Ultimate Glorious Goodwood guide 2026: Dates, race times, ticket prices, dress code and ITV Racing schedule

It’s time to dust off the Panama hats-Glorious Goodwood 2026 is officially upon us. As one of the crown jewels of the summer Flat racing season, this iconic five-day spectacular runs from Tuesday through Saturday, bringing world-class sport to one of the most breathtaking venues in the sport.

Below, you’ll find everything you need to navigate the week: the full ‘race-by-race’ schedule and ITV Racing times, key feature race previews, dress code guidelines, ticketing options, and travel advice.

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When Is Glorious Goodwood 2026? 🗓️

Much like Royal Ascot, the Glorious Goodwood fixture spans five full days of action from Tuesday to Saturday.

Widely regarded as the most picturesque racecourse in the UK, the West Sussex track sits nestled in the countryside just seven miles north of Chichester and ten miles from the coastal town of Bognor Regis.

For 2026, the five-day festival runs from Tuesday 28th July through Saturday 1st August.

Glorious Goodwood Dates 2026 

📅 Dates: Tuesday 28th July to Saturday 1st August 2026
🏟️Venue: Goodwood Racecourse, West Sussex
🌥️ Going/Weather: Good
📺TV Coverage: Live on ITV and Racing TV
🎲Goodwood Cup Early Odds: Scandinavia (10/11), Trawlerman (5/2), Rahiebb (12/1)

Full Glorious Goodwood 2026 Race Schedule & TV Times 📺

Here is the complete running order for all five days of the 2026 meeting, detailing race times and broadcast channels.

The first five Glorious Goodwood races each day are expected to be on ITV Racing, with all races also on RacingTV.

Tuesday 28th July 2026: Goodwood Cup Day 🏇

• 13:50 Coral Chesterfield Cup Handicap (ITV)
• 14:25 Coral Vintage Stakes (Group 2) (ITV)
• 15:00 HKJC World Pool Lennox Stakes (Group 2) (ITV)
• 15:35 Al Shaqab Goodwood Cup Stakes (Group 1) (ITV)
• 16:10 Coral Handicap (ITV)
• 16:45 British Stallion Studs EBF Maiden Stakes (Colts & Geldings Only)
• 17:20 Bolney Wine Estate Fillies’ Handicap
• 17:55 World Pool Bet With The Tote EBF Fillies’ Handicap

Wednesday 29th July 2026: Sussex Stakes Day 🏇

• 13:50 Coral Handicap (Gbbplus Race) (ITV)
• 14:25 British Stallion Studs EBF Alice Keppel Fillies’ Conditions Stakes (Gbb Race) (ITV)
• 15:00 Rolls-Royce Oak Tree Stakes (Group 3) (ITV)
• 15:35 Veuve Clicquot Molecomb Stakes (Group 3) (ITV)
• 16:10 Visit Qatar Sussex Stakes (Group 1) (ITV)
• 17:00 (Race details to be confirmed)
• 17:40 (Race details to be confirmed)

Thursday 30th July 2026: Ladies’ Day🏇

• 13:50 Coral Kincsem Heritage Handicap (ITV)
• 14:25 Markel Richmond Stakes (Group 2) (ITV)
• 15:00 Gordon Stakes (Group 3) (ITV)
• 15:35 Qatar Nassau Stakes (Group 1) (ITV)
• 16:10 Buccellati Handicap (ITV)
• 16:45 Whispering Angel Nursery Handicap
• 17:20 Tatler British EBF Maiden Fillies’ Stakes (Gbb Race)
• 17:55 HKJC World Pool Handicap

Friday 31st July 2026: King George Day🏇

• 13:50 Coral Goodwood Handicap (Gbbplus Race) (ITV)
• 14:25 Thoroughbred Stakes (Group 3) (ITV)
• 15:00 Coral Golden Mile (ITV)
• 15:35 King George Qatar Stakes (Group 2) (ITV)
• 16:10 Regent Seven Seas Cruises Bentinck Conditions Stakes (ITV)
• 16:45 Hawes & Curtis Nursery Handicap
• 17:20 HKJC World Pool Handicap (Gbbplus Race)
• 17:55 British Stallion Studs EBF Fillies’ Handicap

Saturday 1st August 2026: Stewards’ Cup Day🏇

• 13:50 Coral Summer Handicap (Gbbplus Race) (ITV)
• 14:25 Highclere Castle Gin Glorious Stakes (Group 3) (ITV)
• 15:00 Qatar Lillie Langtry Stakes (Group 2) (ITV)
• 15:35 Coral Stewards’ Cup (Heritage Handicap) (ITV)
• 16:10 Phase Eight Handicap (ITV)
• 16:45 British Stallion Studs EBF Maiden Stakes (Colts And Geldings Only)
• 17:20 Coral Handicap

 

Spotlight on the Glorious Goodwood Group 1 Highlights

Across the five days, racegoers will witness 13 Group-class contests, headlined by three Group 1 showdowns at the highest level.

