The Group 2 King George Qatar Stakes is one of the feature races on Friday at Glorious Goodwood, a race that has thrown up a few decent sprinting winners of the past few years, and a race that was dominated by sprinting star Battaash who won it four times in a row from 2017 to 2020. It is usually a good trial for the Sprinters heading into the Nunthorpe Stakes at York later on in August.
Jake Russell (@JakeRuss1000) takes a look at the trends and statistics on the race, as well as talking us through the main runners, an outsider to keep an eye on and his final race verdict.
Odds correct at time of posting – 2pm 2nd August
Race Trends + Statistics
- 8 of the last 12 winners were aged 5 or older.
- 5 of the last 12 winners were favourites/joint favourites, 10 of the last 12 winners were in the top 3 in the betting.
- 5 of the last 12 winners won on their last run before the King George Stakes, 11 of the last 12 winners had their last run within the last 45 days.
- 10 of the last 12 winners had at least 4 previous runs over 5 furlongs.
- 9 of the last 12 winners had a rating of 109 or higher.
- 9 of the last 12 winners had at least 1 previous Group 1-3 win.
- 11 of the last 12 winners had at least 2 previous runs that season, 12 of the last 12 winners had at least 1 previous win that season.
Key Runners
Highfield Princess
John Quinn and Jason Hart (11/10 Best Price)
This race really does evolve around Group 1 winning star Highfield Princess, who although hasnt been at her sparkling best this season, she is still running in very decent form in some brilliant races, and is the class angle heading into this contest. Once rated 57 on the flat for John Quinn, she has since shot up the ranks winning all the best sprinting races around the country, including the Group 1 Prix Maurice de Gheest, last years Nunthorpe and the Group 1 Dubai Flying Five Stakes at The Curragh to end her illustrious UK campaign last year, before heading off to the Breeders Cup to come 4th in the Breeders’ Cup Turf Sprint. Now her excursions earned her the peak rating of 120, one of the best sprinter ratings around, and although she has dropped down a few ratings this season, she has been running well at the highest Grade’s again. Coming 2nd on her seasonal return, which was a pipe opener for the two Sprint Group 1’s at Royal Ascot. Where she came 2nd in the King Stand, only beaten a length by an improving sort who she gave weight to, also finishing a further 3 lengths clear of the 3rd place horse, before going on to run again just a few days later in the Queen Elizabeth II Jubilee Stakes, again not beaten far by just a length and a half. I would imagine the Nunthorpe is the main goal in a few weeks, therefore I would imagine this race is in the calendar to just get her right for that. She is 7lb’s clear on the ratings and get’s a little fillies allowance on her main two rivals, therefore she should be winning this, before heading back to Group 1 company later on in the year. She is Yorkshire’s racing star, and it would be brilliant to see her getting her head back in front.
Equality
Charlie Hills and Ryan Moore (7/1 Best Price)
A worthy opponent to the market leader, who like her has come on leaps and bounds the older he gets, once rated in the low 80s a season or two back. He was well beaten in the Group 3 Howden Palace House Stakes and Group 2 Betfred Temple Stakes on his first two starts of the season, but hasn’t looked back and has been winning since. Including a very commanding win in the Fitzdares Sprint Series Handicap at Windsor in June, before going on to win the Group 3 Coral Charge with Makarova in behind in 2nd place. Now that level of form is nowhere near Highfield Princess’s, however after two disappointing runs to start the year, he does look to be in sparkling form, which can happen with some sprinters, they take a little while to get fully fit. He could still be improving at the rate of knots, but these softer conditions that are expected could prove a test for him, as his last two wins have been on Good ground, however good to soft has been in the going description on a few previous good runs. Judging by the market, he is most likely the one to upset the favourite, however he would have to take his form to a whole new level to win this.
Equilateral
Charlie Hills and Frankie Dettori (12/1 Best Price)
The 2nd of two Charlie Hills runners, a race that he farmed with Battaash a few years back and Khaadem last year, the yard clearly look to want to land this contest again with one of their declared runners, and both are at the right ends of the market. His winner of this last year has since gone on to Group 1 glory at Royal Ascot, so I would imagine that is the hope with either Equality or Equilateral if they run well here. Equilateral is a real yard stick for Charlie Hills, the 8yo has run in some top quality contests over the years and seems to still be thriving the older he gets, after placing in some black type races this season at Group 2 and Listed level. He is 11lb’s lower in the ratings than Highfield Princess, and he hasn’t won since 2021, which was a Handicap and Group 2 race over in Meydan, with his last win in the UK not coming since the Listed Scarbrough Stakes win at Doncaster in 2019. Although he does run well in these sort of sprint races, judging by the fact he is lower on the ratings than most, an 8yo and hasn’t won on UK soil since 2019, I would find it very difficult to see him winning this, however we all know Charlie Hills is very good with his sprinters, and he did run quite well in the King Stand Stakes at the Royal Meeting last time, so that will very much play to his factor.
Ladies Church
Johnny Murtagh and Ben Coen (12/1 Best Price)
Probably one of the more up and coming horses in this race, Johnny Murtagh’s 4yo filly arrives in this off the back of a decent performance behind Art Power in the Group 2 Barberstown Castle Sapphire Stakes. Which doesn’t look much on the face of it, however Art Power seems to almost improve a stone when he runs at the Curragh, so most if not all do not beat him there. However looking back at Ladies Church’s previous form, she was a Listed winner at Naas back in May on her first run of the season, beating Moss Tucker with ease who was 3 lengths back in 2nd. As well as a career best win in the Group 2 Barberstown Castle Sapphire Stakes in 2022. She doesn’t arrive into this race as fresh as some of the others however due to only running 2 weeks ago, but she is rated 110 at present and gets a little weight from the boys for sex allowance. She is quite an interesting runner, who would need to improve to win this, but Johnny Murtagh very rarely brings one over unless it has a real chance. She is worth keeping an eye on.
Outsider To Watch
Nymphadora
Andrew Balding and Jason Watson (20/1 Best Price)
Another horse that seems to be coming along nicely and improving with each passing run is Andrew Balding’s daughter of No Nay Never, who put in a career best last time out when winning the Listed John Smith’s City Walls Stakes at York. Those were in soft conditions, which seem to suit her the best, as her two runs this season have been on either good to soft or soft ground, including a 1 length win in a handicap contest at Chester earlier on in the season. Her performance last time was quite clearly a career best, in what has been a career that has promised quality at times, after she came 2nd in the Palace Of Holyroodhouse Stakes at Royal Ascot last year, only beaten by half a length. She has to improve a fair bit on the ratings, but the way she won last time suggests there is more to come. One of her strongest assets in the City Of Walls Stakes was that she broke from the stalls quickly, and if she does it again on Friday in softer conditions again, she could take the sting out of the rest of her rivals.
Big-Race Verdict:
I really just can’t see past the Group 1 performer Highfield Princess, who won on soft conditions in Ireland, as well as “good to soft” at Deauville, but we all know the going description our end is not correct for France. She is the proven Group 1 performer in this, and although she has been a few lb’s below her best this season, I fully expect her to win this before going on to more Group 1 contests as the season goes on. Nymphadora is one to keep a close eye on, especially since there is plenty of rain falling at Goodwood, looking at her profile, it doesn’t suggest she particularly likes it soft, however her two wins this season have come on softer ground, and the manner she won last time, very much suggests she is on the up in the sprinting division.
SELECTION – Highfield Princess (11/10) To Win – Nymphadora (20/1) EW
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