entered.

"It looks a hot race," added Gold. "We are still learning about Al Aasy and it will tell us a bit more about him. William [Haggas, trainer] was thinking of waiting for the Great Voltigeur [at York] but he is so well that he will run at Goodwood."

Britannia winner Khaloosy is being aimed at the Group 3 Bonhams Thoroughbred Stakes on Friday, with the handicapper forcing the unexposed three-year-old into that sphere after hitting him with a 17lb rise for his Ascot romp.

Khaloosy and Jim Crowley leave their Britannia rivals well behind at Royal Ascot in JuneCredit: Alan Crowhurst (Getty Images)

Gold explained: "We always thought through the winter he could be a nice horse but because of the start of the year it was hard to know where he sat so it was lovely to see him win like that at Ascot."

Jim Crowley, short-headed on placed countback by Frankie Dettori for Royal Ascot top jockey, has plenty more for his retainer in the week to get revenge at Goodwood.

Trainer Mark Johnston is keen to run Coventry Stakes runner-up Qaader in the Group 2 Qatar Richmond Stakes after his July Stakes fourth and the William Haggas-trained Montatham is ready to try and justify ante-post favouritism in the Unibet Golden Mile on Friday.

While another strong five-day meeting would boost Sheikh Hamdan's champion owner credentials, Gold will be delighted if able to report back a similar level of success to that achieved at Royal Ascot or the July festival.

"What was so satisfying about Ascot was not just the six winners but that nearly every horse ran well and then Nazeef and Al Aasy carried it on at Newmarket," added Gold.

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