Courage Mon Ami aiming to remain unbeaten in Goodwood Cup

New staying king is stable’s preference over Gregory.

Gold Cup winner Courage Mon Ami headlines the 11 due to go to post for the Al Shaqab Goodwood Cup Stakes on Tuesday.

The Group One staying contest is the feature of the Qatar Goodwood Festival’s opening day and could live up to its star billing as Andrew Balding’s Ascot runner-up Coltrane also features.

John and Thady Gosden’s unbeaten Courage Mon Ami was three-quarters of a length clear of Coltrane at Ascot and will once again be the mount of Frankie Dettori.

Courage Mon Ami will be the sole representative of owners Wathnan Racing, with fellow Royal Ascot scorer Gregory not declared despite disputing favouritism in the ante-post markets.

Aidan O’Brien will rely on recent Curragh Cup winner Emily Dickinson and Broome, while other names to note amongst the declarations include Marco Botti’s Yorkshire Cup winner Giavellotto and Roger Varian’s Eldar Eldarov.

Dettori also holds leading claims in the supporting World Pool Lennox Stakes where Kinross will bid to go one better than last year’s neck second.

Nine are declared including Criterion Stakes winner Audience and Isaac Shelby who has been operating with real credit over a mile the last twice, but now drops back to seven furlongs aiming for a second victory of the season at seven furlongs.

Kinross and Frankie Dettori
Kinross and Frankie Dettori (Tim Goode/PA)

The same number go to post for the main two-year-old contest of the day where Richard Hannon’s Superlative Stakes runner-up Haatem has no City Of Troy to worry about this time.

Charlie Hills’ Iberain was due to line-up in that Newmarket contest before missing out on account of ground conditions, but this represents another fine opportunity to follow up his impressive Newbury debut.

Mountain Bear is the sole Ballydoyle representative, while Dettori will once again fancy his chances of hitting the frame aboard Richard Fahey’s Chesham Stakes third Golden Mind.

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