Cheat sheet: all the key quotes, tips and analysis you need for day four of Glorious Goodwood

Glorious Goodwood rolls into day four, with ITV covering the first five races starting with the Coral Goodwood Handicap. The Thoroughbred Stakes, Golden Mile and Qatar Stakes are previewed separately, but we've got you covered for the rest of the card. This is the Glorious Goodwood cheat sheet.

Want to read our Raceday Intel on the Group races first?

1.55 Thoroughbred Stakes

2.30 Golden Mile

3.05 King George Qatar Stakes

The killer analysis

The Racing Post's staying handicapper Graeme Rodway with his view on the longest race of the week at Goodwood

Christophe Soumillon has never ridden a winner for the Johnston yard. He was 0-3 for Charlie’s father Mark and is now 0-2 for the current team, but he did partner Lazy Griff at Epsom and, but for Lambourn, would have a 50-1 Derby winner for the yard.

Soumillon’s name jumps off the page alongside Johnston’s Align The Stars, who has been partnered by Joe Fanning in 13 of his 16 starts and that includes when winning at this meeting last year. That was off a mark of 99 and he simply must be well handicapped off 98.

Johnston will almost certainly have had a return to Goodwood for this fixture in mind for Align The Stars and he hasn’t been running badly recently. His last four form figures may read 7475, but Racing Post Ratings paint a different picture with four figures of 100-plus.

He was beaten less than three lengths when seventh in the Ascot Stakes in June and followed that with a fifth of 13 in a hot handicap at Newmarket last month. He is in better form than he would appear to be at first glance, and is down 3lb in the weights during that four-run period.

Ground punters will be in their element after the heavy rain yesterday and Kyle Of Lochalsh will probably top many of their lists. His three runs on soft or heavy ground have yielded a win and two thirds, and his last victory was a six-and-a-half-length one on soft at Salisbury.

Oxford Comma, Sheradann and the soft-ground course winner Aggagio are others to note, given the heavy rain that fell during racing on Thursday, but there isn't much rain forecast for Friday and it might not be as testing as many think.

Runner in focus

Galway may be the main attraction in Ireland but Gordon Elliott has found time to send a rare runner to Goodwood in search of his first success at the course.

Elliott has sent just three runners in total to the Chichester track but he looks primed for a breakthrough win with the well-fancied Mordor in the opening Coral Goodwood Handicap (1.20).

The five-year-old was last seen finishing midfield in a busy race at the Curragh but fared much better in his prior start with a resounding success in a 2m1f handicap at Killarney in May.

He shot up 9lb for the win but could still have more to offer over this longer trip, having run over the same distance when eighth in the Martin Pipe Hurdle in March. As Elliott's sole runner at this week's Glorious Goodwood, Mordor will have no doubt been wound up for this as he returns from a two-month break under a first-time ride by Jamie Spencer.

"He's already had a great year and this looked a suitable opportunity for him," Elliott said. "He stays well and the trip should suit. We think he has a bit of potential off his Flat mark and we'd be hopeful of a big run."

Elliott's last runner at Goodwood was in this race in 2023, when Tronador finished third at 13-2.

Key quotes and tips

1.20: Coral Goodwood Handicap

Charlie Johnston, trainer of Align The Stars
He ran well in the Ascot Stakes over this sort of trip and he was only beaten a few lengths. I don't think that was an overly strong test at the trip and with the ground going soft it'll be a new test for him, but we think he'll stay and we know he likes the track. He's got a bit more class than most of these.

Hughie Morrison, trainer of Kyle Of Lochalsh and Vino Victrix
Kyle Of Lochalsh is a good horse but we've been waiting months to run. He ran very well in this last year on ground too quick for him alongside Vino Victrix. He's getting on a bit and needs to find his form. We'll take a view on conditions in the morning. Good, good to firm conditions would warrant them both to be non-runners, but there's a lot of rain about.

Ian Williams, trainer of Sheradann and Zinc White
Sheradann had a decent run in the Northumberland Vase and should appreciate the step up in distance. He probably wouldn't want the ground to get desperately soft. Zinc White will appreciate the rain and has been waiting for an ease in ground.

Spotlight's tip: Zinc White

So much depends on the ground. Zinc White and Tashkhan are in their element in the mud. Mordor is preferred otherwise.
Richard Austen

Zinc White13:20 Goodwood

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Jky: Silvestre De Sousa Tnr: Ian Williams

3.45: Regent Seven Seas Cruises Bentinck Conditions Stakes

Karl Burke, trainer of Liberty Lane
He likes the track and won a Listed race there earlier this season. He will like the ease in the ground. He's in good shape.

