Glorious Goodwood showed British racing at its best - these are my standout performances across the five days

It’s sometimes hard to appreciate things when they are right in front of you, but Glorious Goodwood provided a spectacular reminder of what British racing has to offer last week. 

Many punters, including myself, often find ourselves cursing at the television when watching the meeting when your horse fails to get a run at the cutaway or powers home all too late from the rear of the field. Hard-luck stories are simply par for the course.

However, Goodwood showcased absorbing, tactical racing and the best horses seemed to generally prevail, with the bookies hit particularly hard across the five days. The course’s unique layout and topography put an emphasis on pace, agility and timing, and we were rewarded with some fabulous performances in the saddle. 

Tuesday's card provided one of my favourite results of the season when Kaiya Fraser rewarded the faith of Dr Rascal’s connections with a daring ride to land his first Group race in the Vintage Stakes.

Fraser sat patiently as the leaders went for home and opted against trying to manoeuvre his mount into the clear to make his run down the outside. Instead, he waited for a run up the rail and delivered his mount perfectly in the closing stages.

For a young rider to be given such an opportunity is rare, so for him to grasp it with both hands and down the might of Ballydoyle and Godolphin felt particularly invigorating. Hopefully, it was just the beginning of an enduring partnership. 

Kaiya Fraser returns on Dr Rascal after the Vintage StakesCredit: Edward Whitaker (racingpost.com/photos)

Billy Loughnane's bond with Bow Echo has come to the fore in similar style all season, and the pair had to overcome another troublesome position in a fascinating Sussex Stakes on Wednesday. 

The 2,000 Guineas and St James's Palace winner showed a rare gear to extract himself from another Ballydoyle-sized pocket and extend his unbeaten record to six, while also making it 3-0 in his private battle with Gstaad. Great horses overcome adversity and he continues to impress.

The handicaps delivered, too. Infraad won one of the strongest three-year-old handicaps over middle distances this season and will surely be a candidate for one of his trainer William Haggas's potent Australian raids.

He could be joined down under by Ciarrai Abu, who is owned by Australian-based syndicate OTI Racing, as Harry Eustace's runner showed he had the class to match his character against progressive horses in a similarly deep three-year-old handicap.

Dylan Browne McMonagle finished second to Ryan Moore in the leading jockey standings with four winners, underlining his status as one of the finest riders anywhere in the world.

The way he subtly held Colin Keane and Geryon in a pocket before striking for home on Enceladus in the Gordon Stakes was superb, and an example of how a simple yet stealthy move can make all the difference to a race's result. 

Enceladus and Dylan Browne McMonagle win the Gordon StakesCredit: Edward Whitaker (racingpost.com/photos)

He took a much more attacking approach on Defiantly to break the hearts of his rivals in a punishing running of the marathon handicap. He may have been on the best horse, but such a bold front-running performance takes guts to execute.  

Browne McMonagle is riding without fear and it is stunning to watch anywhere but particularly enjoyable at Goodwood, where adaptability is key. The track demands a great deal from both riders and horses, and we are fortunate to see our athletes tested in such a way. 

Travelling the world has taught me nowhere does racing quite like Britain, and we should celebrate the challenges our courses provide. The layout of Ascot was one of the reasons provided when Masquerade Ball and Wurttemberg put in such poor performances in the King George last month.

In Japan, tracks are almost exclusively oval-shaped and pancake-flat, meaning our undulations, varying bends and unique approach to turf husbandry can seem alien to international runners. It is similar in the United States, with the majority of their racing taking place on left-handed ovals without many defining features.

As punters we may sometimes loathe them, but our idiosyncratic tracks have helped produce elite racehorses and jockeys. We saw the evidence of that last week at Goodwood, and it was utterly brilliant to see.

A familiar gripe

Goodwood may have been great, but it will not fulfil its full potential until they shorten the meeting's schedule. 

Excellent prize-money means officials at the track are rewarded with competitive fields, but most of the days seem to tail off after the big events, with nondescript fillies' handicaps and nurseries beefing out a bloated programme. 

As with the Cheltenham Festival and Royal Ascot, the first few days are the best, but the meeting really does conclude with a damp squib. The Glorious Stakes and Lillie Langtry just do not really deliver as support acts to the Stewards' Cup. 

A four-day meeting would do the job just fine, thanks.

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