Goodwood Racecourse

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Fanshawe Books Dettori For Vodafone Stewards' Cup Favourite - Leading jockey Ryan Moore And Trainer Sylvester Kirk Hope For More Goodwood Success
24/07/06

James Fanshawe has booked Frankie Dettori to ride Vodafone Stewards' Cup ante-post favourite Firenze in the prestigious £100,000 six-furlong heritage handicap on Saturday, August 5, following the suspension of Jamie Spencer.

Dettori partnered the mare to success over the course and distance in the Empire Property Group Handicap on June 10, before Spencer took the reins in the Wokingham Handicap at Royal Ascot, the pair finishing a length and a half second to Baltic King.

Fanshawe revealed today: "All being well, Firenze goes for the Vodafone Stewards' Cup and Frankie Dettori has been booked because Jamie (Spencer) will be suspended."

The Newmarket handler is the leading trainer at Goodwood this season with four wins so far to his name and enjoys a 23% strike-rate at the course over the last five seasons.

Fanshawe's Glorious Goodwood running plans are still to be finalised but he is hoping that star mare Soviet Song can better her half-length second to Proclamation in last year's Group One Cantor Spreadfair Sussex Stakes on Wednesday, August 2.

He reported: "Soviet Song is an intended runner in the Cantor Spreadfair Sussex Stakes but I'll know the middle of next week with her. We'll play it by ear, but she's fine.

"I love Goodwood, it's a great meeting, and Seamus Buckley and his team do a great job with the ground. I just hope we get some rain and cooler temperatures."

Goodwood is widely regarded as the world's most beautiful racecourse, and trainers and jockeys enjoy the relaxed atmosphere and picturesque setting that provides a unique backdrop to the serious business of winning races.

Sylvester Kirk enjoyed a fruitful Glorious Goodwood Festival in 2005, saddling Group Captain to success in the Vodafone Handicap and subsequent Group Three winner Opera Cape in the Vodafone EBF Maiden Stakes, to finish the meeting as the third most successful trainer.

The Upper Lambourn handler has a fine overall record at the West Sussex course, with eight winners there in the last five seasons, making Goodwood his most profitable turf venue in terms of number of wins.

His team this year could be headed by Royal Ascot victor Elhamri, who proved a neck too good for Conquest in the Listed Windsor Castle Stakes over five furlongs and may bid to secure a first Group Three win.

Kirk revealed: "Elhamri is well and runs on Saturday in the Weatherbys Super Sprint at Newbury, so long as the ground stays good. If not, he'll definitely go to the Betfair Molecomb Stakes (Tuesday, August 1). He will probably go to the Betfair Molecomb as well anyway, but it depends on how he comes out of the Newbury race.

"I have a couple of two-year-olds who could go there and Trafalgar Bay and Salamanca are also possible runners.

"Last year was a good meeting to get my season going, so I'll be hoping for the same thing this year."

Ryan Moore, currently leading the way in the jockeys' title, is looking forward to adding to his impressive record at Goodwood this season, where he has ridden 10 winners already, twice as many as any other jockey.

The son of Brighton-based trainer Gary Moore is renowned for his prowess on downland courses such as Brighton and Goodwood - where he has had 33 winners in the past five seasons - and is relishing the prospect of riding at the Glorious Goodwood Festival.

Moore commented today: "I look forward to riding at Goodwood. It's great racing and is a bit more relaxed than riding at Ascot, which makes it easier. The facilities there are great for us jockeys and it's always a good place to go.

"I think I ride plenty of winners at courses like Goodwood and Brighton because most of the trainers I ride for are from that area. Richard Hannon, my dad and Amanda Perrett each have a lot of runners there."

Moore is likely to renew his partnership with the Perrett-trained Tungsten Strike whom he rode to victory in the Group Two wbx.com World Bet Exchange Henry II Stakes at Sandown in May, before finishing eighth in the Gold Cup at Ascot.

Moore revealed: "I'm not certain what my overall riding plans are yet but the plan is to ride Tungsten Strike in the ABN AMRO Goodwood Cup.

"He's fine but he didn't stay two and a half miles at Ascot so hopefully the drop back in trip should suit him, but it'll be a hard race again.

"We always thought he'd be better on quick ground so if it stays as it is then he should be fine with it."

Given Goodwood's long and prestigious standing in the sport, it is fitting that the first day of the 2006 Glorious Goodwood Festival, Tuesday, August 1, coincides with the historic introduction of 48-hour declarations.

This ground-breaking development applies for the first time to declarations for races held on Tuesday, August 1, and all horses racing on that day must be declared on Sunday, July 30.

The five-day Glorious Goodwood Festival, which provides top-class racing and is one of the highlights of the summer social season, runs from Tuesday, August 1, to Saturday, August 5.