Irish Contenders Abroad: O'Brien's Stars Eye Showdown in Goodwood Cup

Aidan O'Brien has left alive the possibility of stable stars Scandinavia and Illinois doing battle in the Goodwood Cup when the Glorious meeting opens on Tuesday afternoon.

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Aidan O'Brien's Goodwood Cup Contenders in the Spotlight

O'Brien is responsible for the bulk of the Irish entries on the first afternoon, with son Joseph also potentially having some interesting runners venturing to the English south coast.

The Al Shaqab Goodwood Cup (3.05) is the feature race on day one of five at Glorious Goodwood and O'Brien's star duo featured among nine confirmations at the entry stage.

Illinois is the current odds-on favourite to break his Group 1 duck by giving the Ballydoyle handler his fifth win, with Yeats and Kyprios both dual winners in the past for his all-conquering team.

However, the Ballydoyle maestro has also left in his runaway Bahrain Trophy winner Scandinavia, who is the only three-year-old in the potential field at this stage.

O'Brien's duo are the only Irish-based contenders in the Goodwood Cup picture, French Master for John & Thady Gosden is the closest to Illinois in the betting and the likes of the consistent stayer Sweet William and Military Academy are also in the mix.

Joseph O'Brien's Rising Stars

The meeting opens with the Coral Chesterfield Cup Handicap over a mile-and-a-quarter and the Joseph O'Brien-trained Masoun could provide Irish interest there.

He has won his last two starts at Leopardstown and the Curragh over similar trips and comes here on a roll.

Both O'Brien's could lend some Irish interest to the Group 2 Vintage Stakes (1.55). Aidan has Curragh maiden winner Dorset amongst his possibles along with Brussels who must leave behind a poor run in the July Stakes at Newmarket. Puerto Rico and Neolithic are also left in at this stage for O'Brien Snr.

Meanwhile Joseph has Andab in the Vintage picture after the Al Shaqab runner finished an excellent fourth in the Coventry Stakes at Royal Ascot in June. That was only his third career start and connections will be confident there is a good chunk of improvement still lurking.

Aidan O'Brien has a decent record in the Vintage Stakes, winning with the likes of Highland Reel (2014) — ridden by Joseph — War Decree (2016) and Battleground (2020). He remains the only trainer to cross the Irish Sea and plunder the 7f event in its 50-year history.

Lennox Stakes: A Challenge for Aidan O'Brien

In the Lennox Stakes, the Group 2 over 7f, Aidan O'Brien's Ides Of March provides potential Irish interest.

He has, however, been well beaten in the Commonwealth Cup and July Cup of late, and could be ready for a step up in trip.

The Lennox Stakes was inaugurated in 2000, replacing the Beeswing Stakes at Newcastle, and has yet to be won by an Irish-trained runner.

With Ides Of March running below par in those two Group 1s, he's going to have to take a major leap forwards to end that quest for a victory.