The Coolmore and Godolphin empires have their first major confrontation of this season’s Glorious Goodwood when War Decree and Boynton are the market leaders in the Vintage Stakes on the first day of the festival on Tuesday.
Qatar, another Turf galáctico, sponsors the Group Two Vintage for two-year-olds and has lifted the prize for the winner to more than £113,000 but the contest between the two colts means far more than money to the Tipperary and Dubai-controlled operations, between whom there is a fierce rivalry.
Ten runners have been declared for the seven-furlong race, the Aidan O’Brien-trained War Decree being quoted at around 15-8 favourite, with Godolphin’s Boynton next at 5-2.
Boynton, saddled by Charlie Appleby, beat War Decree by three-quarters of a length when the pair met in the Superlative Stakes at Newmarket earlier this month. Most bookmakers believe the O’Brien colt will gain his revenge this time because Boynton, to be ridden by James Doyle, must now concede 3lb to all his rivals and has an outside draw – while Ryan Moore’s mount has the favoured stall against the inside rail.
Godolphin also run the Saeed bin Suroor-trained Thunder Snow, who was sixth in the Coventry Stakes at Royal Ascot. Richard Hannon’s Larchmont Lad, a Sandown maiden winner, is third in the betting.
But perhaps the biggest threat to the big two will come from Isomer, trained by Andrew Balding. “He is very relaxed, a big rangy, lovely colt,” Balding said on Sunday. “He will probably need to compete over further than seven furlongs but he is clearly up to this class.”
Isomer, to be ridden by Jamie Spencer and priced at up to 12-1, won a maiden at Salisbury last time out but had previously been a fast-finishing runner-up in the Chesham at Royal Ascot – won by O’Brien’s Churchill. Back in third place was Cunco who, incidentally, later finished fourth in the Superlative.
Since the Vintage Stakes was elevated to Group Two status 13 years ago its prestige has soared, with several victors going on to win one of the following year’s Classics. Galileo Gold took the Vintage last year. The two previous winners were Highland Reel and Toormore (2013).
Galileo Gold, this year’s 2,000 Guineas and St James’s Palace winner, trained by Hugo Palmer, is favourite for Glorious Goodwood’s main event, the Sussex Stakes on Wednesday. O’Brien’s The Gurkha is close behind in the betting while Godolphin’s main hope is Toormore, rated an outsider by the bookmakers.
The Lambourn trainer Clive Cox must be hoping this summer never ends as, having sent out two Group One winners at Royal Ascot last month, across the Channel on Sunday he plundered the Group Two Prix Robert Papin.
The former jumps jockey has assembled his best ever team and the future looks even more promising after Tis Marvellous bolted up in the Maisons-Laffitte feature race. Adam Kirby had the two-year-old quickly out of the stalls and they disputed the lead until two furlongs out when the colt quickened away in the style of a top-class sprinter.
Cox won the 2012 running of the Robert Papin with Reckless Abandon, who went on to prove himself a Group One campaigner. Next month’s Prix Morny at Deauville would now have to be under serious consideration for Tis Marvellous.
“He handled the step into Group company with aplomb,” Cox said. “It was a pretty special display. The way he took lengths out of the field was exciting.”
