Who are the six fastest winners of the Stewards’ Cup at Goodwood?

The Stewards’ Cup cavalry charge is the highlight of the final day of action at Goodwood on Saturday, August 1.

The greatest equine speedsters converge each summer in one of the most prestigious and valuable handicaps of the summer, in a contest that demands your eyes are everywhere.

With up to 30 runners, the stewards at Goodwood have plenty to do in keeping tabs on the race in their honour and with fast finishes coming in under one minute ten seconds they don’t have much time to deliberate.

Speed is the key here, so let’s see which horses currently hold the top six fastest berths across the Sussex Downs track.

The 2020s are still yet to produce a horse that has broken in the 1.09 bracket, with 2023’s winner Aberama Gold plodding home in a heavy 1.16.93, although the course was drenched and racing was later abandoned.

Can the 2026 winner get their nose under the 1.10 barrier?

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6. Hoof It (2011 Time: 1.09.91)

One of the quickest sprinters to emerge from Mick Easterby’s Yorkshire stable, Hoof It lived up to his name with a string of dazzling performances over the minimum trip.

A powerful, imposing horse who had fully matured by the age of four, Hoof It arrived at Goodwood on the back of an emphatic victory in York’s fiercely competitive 20-runner Dash. That success made him a leading contender for the cavalry charge that is the Stewards’ Cup.

Already proven at Group level, Hoof It was sent off as 13/2 joint favourite alongside James Fanshawe’s speedster Mac’s Power. Yet, in a race as competitive as the Stewards’ Cup, with runners spread across the track, luck in running is never guaranteed.

Kieren Fallon produced a masterclass in race-riding. Making full use of Hoof It’s blistering early pace, he switched from the centre of the course to the far rail before asking his mount to lengthen. From a furlong out, the result was never in doubt as Hoof It powered clear to score by two and a half lengths from Tax Free.

Breaking the 1 minute 10 second barrier is the hallmark of a top-class Stewards’ Cup performance, and Hoof It stopped the clock at a blistering 1:09.91.

5. Dancing Star (2016 – 1.09.81)

Leading the field in the Stewards’ Cup is no easy task, especially with more than 20 rivals charging behind, but Dancing Star handled the pressure superbly to record an impressive victory in 2016.

Trained by Andrew Balding, the daughter of Aqlaam raced on the far side over the six furlongs, following a similar route to Hoof It, before surging to the front inside the final half-furlong.

With a pack of challengers closing rapidly, David Probert had little room for error aboard Dancing Star. However, she found another gear when it mattered most, pulling clear to beat Orion’s Bow by a convincing one-and-a-quarter lengths.

Run on a warm afternoon at Goodwood, the race was completed in a rapid 1:09.81, making Dancing Star the fourth-fastest winner of the Stewards’ Cup.

4. Khaadem (2019 – 1.09.79)

The Stewards’ Cup is renowned as one of the season’s great betting races, and few horses attracted stronger market support than Khaadem in 2019.

Sent off as an 8/1 chance on the morning of the race, Charles Hills’ talented sprinter was backed into 4/1 by the time the stalls opened at Goodwood.

Sporting the famous Shadwell colours made synonymous by Battaash, Khaadem followed the tried-and-tested far-side route under Jim Crowley. 

Ahead of him, David Griffiths’ front-runner Ornate blasted into an early lead but could not sustain the relentless pace.

Travelling powerfully throughout, Khaadem eased alongside inside the final furlong before quickening clear to score by an emphatic two-and-three-quarter lengths from Open Wide.

The commanding winning margin hinted at something special, and the stopwatch confirmed it. 

His time of 1:09.79 made Khaadem the third-fastest winner in Stewards’ Cup history and underlined that Shadwell Stud had unearthed yet another exceptional sprinter.

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2. Soba (1982 – 1.09.58)

Soba’s victory in the 1982 Stewards’ Cup remains one of the most remarkable performances in the history of Goodwood’s famous sprint handicap.

Not only did the three-year-old filly defy odds of 18/1, but she also stopped the clock in a stunning 1:09.58, breaking the course record and setting a benchmark that stood for decades

Trained by David Chapman and ridden by David Nicholls, Soba made virtually every yard of the running, showing exceptional speed from the outset before refusing to be caught. Carrying 8st 4lb, she proved far too quick for her rivals, announcing herself as one of the outstanding sprint handicappers of her generation.

Her Stewards’ Cup triumph formed part of an extraordinary three-year-old campaign. 

After failing to win in nine starts as a juvenile, Soba underwent a remarkable transformation in 1982, winning 11 races during the season, including the Gosforth Park Cup and the Stewards’ Cup. 

Her exploits saw her handicap mark soar by 56lb, while her Goodwood success helped establish David Nicholls as one of Britain’s leading sprint jockeys before he later enjoyed even greater success as a trainer.

Soba’s 1:09.58 remained the joint-fastest winning time in Stewards’ Cup history until Gifted Master edged beneath it with a time of 1:09.56 in 2018. 

Even today, Soba’s performance is regarded as one of the greatest handicap sprint displays ever seen at Goodwood.

2. For The Present (1994 – 1.09.58)

It’s a nostalgic trip back to the 1990s as For The Present claims joint second place on the list of the fastest Stewards’ Cup winners.

With Goodwood riding fast and firm in 1994, conditions were ideal for a lightning-quick renewal. Despite that, bookmakers gave little chance to David Barron’s sprinter, sending him off at 16/1.

Jimmy Fortune, however, had other plans. 

Settled just off the pace, For The Present was produced to challenge late, setting up a thrilling three-way battle with Poker Chip and the 7/1 favourite Humbert’s Landing.

Andrew Balding’s Poker Chip looked to have made her move at the perfect time, but she was caught close home, while Humbert’s Landing could never quite land a decisive challenge. 

For The Present dug deep to prevail by a short head in a dramatic finish.

1. Gifted Master (2018 – 1.09.56)

Hugo Palmer has enjoyed success at the highest level, including victory in the 2,000 Guineas, but he has often ranked Gifted Master’s triumph in the 2018 Stewards’ Cup among the finest wins of his career.

Goodwood was bathed in glorious sunshine as the runners lined up for the six-furlong handicap, with top weight Gifted Master overlooked by many and sent off at generous odds of 20/1.

Inside the final half-furlong, it was the 25/1 Irish challenger Justanotherbottle, trained by Ger O’Neill, who swept to the front rather than the well-fancied 9/2 favourite Foxtrot Lady. 

Gifted Master, however, was never far away, sitting just half a length behind as the race reached its climax.

Apprentice Jason Watson produced a determined late challenge, driving Gifted Master to the line where he edged ahead in a thrilling photo finish, prevailing by the narrowest of short heads.

The stopwatch added further significance to the victory, stopping at a remarkable 1:09.56. 

That remains the fastest winning time ever recorded in the Stewards’ Cup and stands as one of the defining performances of the modern era at Goodwood.

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