British racing fans are spoilt for choice when it comes to racing festivals over the Spring and Summer months: Chester’s May Meeting, Newmarket’s Guineas Meeting and July Festival, the Epsom Derby Meeting and Royal Ascot to name but a few. Matching Royal Ascot in duration, if not pomp and pageantry, is the classy yet relaxed Glorious Goodwood Festival of late July/early August.
Kicking off on a Tuesday and running through to the closing Saturday, Glorious Goodwood offers an overload of premier racing action, including 13 events rated at Group 3 level or above. Taking centre stage on Day 2 is one of three Group 1 affairs, as the superstar milers line up for the Sussex Stakes. Offering a cool £1 million (2024) in total prize money, the Sussex Stakes is open to colts, geldings, and fillies aged three and above and boasts a stellar roll of honour – Brigadier Gerard, Rock of Gibraltar, Kingman, and Frankel (twice) amongst those to have scorched the Sussex turf on route to victory.
2025 - Qirat
One of the biggest shocks in recent Group 1 history unfolded here as Qirat stormed to victory at odds of 150/1. The Ralph Beckett-trained gelding had been expected to act as a pacemaker for the heavily backed 1/3 favourite Field Of Gold, but instead produced a remarkable performance. Having arrived at the Sussex Stakes after finishing 27th of 30 in the Royal Hunt Cup, Qirat defied expectations to secure a memorable success by a neck’s length.
- 1st - Qirat 150/1, Jockey: Richard Kingscote, Trainer: Ralph Beckett
- 2nd - Rosallion 11/2, Jockey: Sean Levey, Trainer: Richard Hannon
- 3rd - Henri Matisse 11/2, Jockey: Ryan Moore, Trainer: Aidan O’Brien
2024 - Notable Speech
Notable Speech bounced back from a disappointing run at Royal Ascot to add this race to his earlier 2,000 Guineas success. The Charlie Appleby-trained colt travelled strongly throughout the small five-horse field before quickening clear. Pre-race favourite Henry Longfellow was unable to match the winner's turn of foot as Notable Speech further bolstered his pedigree over one mile.
- 1st - Notable Speech 3/1, Jockey: William Buick, Trainer: Charlie Appleby
- 2nd - Maljoom 11/2, Jockey: Tom Marquand, Trainer: William Haggas
- 3rd - Facteur Cheval 5/1, Jockey: Maxime Guyon, Trainer: Jérôme Reynier
2023 - Paddington
Testing conditions failed to prevent Paddington from extending his winning sequence with another authoritative Group 1 success. Sent off the odds-on favourite, Ryan Moore quickly sent the Aidan O'Brien-trained colt to the front in heavy rain and deteriorating ground. Second favourite Inspiral briefly threatened to challenge, but Paddington always looked in control and found more when required. This saw him beat runner-up Facteur Cheval by a comfortable length and a half.
- 1st – Paddington 4/9F - Jockey: Ryan Moore, Trainer: Aidan O’Brien
- 2nd – Facteur Cheval 11/1 - Jockey: Maxime Guyon, Trainer: Jérôme Reynier
- 3rd – Charyn 40/1 - Jockey: David Egan, Trainer: Roger Varian
2022 - Baaeed
Baaeed extended his unbeaten record to nine starts with a commanding display in this edition of the Sussex Stakes. He started at the shortest price for a favourite in the race since Frankel's victory a decade earlier. With the heavy weight of expectation on him, the superstar horse travelled comfortably before moving to the front and asserting in the closing stages. Although Modern Games finished a respectable second, just under two lengths behind, the result never looked in doubt.
- 1st – Baeed 1/6F - Jockey: Jim Crowley, Trainer: William Haggas
- 2nd – Modern Games 12/1 - Jockey: William Buick, Trainer: Charlie Appleby
- 3rd – Alcohol Free 11/1 - Jockey: Rob Hornby Trainer: Andrew Balding
2021 - Alcohol Free
Alcohol Free produced a powerful late run to defeat favourite Poetic Flare in 2021. In a race that developed steadily before quickening in the closing stages, Oisin Murphy delayed his challenge before asking his three-year-old filly for more effort. She responded impressively, surging clear to win by nearly two lengths. The victory ended a lengthy wait for owner Jeff Smith, whose previous Sussex Stakes success had come with Chief Singer in 1984.
