Trueshan would become the oldest Goodwood Cup winner since Persian Punch in 2003

July 27

It’s been a quiet week-end for Barbury, but both Blazeonfive (Ascot) and King Hal (Doncaster) acquitted themselves creditably, and Granny Hawkins belied odds of 16-1 when runner-up in the mares handicap hurdle at Uttoxeter today.

So maybe it will be a week for the long-priced horses to come up trumps (apologies for using that word), which would be good news for Trueshan supporters, with our nine-year-old attempting to repeat his 2021 success in the Goodwood Cup on Tuesday.

One look at the weather forecast confirms our fears that we won’t get even good to soft ground on the Sussex Downs this week, but clerk of the course Ed Arkell and his team put 5mm on the round course, so, hopefully, that dread word ‘firm’ will not figure in the official going description all week.

Trueshan, having made a pleasing seasonal debut when fourth in the G1 Prix Vicomtesse Vigier at Longchamp in May, has been repeatedly denied a chance of building on that comeback run by the prolonged spell of dry weather.

However, Alan has declared Trueshan, so we can only hope that the ground does not firm up too much between now and 3.05om on Tuesday, when he will attempt to become the oldest horse to win the prestigious Goodwood Cup since the legendary Persian Punch in 2003.