Tuesday: The Goodwood Cup (Group 1)

Contested over a gruelling two miles, the Goodwood Cup stands as one of the premier staying events on the calendar, routinely featuring top performers backing up from the Ascot Gold Cup.

Trainer Aidan O’Brien has won the race five times and is back for more with his Ascot Gold Cup hero Scandinavia, who is favourite and landed the prize 12 months ago.

Goodwood Cup Betting Odds 2026

• Scandinavia 10/11
• Trawlerman 5/2
• Rahiebb 12/1
• Caballo De Mar 16/1
• Lazy Griff 16/1
• 20/1 bar

Note: Odds listed are subject to change. 

Wednesday: The Sussex Stakes (Group 1)

Staged over a mile for horses aged three and up, the Sussex Stakes frequently pits the season’s top three-year-olds from the 2000 Guineas and St James’s Palace Stakes against older established stars.

Last year the race threw up a shock 150/1 winner in Qirat (watch below).

While this year’s renewal sees the 2000 Guineas and St James’s Palace Stakes winner Bow Echo propping up the betting.

Sussex Stakes Betting Odds 2026

• Bow Echo 5/4
• Opera Ballo 3/1
• Gstaad 4/1
• Zeus Olympios 14/1
• Notable Speech 16/1
• Ten Bob Tony 16/1
• 20/1 bar

Note: Odds listed are subject to change. 

Thursday: The Nassau Stakes (Group 1)

The mile-and-a-quarter Group 1 Nassau Stakes is restricted to fillies and mares aged three and above.

Top Irish handler Aidan O’Brien boasts a exceptional record here with six previous victories-including last year with Whirl (watch below).

He needs just two more to equal the record haul of Sir Henry Cecil.

And the bookies are expecting him to more one step closer to Cecil’s tally with his classy Diamond Necklace heading the market.

Nassau Stakes Betting Odds 2026

• Diamond Necklace 6/4
• Estrange 4/1
• See The Fire 6/1
• Friendly Soul 7/1
• Blue Bolt 10/1
• 12/1 bar

Note: Odds listed are subject to change. 

Is Glorious Goodwood Covered Live on ITV Racing?

Yes. Ed Chamberlin leads the ITV Racing team on site, broadcasting four live races on terrestrial television during each afternoon of the festival.

With all the main races covered each day on the ‘free-to-air’ channel.

The first five Glorious Goodwood races are expected to be shown on the ITV Racing network.

Glorious Goodwood 2026 Tickets & Enclosures 🎫

Tickets and hospitality packages are currently available across various enclosures on the course:

Glorious Goodwood Dress Code Expectations 👗👒

Dress requirements vary depending on your enclosure, though gentlemen in the premium areas are required to wear jackets and ties, while ladies typically opt for elegant summer garden party attire

• Richmond Enclosure: Gentlemen (aged 16 and over) must wear a tailored suit jacket, long-sleeved collared shirt, tie, and full-length trousers.

Women are requested to dress smartly for a summer race day; sportswear is strictly prohibited.

Children aged 7-15 should also dress smartly (boys require long collared shirts), while there is no formal dress code for children under 7

• Gordon Enclosure & Hospitality: Racegoers are asked to dress in a smart, elegant fashion.

This standard applies to both the public Gordon enclosure and its internal hospitality spaces

• Lennox Enclosure: The most relaxed area on the track, featuring no formal dress code.

However, guests enjoying picnics are still encouraged to dress smartly for the occasion

• Hospitality Packages: Dress codes for all hospitality spaces align with the rules of the specific enclosure in which the suite or restaurant is located

Travel & Nearest Train Stations for Getting To Glorious Goodwood 🚂

There is no train station directly at Goodwood Racecourse.

The nearest major rail hub is Chichester Station, located roughly seven miles away.

Throughout the Glorious Goodwood meeting, dedicated shuttle buses (paid service) run continuously between Chichester station and the racecourse gates to transfer arriving racegoers.

The History Of Glorious Goodwood 📜

Perched high on the Sussex Downs, Goodwood Racecourse owes its existence to the 3rd Duke of Richmond, who first introduced racing to the estate in 1802.

What began as an informal two-day meeting for local military officers and gentlemen riders quickly captured the imagination of the aristocracy, evolving into one of the crown jewels of the British Flat racing season.

By 1841, the introduction of iconic contests like the Sussex Stakes solidified Goodwood’s standing as a world-class venue.

Unlike the strict, formal traditions of Royal Ascot, Goodwood carved out a distinct identity as an elegant yet delightfully relaxed summer retreat, earning its legendary moniker “Glorious Goodwood” and drawing royalty, literary figures, and racing royalty alike to its undulating downs.

Over two centuries later, the track’s distinctive layout remains one of the most uniquely challenging test pieces in global horse racing.

Featuring a figure-of-eight layout, sweeping turns, and a testing downhill-to-uphill straight, Goodwood demands tactical riding, raw speed, and exceptional balance from every contender.

Today, the five-day festival stands alongside Ascot and York as a pillar of the summer calendar, staging world-renowned Group 1 events that shape stallion careers while preserving the timeless, garden-party charm envisioned by its founders.