Scandinavia (4/1) beat his stablemate Illinois to win the Group 1 Al Shaqab Goodwood Cup on Tuesday afternoon.
Winner of the Group 3 Bahrain Trophy Stakes at Newmarket last month, Scandinavia needed every yard of two miles under Cork jockey Wayne Lordan, as he overtook the front-runner Illinois (7/4 favourite) close home after a sustained battle.
The Aidan O’Brien-trained duo were two and a half lengths clear of Sweet William (4/1). Sadly, the race was overshadowed by a fatal injury to 2021 winner Trueshan, who was pulled up sharply by Hollie Doyle mid-contest.
Scandinavia, a son of Justify, is the first three-year-old to take the Al Shaqab Goodwood Cup since Stradivarius in 2017.
“He stays forever”
The successful handler, Aidan O’Brien, said of the winner:
“I am delighted. Wayne gave Scandinavia a brilliant ride. He ran a lovely race at Ascot when Wayne rode him, as he got trapped six wide all the way but he kept coming and coming, and then Ryan rode him at Newmarket and said he was a very good horse. He said he stays forever and is very classy.”
Discussing possible future race plans, the Ballydoyle trainer stated:
“The lads will make those decisions [about the St Leger and so on], but obviously Lambourn didn’t go to the King George because Jan Brueghel was going there, so he has his eye on the Voltigeur, and then he could go anywhere after that – to an Arc or a St Leger. All of those things are open, but I’d say this horse looks ready made for the St Leger as he stays forever, handled an ease in the ground here today, and is very straightforward.”
Another big win for Lordan
This year’s Betfred Derby-winning rider Wayne Lordan said of his most recent major victory:
“Credit to Scandinavia, he has improved all year. He was stepping up to two miles today against the older horses; it was a tough task, but I thought he stepped forward quite well.
“Illinois is a very genuine horse, a Group One horse, and this horse was stepping into his company today. He had never run in that company before, so today was going to find out how smart he is. Obviously, he is a very smart stayer.
