COUNTDOWN TO GLORIOUS GOODWOOD SUPPLEMENTARY ENTRY PREMIO LOCO FOR SUSSEX STAKES 2010

SUPPLEMENTARY ENTRY PREMIO LOCO AMONG 13 ON COURSE FOR SUSSEX STAKES AT GLORIOUS GOODWOOD. TO BE RUN AT 2.45pm ON DAY TWO WEDNESDAY JULY 28.



Trainer Chris Wall is hoping that Premio Loco can continue his rich vein of form in the £316,500 Group One Sussex Stakes (2.45pm), after the six-year-old was supplemented by connections at a cost of £19,500 for the mile contest, highlight of the second day of Glorious Goodwood on Wednesday, July 28.



Premio Loco, who joins 12 horses going forward at the six-day confirmation stage, is unbeaten in his two previous starts, having followed up success in the seven-furlong Group Three Criterion Stakes at Newmarket on June 26 with a career-best effort when posting a length victory in the Group Two Summer Mile at Ascot on July 10.



Wall reported today: “We have supplemented Premio Loco for the Sussex Stakes and it is his most likely target at Glorious Goodwood. We gave him the option of the Betfair Cup as a fall-back but this looks a good opportunity for a chance in Group One company.



“He won well at Ascot and one could argue that he could have done it rather more convincingly with a clearer run. He has continued to be in good form at home since that race and he has also won the Listed On The House Stakes on his only previous start at Goodwood.



“We looked at the last forfeit stage for the Sussex Stakes and we had finished in front of the vast majority of the entries. We haven’t come up against Canford Cliffs and Rip Van Winkle and, on their day, they are proper horses so they won’t be easy to beat.



“But we might as well have a crack at them while we are fit and well and everything is in our favour.”



The trainer with the strongest hand in the Sussex Stakes appears to be Richard Hannon, who has the brilliant Irish 2,000 Guineas and St James’s Palace Stakes victor Canford Cliffs still, along with Dick Turpin, who was second to his stable companion at Royal Ascot before impressing in the Group One Prix Jean Prat at Chantilly last time out on July 4.



Also included among the 13 going forward for the Sussex Stakes is last year’s victor, the Aidan O’Brien-trained Rip Van Winkle, who is bidding to bounce back from a disappointing seasonal reappearance in the Queen Anne Stakes at Royal Ascot and become the first dual winner. O’Brien, seeking a fifth success in the mile contest, could also be represented by last year’s Group One Dewhurst Stakes victor Beethoven, Black Quartz, Encompassing and Steinbeck. There is a sixth Irish-trained contender in the shape of Dermot Weld’s Famous Name, runner-up in the 2008 French Derby and successful on both his starts over a mile this season.



Godolphin’s trainer Saeed bin Suroor, who has won the Sussex Stakes on three previous occasions, relies on the Group One-placed Alexandros, while Andrew Balding’s Dream Eater, who finished third in both the Queen Anne Stakes and the Summer Mile at Ascot, is another possible starter.



The confirmations also include Beacon Lodge from the Clive Cox stable, who finished sixth behind Rip Van Winkle last year, and the Stef Higgins-trained veteran Mac Love, who could make his first appearance since winning the Group Three Select Racing UK On Sky 432 at Goodwood on September 12 last year.



Wednesday, July 28, also features top-quality two-year-old action with the £80,000 Group Two Veuve Clicquot Vintage Stakes (3.25pm) over seven furlongs. This contest, which has fallen to the likes of future Classic winners Shamardal and Sir Percy in the last 10 years, has attracted 11 entries including the Richard Hannon-trained duo of King Torus, successful in the Group Two Superlative Stakes at Newmarket last time out and Major Art, the impressive winner of a Lingfield maiden on July 17. Aidan O’Brien has three to choose from with Emperor Hadrian, fourth behind King Torus at Newmarket last time out, Roscommon maiden winner High Ruler and Zoffany, who finished sixth in the Group Two Coventry Stakes at Royal Ascot before comfortably landing the Listed Golden Fleece Stakes over seven furlongs at Leopardstown on July 1.



Day two of Glorious Goodwood kicks off with the longest race of Glorious Goodwood, the £50,000 sportingbet.com Goodwood Handicap (2.10pm) over two miles and five furlongs which has attracted 34 entries including the David Pipe-trained Junior, winner of the Ascot Handicap at Royal Ascot.



GOING



The going at Goodwood remains:



STRAIGHT COURSE: Good

ROUND COURSE: Good to Firm



Seamus Buckley, Goodwood’s Clerk of the Course, said: “We had a welcome eight millimetres of rain this morning (22.07.2010), which has eased the pressure on the watering programme.



“We will continue to monitor the situation so that the going remains as described for racing next week. The Going Stick reading on the Straight Course is 8.1, which is indicative of good ground.”


For more information, please contact Rod Fabricius, Managing Director at Goodwood Racecourse, on 01234 755 022, Seamus Buckley on 07774 100223, Bradley Eccleshare, Marketing & PR Manager, on 01243 755024, or Rachel Suter, Racecourse Marketing and PR Executive, at rachel.suter@goodwood.com




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