COUNTDOWN TO GLORIOUS GOODWOOD FROM TUESDAY 27 JULY THROUGH TO SATURDAY 31 JULY 2010

FINJAAN & RUMOUSH HEAD STRONG TREGONING TEAM FOR GLORIOUS GOODWOOD


Trainer Marcus Tregoning is looking forward to seeing Finjaan return to Glorious Goodwood for another crack at the £155,000 Group Two Betfair Cup, highlight of the first day of the five-day festival on Tuesday, July 27.



The four-year-old ended a nightmare first half of last season for his trainer with victory over Balthazaar’s Gift and Regal Parade in the seven-furlong contest 12 months ago, before finding the going too soft when coming home eighth in the Group One Haydock Park Sprint Cup in September.



He started this year in Dubai, where he also finished eighth in the Group Three Al Quoz Sprint on turf at Meydan, but his trainer is confident that the Hamdan Al Maktoum -owned colt can return to his best after a four-month absence.



Tregoning reported: “Finjaan is on course for the Betfair Cup and he is in good form at the moment. It’s the race that we have had in mind for him for some time and hopefully he will go to Goodwood in as good as form as last year, which will give him a decent chance.



“It was a long journey out to Dubai with him and, while he came out of the race fine, I didn’t want to run him very quickly afterwards and it seemed obvious to bring him back for the Betfair Cup. He goes there without a penalty and he won the race after a break last year, so we don’t have too many concerns.



“He is one of these horses who is very effective over seven furlongs. We ran him over six furlongs at Haydock last season but the ground went against him and he wasn’t right after the race. I am more likely to consider stepping him up to a mile at some point, but we will see how he gets on next week before making any further decisions.”



The 19 entries for the Betfair Cup also include last year’s Group One Prix Jean Prat scorer Lord Shanakill, Group One Prix de la Foret victor Varenar and Group Three winner Dalghar, both trained in France by Alain de Royer-Dupre, recent Group Two Summer Mile winner Premio Loco and Air Chief Marshal, who triumphed in the Group Three Minstrel Stakes last weekend for trainer Aidan O’Brien.



Finjaan’s owner and trainer are also set to be represented at Glorious Goodwood by the classy three-year-old filly Rumoush, who has the option of Tuesday’s £70,000 Betfair Gordon Stakes over a mile and a half or the 10-furlong £200,000 Blue Square Nassau Stakes on Saturday, July 31.



The daughter of Rahy posted a convincing success on her seasonal return in a nine-furlong Listed contest at Newmarket in April but has subsequently enjoyed little luck in both the 1000 Guineas, when she took seventh from an unfavourable draw, or the Epsom Oaks, where she was hampered before staying on to come home fourth behind Snow Fairy.



Tregoning added: “Rumoush will go to Goodwood and she will contest either the Betfair Gordon Stakes or the Blue Square Nassau Stakes. I will have a good look at the Tuesday option for her and then make a decision.



“Her fourth in the Oaks was so disappointing because she never got any sort of room and you couldn’t take anything out of the run. She had a nightmare with the draw in the 1000 Guineas, which has been proven by Music Show coming out and winning the Falmouth Stakes. I think that we could have been a lot closer in both races with a bit of luck.



“I was considering entering her in the St Leger but she can always be supplemented if she looks like she wants further than a mile and a half.”



The 15 entries for the Betfair Gordon Stakes include 10 horses who have also been entered in the St Leger. Among those hoping to further their Classic aspirations are three from the Godolphin operation - French Group Three scorer Simon De Montfort, Film Score, who was a staying on fourth in the Listed Hampton Court Stakes at Royal Ascot and recent Haydock handicap victor Anhar.



Dandino, victorious in the King V Handicap at Royal Ascot, and Theology, narrowly denied in the Group Three Queen’s Vase at the same meeting, may also put their St Leger credentials to the test alongside Group Three Bahrain Trophy winner Corsica and Group Two King Edward VII Stakes runner-up Arctic Cosmos.



A superb seven-race card on the Sussex Downs also features the £60,000 Group Three Molecomb Stakes, which has attracted 19 of the speediest two-year-olds around including the Richard Hannon-trained pair of Zebedee, who was the ready winner of a Listed contest at Sandown on his latest appearance, and Avonmore Star.



GOING



The going at Goodwood remains:



STRAIGHT COURSE: Good

ROUND COURSE: Good to Firm



Seamus Buckley, Goodwood’s Clerk of the Course, reported today: “We had a shower overnight and the course is looking in great condition, with plenty of moisture being retained.



“We will endeavour to keep the ground in its current condition with watering as necessary. I see no reason why we should not be racing on goodish ground at the start of next week.



END