The Goodwood Racecourse is situated in England, five miles north of Chichester, West Sussex. The racecourse is open to Group 1 flat horse races including;
- Stewards’ Cup
- Nassau Stakes
- Goodwood Cup
- Sussex Stakes
The Stewards’ Cup is a Group 1 handicap flat race, open to three-year-old thoroughbreds. The race was inaugurated in 1840 and has been running ever since. The race is run over a distance of 6 furlongs on a turf surface. The race is sponsored by Unibet and the winning purse is 75 thousand pounds.
The winners of Goodwood Racecourse from last decade include;
- 2012-Hawkeyethenoo trained by; Jim Goldie
- 2013-Rex Imperator trained by; William Haggas
- 2014-Intrinsic trained by; Robert Cowell
- 2015-Magical Memory trained by; Charles Hills
- 2016-Dancing Star trained by; Andrew Balding
- 2017-Lancelot Du Lac trained by; Dean Ivory
- 2018-Gifted Master trained by; Hugo Palmer
- 2019-Khaadem trained by; Charles Hills
- 2020-Summerghand trained by; David O’Meara
- 2021-Commanche Falls trained by; Michael Dods
The Stewards Cup has its history and traditions that have made this event even more exciting. It is the only handicap of its kind in the world. Visitors come to see this event from all over the world, standing by these traditions and having a memorable experience as well as enjoying the race.
Racing Season: April – October (inclusive)
Location: United Kingdom
Course Type: Turfgrass course with sand-based under-foot conditions
Track Conditions: Good; Good to Firm (when dry), Soft (when wet)
Surface: Turf Grass
Distance: 100 meters or 1/5 mile (1,500m for major events) Starting Gates: Open gate system with stalls on both sides of track; horses line up 2-wide
Number of Races: about 50 per day; 200-250 at major events and festivals
Seating Capacity: 20,000 racegoers in total (3,000 for major events)
Tickets: Online at goodwood.com/tickets/ or telephone 0844-579-2001
VIP Boxes: Available on-site with food and drink service; contact the General Manager’s Office
Paddock Club Hospitality: Available on-site with buffet dining and drinks service; contact Paddock Club Manager’s Office
Food & Drink Outlets: Several catering outlets offering a range of hot and cold meals, snacks, and beverages; bars for only
Shops: There are plenty of shops on site offering racing-related souvenirs, clothing, and accessories including specialist retailers
Car Parking: Available on-site; charges may apply
The Goodwood Racecourse hosts three glamorous flat racing festivals throughout the year. These are the Festival Stakes, the Dubai Festival, and the Nassau Stakes. The racecourses’ main events are held between April to October with smaller races being organized during December, January, and February. The Goodwood Racecourse is home to about six major events every year.
The Nassau Stakes is a Group 1 flat racing event open to fillies and mares three years old or above. The race was inaugurated in 1823 and has been held every year since then. It attracts the best horses from across Europe making it a very competitive race. The purse for this race is 75 thousand pounds with the winning owner getting 40%.
The race is run over a distance of 1 mile and 2 furlongs on turf with a left-handed course. The Nassau Stakes is the last Group 1 race of the British flat racing season.
- The winners from last decade include;
- 2013-Taghrooda trained by; John Gosden
- 2014-Watling Street trained by; Roger Varian
- 2015-Dawn Of Hope trained by; Jeremy Noseda
- 2016-Winter trained by; Sir Michael Stoute
- 2017-Nathra trained by; Saeed bin Suroor
- 2018- Alpha Centauri trained by; Chad Brown
- 2019-Crystal Ocean trained by; Sir Michael Stoute
The Dubai Festival is held every year in March at the Goodwood Racecourse. The festival was started in 2003 after Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of United Arab Emirates passed a decree making it mandatory for all major international flat races to be held under his patronage. In doing so, he launched the Dubai Duty-Free Group who sponsored six races between 1998 and 2002. They were called ‘Dubai Duty-Free’ before being renamed as ‘Dubai Duty-Free Stakes’ in 2003. After a decade, the name was changed to ‘Dubai Festival’ with Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum as its chief patron.
The Dubai Festival is held over three weeks which matches up perfectly with the spring season and includes races from six categories – Group 1, Group 2, Group 3, Listed 2 Year Olds Stakes, Listed Fillies Stakes, and The UAE 1000 Guineas for fillies. These races are raced during the day and evening time slots so visitors can enjoy them all. In 2008, an Arabian Show competition was added to this event making it unique and highly specialized. The show includes displays of Arabian horsemanship by Emirati riders. The riders include the best in the world and this competition has grown to be one of its kind.
The event has grown immensely over the past few years with a higher number of international horses coming each year, a good sponsorship deal, and prize money which attracts more people from all over. This is also a great opportunity for traders who have stalls set up around the racecourse, selling goods related to horse racing as well as an assortment of other items. One can attend this event even if they are not interested in horse racing as it includes many different kinds of activities throughout the day including live band performances, fashion shows featuring local designers’ collections, games for kids and adults alike, car displays by luxury car manufacturers such as Ferrari and Lamborghini.
The Festival Stakes is a Group 1 flat racing event open to three-year-olds and above horses. It has been held every year since 1865 except during the world wars. The race is held at Goodwood Racecourse in West Sussex which makes it easy for spectators to attend as well as being an entertaining experience for all. Visitors can even stay there overnight if they wish.
Many traditions have taken place over the years with this race which include the ladies’ hat competition, floral displays outside of grandstands by residents, and garden parties hosted by The Royal County of Berkshire Polo Club players. All these make for a unique experience unlike any other at any other horse racing festival in the UK.
The purse for this race is £400,000 and the winner gets £240,000. The race is 1 mile 4 furlongs long and it is scheduled to take place on Saturday, July 7th this year. Horses that have competed in this race in the past include Frankel, Emperor Jones, Golden Horn, and Twice Over. This race always has a competitive field with some of the best horses in the world competing for the top prize. So make sure to come out and watch this exciting event at Goodwood Racecourse this year!
The Goodwood Cup is a Group 2 flat racing event open to thoroughbreds four years old and above. It has been run since 1840 under the present name and before that as the Brighton Cup. The purse for this race is 100 thousand pounds with 40% going to the winner. The weight carried by each horse is determined by its age, sex, and previous results so the winning owner is always very happy at winning such an important race.
The Goodwood Mile is a Group 1 flat racing event open to horses four years old and above. It has been run every year since its inauguration in 1809 making it one of the oldest horse races in England. The purse for this race is 300 thousand pounds with the winning owner getting 50%. This has made it an important race for 3-year-old jockeys out to prove themselves.
The Sussex Stakes is a Group 1 flat racing event open to horses three years old and above. It has been run since 1844 making it one of the oldest horse races in England. The purse for this race is 150 thousand pounds with the winning owner getting 50%. The race is considered very important as it is a key trial race for the 3-year-old Classic races such as the Derby, the Oaks, and the Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe.
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