'We love you Hollie' screamed a racegoer - and Goodwood Cup day needed her

A year ago the people were missing from Glorious Goodwood. This time it was the horses who failed to turn up. Fortunately, what might have turned into a major anti-climax was avoided thanks to one particular horse and his jockey.

The star of the show was meant to be Stradivarius. He had arrived filling the same role on this day last year and more than lived up to his billing, winning the Al Shaqab Goodwood Cup for a record fourth time. The sadness was that festival, like so many others, was held behind closed doors, the grandstands practically empty. This time the spectators came. Unfortunately, so did the rain.

It had long since left by the time Goodwood's gates were opened but the damage had been done. A monumental downpour in the early hours made already soft ground even softer. It was also the trigger for John and Thady Gosden to take a walk around the track, the result of which was sadly, but understandably, predictable.