Gosden duo in fine spirits ahead of Goodwood Cup test

Chris Phillips
July 25, 2024 11:57 am

‘They’ve been busy in their work at home. We’re hoping for a good run.’

John and Thady Gosden are set to launch a two-pronged assault on the Al Shaqab Goodwood Cup, with Sweet William and Gregory tasked with toppling Aidan O’Brien’s Gold Cup hero Kyprios.

Both finished behind Kyprios at Ascot, with Sweet William producing another consistent performance in the staying ranks to finish third, while Gregory was seventh, having failed to see out the stamina-sapping two-and-a-half-mile trip.

The duo’s stablemate and Gold Cup runner-up Trawlerman is not in the mix, but the Clarehaven team are happy with their chosen representatives in the Group One event, with the pair both being winners at the track previously.

Gregory (left) won the Queen's Vase at Royal Ascot in 2023 — Gregory (left) won the Queen’s Vase at Royal Ascot in 2023 (John Walton/PA)

With the forecast looking dry, they could encounter their preferred surface on the Sussex Downs – in a race which the yard won for four successive years with Stradivarius between 2017 and 2020.

“Gregory and Sweet William have both done well since Ascot,” said Thady Gosden.

“They’ve obviously freshened up since then and they’ve been busy in their work at home. We’re hoping for a good run.

“Gregory enjoys top of the ground and Sweet William ran a great race to be third in the Gold Cup on good to firm, so with the forecast looking how it is, the ground shouldn’t pose any issues at all.”