Next week will see the return of one of Britain’s sporting highlights of the year, the 2025 Glorious Goodwood Festival.
The five-day meeting will stage the clash between elite yards, as the eyes of the racing world focus on the West Sussex countryside.
Three of the 37 races at the festival are Group One contests, the first of which is day one’s highlight – the Goodwood Cup.
Two miles of the iconic course awaits horses looking to cement themselves in the ‘history book’ and win a share of prize money totalling £500,000.
Aidan O’Brien the favourite
This year’s renewal will see trainer Aidan O’Brien go for consecutive wins in the race, after the now-retired Kyprios took victory last year.
It was the second time that Kyprios won this race, with the first coming in 2022.
According to ante-post markets, O’Brien’s leading chance is the 4/6 favourite Illinois.
This colt has never finished outside the top two in his last eight starts, winning two Group Two contests last season – at Ascot and Longchamp.
His placed form reads well too, finishing behind star-stablemates Los Angeles and Jan Brueghel, who went on to win the Tattersalls Gold Cup and Coronation Cup respectively.
He won the Ormonde Stakes on his first start this season, beating Al Qareem – who has since won his next two starts – before finishing second to Trawlerman in the Ascot Gold Cup.
Illinois
After that second run, O’Brien said: “He (Illinois) ran a great race, the plan was for him to go to the Gold Cup next year.
“He was to go to the Coronation [Cup] this year, so I was training him like a good mile-and-a-half horse, and when Kyprios retired I couldn’t change [the training regime] at that stage.”
Dropping back in trip in this race is sure to suit Illinois, as he heads a trio of fancied O’Brien runners that still hold an entry into this race.
Challengers
The shorter-priced of the two challengers is Scandinavia (6/1) whilst Jan Brueghel is 8/1 to win this race and confirm his form with Illinois in the process.
The former will make his Group One debut and it will be his first crack at this trip.
He shed his maiden tag on his seasonal reappearance, before being beaten a short-distance in the Queens Vase, at Royal Ascot, and winning his latest start at Newmarket.
Jan Brueghel still holds an entry into the (Group One) King George VI And Queen Elizabeth Stakes on Saturday, but will shorten in price should he bypass Ascot and run here.
His Coronation Cup victory was the second of two runs this season, the first of which featured the only defeat of his six-race career.
John Godsen
Trainer John Gosden, like O’Brien, has three runners priced at the top of the market for a race in which he has enjoyed success.
The great Stradivarius won this race four consecutive times for Gosden, between 2017 and 2020, which made it five Goodwood Cup wins overall.
He trains the chief threat to Illinois – Wathnan Racing-owned French Master, who is the (9/2) second favourite.
Though it will be his first run in Group company, he boasts some good form in handicaps – winning two of his three starts this season – and defeating Chester Cup second Caballo De Mar.
Trainer John Gosden told the Racing Post: “I think the step up in trip will be within his range.
“The two miles of Goodwood is a little up and down, with twists and turns. I think he will rise to the occasion.
“He won in good style at Royal Ascot, but he’s going from a handicap in a rating band to a completely open Group 1.
“We’re hopeful he’ll run a good race (and) we’re very much looking forward to running him and seeing the jump in class.”
Other Horses
His other two fancied horses include last year’s second Sweet William (8/1), with three of his runs last season featured placed efforts in Group races behind Kyprios, including this one.
He is due to make his third start of the year after finishing third and fourth in the Yorkshire Cup and Ascot Gold Cup – behind Godolphin-owned stars Rebel Romance and Trawlerman.
Gosden’s other runner is Military Academy (12/1) who will arrive off the back of a second-placed effort, in a Listed race, at this course.
Al Riffa is another prominent in the market (10/1) for trainer Joseph Patrick O’Brien.
His four runs this season have birthed one win, which came in a Group Two at The Curragh on his latest outing.
Other horses in ante-post betting include renowned, three-time Group One-winning (including this race in 2021) stayer Trueshan and Sunway, who remains winless since winning a French Group One in October 2023.
By Callum Close
READ MORE: Glorious Goodwood 2025 – Dates, how to watch on TV, trainers and jockeys to watch
