Celebration On Killybegs Agenda

Killybegs, winner of the Group Three Craven Stakes at Newmarket in April, could take his place in what promises to be a high-class renewal of the #100,000 Group Two totesport Celebration Mile at Goodwood on Sunday, August 27.

The Barry Hills-trained three-year-old enjoyed a break following his 11th behind George Washington in the 2000 Guineas on May 6 before returning in a Group Three mile contest at the Curragh on July 15, when he was just over two lengths fourth to Mustameet.

Killybegs is one of 32 high-class individuals remaining after the first forfeit stage for the totesport Celebration Mile, with stablemate Short Dance, fourth to Red Evie in the Group Three Oak Tree Stakes at the Glorious Goodwood Festival, also engaged.

Hills is bidding for a fourth win in the totesport Celebration Mile following the back-to-back successes of Prince Rupert (1988) and Distant Relative (1989), and the victory of Bold Russian in 1991.

The Lambourn trainer´s son and assistant trainer, Charlie Hills, revealed: 'Killybegs could well go for the totesport Celebration Mile but I´m not sure that Short Dance will.

'Killybegs was probably a little bit unlucky in Ireland but he has come out of the race well and Goodwood could be on the agenda. He is also entered in the Desmond Stakes in Ireland but it depends what the owners and Dad feel would be the best race for him.'

Explaining the Orpen colt´s absence from the course after the 2000 Guineas, Hills reported: 'He had a couple of quick runs, in the Craven and then the 2000 Guineas, so we decided to give him a little break and then bring him back. He looks well at the moment and will make a nice four-year-old too.

'He´s a horse who is proven on any ground so I wouldn´t be too worried about that, although he probably wouldn´t want it too soft.'

Killybegs could bid for revenge against the brilliant 2000 Guineas winner George Washington, trained by Aidan O´Brien, who is pencilled in to make his much anticipated return from injury in the Goodwood contest.

O´Brien, Ireland´s champion trainer, has a strong hand with Ivan Denisovich, Hurricane Cat, Arabian Prince and Frost Giant among his seven contenders.

Other possible runners include the James Fanshawe-trained 2004 Group One Cantor Spreadfair Sussex Stakes heroine Soviet Song and her Britannia Handicap-winning stablemate Sir Gerard.

Godolphin trainer Saeed bin Suroor may be represented by Group Two Lennox Stakes hero Iffraaj as well as Caradak, Librettist, Echo Of Light, Satchem and Belenus, while the Gerard Butler-trained Goodwood specialist Nayyir, and Mark Johnston´s recent course and distance winner Prince Of Light, could also take their places alongside the Kevin Prendergast-trained Group Three winner Mustameet.

French trainer Alain de Royer-Dupre has entered Group Three winners Kentucky Dynamite and Dilek, who were second and third respectively to Stormy Skye in the Group One Prix Jean Prat at Chantilly on July 9, while Mick Channon has engaged German 2000 Guineas scorer Royal Power and Yasoodd.

Sir Michael Stoute is the race´s most successful trainer with six wins, and he can choose between Group Three Jersey Stakes victor Jeremy and Group Two winner Rob Roy, who was third to Court Masterpiece in the Group One Cantor Spreadfair Sussex Stakes over course and distance on August 2.

The totesport Celebration Mile was first run n 1967 and has been won by some of the top milers of the last 40 years including Habitat (1969), the peerless Brigadier Gerard (1971), Kris (1979), Milligram (1987), Selkirk (1992) and Mark Of Esteem (1996).

The Stoute-trained Chic captured the totesport Celebration Mile 12 months ago, and in so doing, the five-year-old Cheveley Park Stud-owned mare became the only horse in the contest´s history to win back-to-back renewals.

Cape Cross is the only other horse to have passed the post first in the race on two occasions, but his 1997 'victory' ended in disqualification for causing interference and the spoils went to the Stoute-trained runner-up Among Men.

Cape Cross gained compensation two years later when, trained by Saeed bin Suroor, he took the prize under John Reid by a length and a half from Josr Algarhoud.

The totesport Celebration Mile is the feature event of Goodwood´s two-day Weekend Meeting which takes place on Saturday, August 26, and Sunday, August 27.

The highlight of Saturday´s seven-race card is the Listed Windflower March Stakes over a mile and three quarters, won last year by Mubtaker, while Sunday´s totesport Celebration Mile is supported by six races, including the Group Three Normandie Stud Prestige Stakes over seven furlongs, which last season went to subsequent Group One Meon Valley Stud Fillies´ Mile and Coronation Stakes heroine Nannina.