- 1st – Alcohol Free 7/2 - Jockey: Oisin Murphy, Trainer: Andrew Balding
- 2nd – Poetic Flare 11/8F - Jockey: Kevin Manning, Trainer: Jim Bolger
- 3rd – Snow Lantern 6/1 - Jockey: Jamie Spencer, Trainer: Richard Hannon
2020 - Mohaather
A blistering turn of foot carried Mohaather to victory in one of the strongest renewals of this race in recent years. The well-backed second favourite appeared trapped among rivals entering the closing stages, but once a gap emerged, the four-year-old accelerated dramatically to settle the race. Siskin and Circus Maximus were well in the mix, yet neither could live with Mohaather's finishing speed. The success provided Marcus Tregoning with a first Group 1 winner for more than a decade.
- 1st – Mohaather 3/1 - Jockey: Jim Crowley, Trainer: Marcus Tregoning
- 2nd – Circus Maximus 6/1 - Jockey: Ryan Moore:, Trainer: Aidan O’Brien
- 3rd – Siskin 9/4F - Jockey: Colin Keane, Trainer: Ger Lyons
2019 - Too Darn Hot
Too Darn Hot returned to his best form with a convincing victory under Frankie Dettori. The even-money favourite briefly found himself short of room in the straight, but once a gap appeared the colt took full advantage. Pulling clear in the final furlong, he comfortably repelled the pressure of the second favourite Circus Maximus. The win continued a remarkable spell for Dettori, who was left to celebrate an 11th Group One win in the space of just 62 days.
- 1st – Too Darn Hot EvensF - Jockey: Frankie Dettori, Trainer: John Gosden
- 2nd – Circus Maximus 9/2 - Jockey: Ryan Moore, Trainer: Aidan O’Brien
- 3rd – I Can Fly 14/1 - Jockey: Donnacha O’Brien, Trainer: Aidan O’Brien
2018 - Lightning Spear
Persistence was finally rewarded here as Lightning Spear captured a deserved first Group 1 success, courtesy of this renewal. Much of the credit goes to jockey Oisin Murphy who launched a perfectly timed challenge, bursting through a gap inside the final furlong to seize control. The race proved to be quite a tactical affair, with 7/4 favourite Without Parole unable to maintain his unbeaten record after being forced to race prominently. It was the first time in 15 attempts that the Lightning Spear - Murphy duo delivered in a Group One affair.
- 1st – Lightning Spear 9/1 - Jockey: Oisin Murphy, Trainer: David Simcock
- 2nd – Expert Eye 4/1 - Jockey: James Doyle, Trainer: Sir Michael Stoute
- 3rd – Lord Glitters 10/1 - Jockey: Daniel Tudhope, Trainer: David O’Meara
2017 - Here Comes When
Torrential rain transformed this year’s race and created the conditions for a surprise result as Here Comes When sprang a 20/1 shock. The soft ground led to the late withdrawal of two runners, including favourite Churchill, significantly altering the complexion of the race. Unlike others, Andrew Balding's seven-year-old relished the testing conditions and produced a determined performance. Ribchester battled hard after briefly losing the lead, but ultimately fell just short for the second year running in the Sussex Stakes.
- 1st – Here Comes When 20/1 - Jockey: Jim Crowley, Trainer: Andrew Balding
- 2nd – Ribchester 8/13F - Jockey: William Buick, Trainer: Richard Fahey
- 3rd – Lightning Spear 8/1 - Jockey: Oisin Murphy, Trainer: David Simcock
2016 - The Gurkha
A thrilling duel between the season's leading milers saw The Gurkha emerge victorious. Beaten by Galileo Gold at Royal Ascot earlier in the summer, the Aidan O'Brien-trained colt gained his revenge in a fiercely contested finish. Ryan Moore tracked the pace before delivering his challenge inside the final furlong, with The Gurkha's superior finishing speed proving decisive. At the line, Galileo Gold trailed by just a neck, with Ribchester a further short head behind to complete the placings.
- 1st – The Gurkha 11/8F - Jockey: Ryan Moore, Trainer: Aidan O’Brien
- 2nd – Galileo Gold 9/4 - Jockey: Frankie Dettori, Trainer: Hugo Palmer
- 3rd – Ribchester 8/1 - Jockey: James Doyle Trainer: Richard Fahey
2015
- 1st – Solow 2/5F - Jockey: Maxime Guyon, Trainer: Freddy Head
- 2nd – Arod 6/1 - Jockey: Andrea Atzeni, Trainer: Dean Ivory
- 3rd – Eastern Impact 50/1 - Jockey: Jack Garrity, Trainer: Richard Fahey
2014
- 1st – Kingman 2/5F - Jockey: James Doyle, Trainer: John Gosden
- 2nd – Toronado 11/4 - Jockey: Richard Hughes, Trainer: Richard Hannon
- 3rd – Darwin 25/1 - Jockey: Joseph O’Brien, Trainer: Aidan O’Brien