Michael Bell, trainer of Carrytheone
He's in good form. He had a good blowout at Chester the other day and he was always going to need the run. I'm not worried about the trip and he's reunited with Mr Soumillon, and he loves a bit of dig in the ground. It'll be interesting to see how he gets on but he looks very well.

Alistair Donald, racing manager to King Power Racing, owner of Fox Legacy The ground is a slight question mark, we just don't know. He ran okay on it last year but that was over further and he didn't stay, so it's an unknown. He's by Lope De Vega though and his action doesn't suggest one type of ground or the other, so we think he'll be versatile. He's an improving horse and it looks an ideal spot for him.

Richard Brown, adviser to Wathnan Racing, owners of Haunted Dream and Jeff Koons
Haunted Dream has been a star for Hamad Al Jehani and his team, running very consistently to a high level. He won this race last year and we hope he'll go well again. Jeff Koons is a firm favourite of the Wathnan team after winning the Qatar Derby. This is a big step up in class but I'm sure he'll run a solid race.

Spotlight's tip: Liberty Lane

The most solid option to put up a bold show at this track, over this trip and on probably rain-softened ground is Liberty Lane.
Richard Austen

Liberty Lane15:45 Goodwood

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Jky: Clifford Lee Tnr: K R Burke

4.20: Hawes & Curtis Nursery Handicap

Richard Brown, adviser to Wathnan Racing, owners of Old Is Gold
He won his maiden at Beverley and was just done by under four lengths in the Windsor Castle at Ascot. He comes here off a mark of 87 and we hope he'll be competitive. It looks a very strong renewal.

Karl Burke, trainer of Jan Steen
He was disappointing at Ascot for no rhyme or reason why – he'd been working well beforehand. We've given him a short break and aimed him at this for a little while. He's reasonably well handicapped, and you need one of them to win this type of race.

Charlie Johnston, trainer of Try Storm Cat
He's been gradually progressive with each of his three runs. The handicapper has probably not taken any chances with his mark based on the form of those runs, but he looked an obvious candidate for this race.

Hugo Palmer, trainer of Ardisia and Game Striker
The rain will help Game Striker and Ardisia has just been unlucky, he was just behind a wall of horses in the Super Sprint. I'm looking forward to stepping him up to six furlongs.

Spotlight's tip: Ardisia

This could go to Ardisia, who endured a torrid passage in the Super Sprint and has shaped as though this step up to 6f will suit.
Ben Hutton

Ardisia16:20 Goodwood

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Jky: David Probert Tnr: Hugo Palmer

4.55: Coral Pipped At The Post Winners Handicap

Angus Gold, racing manager to Shadwell, owner of Munsif
He ran well at York last time but he just worried about it all a little bit, so Ryan [Moore] just felt it would help him in the long term if we gelded him. We've given him half a break and he's been working well. This looks a useful place to start him off, but I hope it doesn't go too soft for him.

James Owen, trainer of Ammes
I thought he ran really well the last day, he just didn't quite see the trip out. The form of that race has worked out well and this step back in distance will be ideal. I think he's got a great chance and Rossa [Ryan] has won on him before, so we're excited to see him run.

Harry Eustace, trainer of Sea Of Kings
He's owned by Wathnan, so it's a big meeting for them and this has been the plan for a while. He'll enjoy any rain and the tempo of a handicap is going to help. It'll be interesting to see how he shapes up at this level over this trip but I do think he'll stay a bit further. He's still very much a work in progress, he's going to be a lovely horse next year. Stall one is a negative as he's a big horse and getting himself organised and out into stride, that's going to be James [Doyle's] biggest thing to achieve early doors.

Charlie Johnston, trainer of Burj Zabeel and Mdawi
I thought Mdawi was unlucky on Wednesday. If he'd got room in time I'd argue he might have won. The plan is to back him up and if he can reproduce that same effort on a quick turnaround, then he can go well. Burj Zabeel was progressive through his three maiden runs. He didn't run badly at Southwell, but we were a little disappointed as we thought he was hanging in the straight. The blinkers have gone on to try and sharpen his focus and, if they have the desired effect, then he should go well.

Spotlight's tip: War Hawk

It was good to soft, soft in places when War Hawk pipped Grecian Legacy at Epsom and those two may again come to the fore.
Richard Austen