Wonderful Tonight tops nine hunting Lillie Langtry prize

Horse Racing

Dual Group One winner lines up at Goodwood on Saturday.

Wonderful Tonight will face eight rivals in Saturday’s Qatar Lillie Langtry Stakes at Goodwood.

David Menuisier’s dual Group One winner was initially set to tackle the top level again last weekend in Ascot’s King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Stakes.

But when forecast storms did not arrive, she was a late absentee, and Sussex trainer Menuisier quickly announced his intention to instead target Saturday’s Group Two over an extra two furlongs.

Wonderful Tonight is unbeaten in her last three starts – Group One successes in the Prix de Royallieu over this trip at ParisLongchamp and the British Champions Fillies & Mares Stakes, as well as an emphatic victory in open company on her return to Ascot in the Hardwicke Stakes at the Royal meeting last month.

She has shown her best form to date in testing conditions – and although the going at Goodwood is beginning to dry out, it is still currently good to soft.

Among Wonderful Tonight’s opponents, all receiving 3lb or more as she again takes on her fellow fillies and mares, are Ralph Beckett’s Albaflora – re-opposing after finishing fifth in the Hardwicke.

Also in the reckoning are Roger Varian’s Believe In Love, back to form with a Leopardstown Group Three victory this month.

Varian is represented too by Cabaletta – while Aidan O’Brien’s Irish Oaks runner-up Divinely, the only three-year-old in the field, and Joseph O’Brien’s Traisha are the Irish challengers.

The improving Golden Pass, for Hugo Palmer, Andrew Balding’s Tribal Craft and David O’Meara’s course-and-distance winner Makawee complete the line-up.

The Unibet Stewards’ Cup is another traditional highlight on the final day of the Goodwood Festival.

In a maximum field of 28, Balding’s Chipchase Stakes victor Chil Chil tops the weights just above last year’s winner Summerghand, for O’Meara.

Other notable contenders among declarations include Commanche Falls, hat-trick seeking Ejtilaab – who has just joined Charlie Fellowes’ yard – Motagally, Hurricane Ivor, Fresh and Bielsa.

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