Qirat, a 150-1 shot in England and a mere 61-1 on the American tote board, scored a shock upset Wednesday in the Group 1 Sussex Stakes at Goodwood Racecourse.

Trained by Ralph Beckett, Qirat is a Juddmonte Farms homebred whose entry in the one-mile Sussex had as much to do with the Juddmonte homebred Field of Gold, the odds-on Sussex favorite trained by John and Thady Gosden, than his own participation. Qirat had other ideas, stepping outside his role a bit player to steal the Sussex show, holding clear a strong finish from Rosallion to win by a neck.

Goodwood | Race 1: 3yo 0-105 Handicap  

 My first ride on Wednesday is OMNI MAN for Joseph [O’Brien]. I haven’t ridden him before, but he was a very good fifth in the King George V Stakes at Royal Ascot. He was impressive at Roscommon the time before that, winning by 7½ lengths. He has some decent form, is lightly raced, and has improved for stepping up in trip. This is probably a similar type of race to Royal Ascot, although it’s a smaller field than you’d normally get. I’d say he has leading claims.

Goodwood | Race 2: Group 2 Vintage Stakes

Calandagan staked his claim as the best older middle-distance horse in Europe and avenged his defeat to Jan Brueghel earlier this year winning the Group 1 King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Stakes on Saturday at Ascot Racecourse.

Under an exceedingly patient ride from Mickael Barzalona, Calandagan went from last of five at the head of the Ascot homestretch to first by one length in the King George, Europe’s most important summer race over 1 1/2 miles.

Ascot | Race 2: Group 3 Princess Margaret Stakes 

I rode BELLA LYRA at Newmarket in a Listed race a couple of weeks ago for Richard [Hughes] where she finished third. She ran a good race and stayed on well. Six furlongs at Ascot will suit her, although she probably has a bit to find on form.

Ascot | Race 5: 3yo+ 0-105 Handicap 

Minnie Hauk scored an Oaks double Saturday at The Curragh when she won the Irish Oaks by 1 1/4 lengths. The victory came about six weeks after Minnie Hauk had captured the Oaks at Epsom.

Ryan Moore rode his fourth Irish Oaks winner as Minnie Hauk gave trainer Aidan O’Brien his eighth win in the 1 1/2-mile classic fixture. Heavily favored, Minnie Hauk paid $2.20 on the American tote.

On form and in the betting markets, Minnie Hauk is a lock to give trainer Aidan O’Brien his eighth victory in the Irish Oaks.

Winner of the Oaks at Epsom last month, Minnie Hauk faces six foes Saturday at The Curragh in this 1 1/2-mile fixture. Offered at roughly 1-5 on Friday by English betting houses, Minnie Hauk apparently would have to take a wrong turn into the Irish countryside in order to lose the Oaks.

An extraordinary 2024/25 Hong Kong racing season drew to a close at Happy Valley on Wednesday (16 July), concluding one of the greatest chapters in Hong Kong racing history.

The individual and collective feats of Hong Kong’s equine titans – Ka Ying Rising, Romantic Warrior and Voyage Bubble – elevated Hong Kong’s world-class racing onto an even higher plane during a record-breaking and historic season.