Trawlerman & Opera Ballo stand tall following Goodwood performances

Trawlerman and Opera Ballo emerged from Glorious Goodwood with their heads held high following valiant efforts in defeat in two of the meetings flagship races.

Having finished a head behind Scandinavia in an epic Gold Cup at Royal Ascot, Trawlerman again filled the runner-up spot behind his younger rival in Tuesday’s Goodwood Cup. Eight and a half lengths separated the duo on this occasion, although an errant loose horse compromised the Godolphin stayer’s chances at a vital stage.

Round three between the two could be on the cards in the British Champions Long Distance Cup – which Trawlerman captured in 2023 and 2025. In the meantime, the eight-year-old could bid for a repeat win in the Lonsdale Cup, with Scandinavia not entered in the York contest.

Opera Ballo played his part in the race of the week, the Sussex Stakes, as he yielded close home to finish third behind Classic-winning three-year-olds Bow Echo and Gstaad. He now looks set to head to Canada for the Woodbine Mile, which has been won by subsequent Breeders’ Cup Mile scorers Modern Games, Master Of The Seas and Notable Speech in recent years.

Night Of Thunder colt Bow Echo could also end up at the Breeders’ Cup after becoming the first horse since Frankel to complete a sweep of the 2,000 Guineas, St James’s Palace Stakes and Sussex Stakes.

A strong Glorious Goodwood for Darley stallions also saw Ghaiyyath end the meeting as leading sire with three wins, with first-season sire Naval Crown getting on the scoresheet.

Romantic Symphony, a full-sister to Yibir and Wild Illusion, picked up important Listed Black Type when comfortably taking Saturday’s Chalice Stakes at Newmarket. She looks set to tackle Group company on her next start, with the Park Hill Stakes at Doncaster’s St Leger meeting a likely option.

Snappy Dresser took his record to four wins from seven starts as he gained a first Stakes success at Chukyo on Saturday, with Discreet Cat filly Cat Tail also posting a breakthrough Stakes victory on the same day with a rallying display at Sapporo.

Sovereignty makes his first Saratoga appearance since last August’s Travers Stakes when he lines up in the Whitney Stakes on Saturday. North America’s reigning Horse of the Year will be looking to reverse the form with Magnitude and Baeza, having come home third behind the duo in July’s Stephen Foster Stakes.