Bumper 129-Strong Entry For Vodafone Stewards´ Cup

A cracking total of 129 entries has been received for the #100,000 Vodafone Stewards´ Cup, run on Saturday, August 5, 2006, the fifth and final day of Goodwood´s Festival meeting. The level of entries is second only to the 138 received last year and compares to 122 in 2004, 118 in 2003 and 99 in 2002.

The famous six-furlong handicap, which has a safety limit of 28 runners, is one of the most valuable and competitive contests of its type in the calendar and regularly features horses that have been or go on to be successful at Group level.

Hughie Morrison is hoping to complete an historic sprint double in the famous contest, following Baltic King´s victory in the Wokingham Handicap at Royal Ascot on Saturday.

The prestigious six-furlong handicap double was last achieved by Richard Hannon, who sent out Knight Of Mercy to secure the Royal Ascot and Goodwood prizes in 1990, but with Morrison reporting his Wokingham hero, Baltic King, a 'doubtful' starter, the East Ilsley trainer could bid to buck a 50-year trend.

Jack Waugh in 1956 was the last trainer to win the Vodafone Stewards´ Cup and the Wokingham Handicap in the same season with different horses when Goodwood victor Matador under Eph Smith complemented the Royal Ascot success of the Joe Mercer-ridden Light Harvest.

Morrison, who has entered Baltic King, Intrepid Jack and Prince Tamino, revealed today: 'Intrepid Jack is our intended runner at this stage. He has taken a while to come to himself and hopefully we can get him there for the Vodafone Stewards´ Cup.

'He ran a bit as if he needed the race at Ascot but he has taken it well and I think he´s a horse who thrives in late summer.'

Intrepid Jack, a three-time winner over six furlongs, ran with credit when six lengths 10th in the Wokingham, and was beaten only two lengths when sixth to Borderlescott on his only previous outing this term at York on May 17.

Morrison also reported that the well-regarded Prince Tamino, successful in the six-furlong William Hill Trophy at York on June 17, could take his chance in Goodwood´s premier sprint handicap.

The trainer said: 'Prince Tamino could be a possibility rather than a probability. I´m delighted with him after York. He was a bit full of himself this morning and got loose, which I take to be a good sign.

'At the moment, Baltic King is about a stone in front on official ratings but it´s possible that Prince Tamino could be very close to him in time.'

Morrison continued: 'Baltic King took the Ascot race extremely well but he´d be doubtful now for the Vodafone Stewards´ Cup and we´ll probably run him in a Group race if we can find one suitable. He´d have very nearly won the Golden Jubilee if he´d run in it.'

David Nicholls has a good recent record in the race, having scored with Tayseer in 2000 and Gift Horse last year, and is responsible for no less than 25 entries, including half brothers Fire Up The Band and Strike Up The Band, who both landed Group Three prizes at Goodwood last season in the Audi Stakes and Molecomb Stakes respectively.

The progressive Tax Free, last year´s third Merlin´s Dancer and Continent are other possible runners for the North Yorkshire handler, along with the Group One-winning 11-year-old Bahamian Pirate, third in the Wokingham Stakes at Royal Ascot last week, beating stablemates Indian Trail, Just James and Peace Offering.

Another trainer to have taken the prize twice is Roger Charlton, courtesy of Harmonic Way in 1999 and Patavellian four years later. Patavellian, subsequently successful in the Group One Prix de L´Abbaye at Longchamp, is entered again.

The Bryan Smart-trained Bond Boy hit the jackpot in 2002 and the trainer could bid for a second victory with stable companions Bond City and Crimson Silk, while Tim Easterby, who sent out Guinea Hunter to land the spoils in 2001, has three entered this time, 2004 Golden Jubilee Stakes hero Fayr Jag, Dazzling Bay and King´s Gait.

Rising Shadow and My Gacho could represent David Barron, who trained 1994 hero For The Present and doubled up two years later with Coastal Bluff, while Richard Fahey, successful in 1998 with Superior Premium, could run last year´s runner-up Fonthill Road, Philharmonic and Green Park.

Other fascinating entries are the Robin Bastiman-trained Borderlescott, improving three-year-old Tawaassol, trained by Sir Michael Stoute who scored with Alphadamus in 1973 and Autumn Sunset 10 years later, and One Putra, a close sixth last season and one of three entries for Michael Jarvis, who won the race in 1984 with Petong.

Goodwood Spirit is one of six entries for Milton Bradley, Hambleton trainer Kevin Ryan also has six entered, including recent York scorer Don Pele, Clive Cox has five entries, among them Out After Dark, fifth behind Gift Horse last year, and Richard Hannon has If Paradise and Marching Song engaged.

James Fanshawe has unlucky Wokingham runner-up Firenze and Zidane to consider, while the sole Irish entry is the Aidan O´Brien-trained Rol´over Beethoven.

Former Swedish hander Roy Kvisla, who has recently begun training in Lambourn, has entered Musadif, a Group Three victor in his native country in 2004.

Rod Fabricius, Goodwood´s Managing Director, commented: 'It is very satisfying to witness the continuing popularity of the Vodafone Stewards´ Cup with yet another huge entry.

'The famous contest is always a fiercely competitive affair and is one of the highlights of the Festival Meeting.'

Weights for the Vodafone Stewards´ Cup will be revealed on Wednesday, July 5, and there is a forfeit stage on Tuesday, July 18. Horses that are eliminated from the Vodafone Stewards´ Cup at the 48-hour declaration are eligible to run in the consolation Stewards´ Sprint Handicap on Friday, August 4.