Goodwood is often described as the most beautiful racecourse in Britain and in early August each year the track stages its feature meeting of the year 'Glorious Goodwood'. The course itself is set on the top of the Sussex Downs and is a right-handed undulating course with a run-in of around five furlongs. It was the Duke of Richmond who began racing at Goodwood way back in 1802 and today they host around 20 days of top class horseracing each year during the flat season. Over the years the track has had a number of face-lifts with various new stands and course designs making Goodwood one of Britain's premier racetracks.
Early August each year sees the five day Glorious Goodwood meeting which is one of the longest festivals in British racing. Over the week the meeting plays host to some of the best flat races in the racing calendar. Like many of these well publicised meetings as well as the top class racing there is also plenty of fashions on display with the men dressing in a traditional summer linen suit and Panama hat, while the ladies are always noted for their attention to detail in dressing in the classic English summer style.
The attendances are always high and the betting competitive with some of the best Group races of the season. The Group 1 BGC Sussex Stakes run over a mile is always the highlight on day two (Wednesday) while the final day (Saturday) sees the other Group 1 of the meeting the Blue Square Nassau Stakes run over 1m 2f as well as one of the big betting heats of the year the Blue Square Stewards Cup. Run over 6f this contest always has a big turn out with Kieren Fallon winning in 2005 on board the Dandy Nicholls trained Gift Horse.
Dandy Nicholls is known as the 'Sprint King' and his horses in all the short races (5f, 6f, 7f) at the meeting are always to be feared where he often has multiple runners in the same race.
Feature Races
- Day 1
- Bank of Scotland Investment Services Stakes (Group 3) 1m2f
- Betfair Cup (Group 2) 7f
- Betfair Molecomb Stakes (Group 3) 5f
- Day 2
- The BGC Sussex Stakes (Group 1) 1m
- Veuve Clicquot Vintage Stakes (Group 2) 7f
- The BGC Stakes (Handicap) 1m4f
- Day 3
- ABM AMRO Goodwood Cup (Group 2) 2m
- Audi Stakes - King George Stakes (Group 3) 5f
- Day 4
- Totesport Mile - Golden Mile (Handicap) 1m
- Day 5
- Blue Square Nassau Stakes (Group 1) 1m2f
- Blue Square Stewards' Cup (Handicap) 6f