Rosallion faces five rivals in today’s Qatar Sussex Stakes (3.35) at Glorious Goodwood as he seeks a third Group 1 win in a row.
The winner of the St James’s Palace Stakes last time, Richard Hannon’s colt will renew rivalry with Royal Ascot runner-up Henry Longfellow and 2,000 Guineas hero Notable Speech in the day two highlight.
Rosallion, the 5-6 favourite for the Sussex with Paddy Power, finished second behind Notable Speech in the Newmarket Classic. However, after winning the Irish 2,000 Guineas, he gained his revenge on the Godolphin colt, who was only seventh at Ascot.
On Notable Speech’s disappointing effort last time, trainer Charlie Appleby said: “Nothing came out in the wash after Ascot. The vets did all of the checks and found nothing, but it was one of those strange races to watch. I can’t really use that as an excuse for us not finishing third or fourth, but the way the race was run it was always going to be hard from where we were.
“If Notable Speech goes there in the same form as in the Guineas it will be good fun. We are perhaps the underdog this time, but I quite like that.”
Henry Longfellow pushed Rosallion hard in the St James’s Palace, only succumbing by a neck, and is Aidan O’Brien’s sole representative, with River Tiber and Mountain Bear not declared.
Queen Anne third Maljoom leads the challenge to the three-year-olds, with trainer William Haggas deploying blinkers for the first time. The five-year-old has had an interrupted career since being beaten by half a length in third in the 2022 St James’s Palace.
Dubai Turf winner Facteur Cheval, who finished three places behind Maljoom in the Queen Anne having raced in the centre of the track, represents France, while Sonny Liston completes the line-up.
The ground at Goodwood was changed to good, good to soft in places (from good to soft) on Monday morning. The weather is forecast to be dry, sunny and warm on Monday and Tuesday, with the possibility of rain on today.
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