Joseph and Aidan O’Brien Lead Ireland's Triumph at Goodwood Glorious Goodwood is one of the highlights of the summer and there were plenty of talking points across the five-day festival. There was substantial Irish representation, with runners on all five days, and a significant amount of success as a result. Here we take a look at some of Ireland’s significant successes, including a first Goodwood victory for Joseph O’Brien and Group 1 glory once again for the all-conquering Aidan O’Brien. Joseph O’Brien off the mark Joseph O’Brien has won major prizes all over the world in both Flat and National Hunt racing but going into this year’s Glorious Goodwood, he was yet to have a winner on the Downs. He had six attempts to shed his maiden tag and managed to do so on Day 2. Omni Man had to wait for a gap to appear in the Coral Pipped At The Post Winners Handicap on Wednesday but made rapid headway once switched out. Ryan Moore was on board and the three-year-old saw the trip out well to score by just shy of two lengths. He didn’t have much luck with his other five runners but will surely be delighted to get his first winner at the track. Two out of three ain’t bad for Aidan There are three Group 1 races at Glorious Goodwood and the master of Ballydoyle managed to win two of them. Unfortunately Henri Matisse could only manage third behind 150/1 winner Qirat in the Sussex Stakes, but Aidan O’Brien won’t be too disheartened. We might have a new staying star on our hands, as three-year-old Scandinavia got the better of his elders to win the Goodwood Cup. Stablemate and Ascot Gold Cup second Illinois was the favourite but Wayne Lordan’s mount proved too strong. The Nassau Stakes is one of the highlights of the week and after a biblical deluge at Goodwood on Thursday, it was run on heavy ground with a flag start. Whirl is blessed with talent and tenacity in equal measure and she cut through the mud to score by five lengths. Isaac Newton won a maiden on the fifth and final day, doing all his best work late on to get off the mark at the second time of asking. Longer trips will suit going forward and he could be a strong stayer as a three-year-old next season. Ger Lyons also gets on the board Lady Iman was a smart winner of the Group 3 Molecomb Stakes, as she returned to winning ways after defeat at the hands of Beautify in Ireland last time. Talented and very fast, the return to 5f clearly suited and she’s an exciting filly going forward. Lyons earmarked the Flying Childers Stakes at Doncaster later in the year as a potential target but Ryan Moore was on board and had loftier expectations, believing a good draw in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf Sprint could lead to victory. A grand total of five winners for Ireland Irish trainers don’t tend to target Glorious Goodwood in the same way as Royal Ascot but they can be happy with a haul of five winners this year. Aidan O’Brien would have probably wanted another winner or two in the two-year-old races but two Group 1 victories will undoubtedly soften the blow.
