Glorious Goodwood Preview

Goodwood on a sunny day provides the most beautiful setting of any racecourse anywhere in the world. Bar none. It is simply exquisite. No wonder they call it Glorious.

But, such is the course's proximity to the sea, any downpour or gathering of cloud is likely to wreck the great five-day summer party on the Sussex Downs and turn it into rain-sodden misery.

So, fingers crossed that the weather forecasters have got it wrong. For, they predict wind and light rain on Tuesday followed by showers on Wednesday. Happily, I can report the forecast later in the week is for mostly sunny weather, which puts a brighter face on it.

Godolphin field a strong team for the week, and particularly in the case of Wednesday's Sussex Stakes, talk of clouds and silver linings is very relevant.

Both Godolphin runners, the Richard Hannon-trained Night Of Thunder and the Roger Varian-trained Belardo, will relish softish ground.

The fact that the two Group One-winning colts will get some ease underfoot is welcome news, and combined with Gleneagles missing the race because of the going, both can be expected to provide solid opposition to the brilliant French miler Solow.

Night Of Thunder ran below par when fifth to Solow in the Queen Anne Stakes at Royal Ascot but he is a formidable miler at his best, as seen when he doggedly fought off all challengers in the Lockinge Stakes at Newbury in May.

Belardo has not run since his fourth in the Irish 2000 Guineas in May and he is set to run a big race. It would not surprise if last year's Dewhurst winner had improved significantly in the interim.

The other worth mentioning is Arod, who won this season at Epsom and Ascot and is in good form.

Godolphin have two runners in the first race of the week, the Skybet Special Stakes on Tuesday. Elhaame and Gold Trail both have good credentials in this mile and a quarter handicap.

The second contest, the seven-furlong Vintage Stakes, might be an even better race for the 'royal blues' as the Richard Fahey-trained Birchwood comes here off the back of a return to form in the Superlative Stakes at Newmarket, and Saeed bin Suroor's Strong Challenge lines up having recently defeated Gutaifan, the subsequent Prix Robert Papin winner at the weekend.

Toormore carries Godolphin's hopes into the Lennox Stakes following two excellent runs, finishing in the frame in both the Lockinge and Queen Anne. This first run carrying the famous royal blue silks could be a winning one. Safety Check will find this tougher than recent outings in Dubai.

On the first day, Excellent Result runs in the Summer Stakes, over 14 furlongs, and has place claims.

On the second day, apart from Belardo and Night Of thunder in the Sussex, watch for Godolphin's Space Age in the Gordon Stakes and Rouleau in the Molecomb.

The best Godolphin chance later in the week is the Saeed-trained Basem in the Betfred Mile, a race that has been the four-year-old's target for some time. He is to be ridden by James Doyle, who has an attractive book of rides for the week.