Chachamaidee in Lennox frame
Chachamaidee
Sir Henry Cecil's Chachamaidee may drop back in trip for the bet365 Lennox Stakes on Tuesday, the opening day of Glorious Goodwood.
Narrowly beaten over a mile in the Windsor Forest at Royal Ascot, the five-year-old has previously won three times over seven furlongs, including in the Oak Tree Stakes at Goodwood last year.
Richard Hannon has two live chances with the back-to-form Libranno and Strong Suit, who finished eighth on unsuitable ground in the July Cup. Paul D`Arcy`s Edinburgh Knight, who was narrowly beaten in a big handicap at Ascot last weekend, could make a swift reappearance.
Roger Varian's Aljamaaheer will have his supporters after a good run in the Jersey Stakes while another three-year-old, Bryan Smart`s Foxtrot Romeo, has run well in the Irish 2000 Guineas and St James`s Palace Stakes.
While Foxtrot Romeo and Aljamaaheer are entered in the Lennox, both horses have alternative options at the meeting. Smart could choose to pitch Foxtrot Romeo against Frankel in the Qipco Sussex Stakes, rather than drop back to seven furlongs.
He said: "Foxtrot Romeo is likely to run at Glorious Goodwood in either the Lennox Stakes or the Sussex Stakes, but I haven't decided which race yet. The horse has been in marvellous form since Ascot. He is a very big horse and he won't come into his own until later in the season and as a four-year-old. You've got to be pleased with his run at Ascot. I thought he ran a little bit free early on and chased quite a fast pace, which is probably why he faded in the last 100 yards.
"I wasn't surprised by his performance in the Irish 2,000 Guineas first time out. You don't go to Ireland just for a run do you? He is a big horse and it's got to be in the back of your mind when you are going to Goodwood - will he handle it, won't he handle it - but for a big horse he is a very well balanced. He is also in the Prix Jacques Le Marois, so we have options but he is in such good order with himself and I couldn't be more pleased."
Connections of Aljamaaheer are facing a similar quandary, with the upgraded RSA Thoroughbred Stakes over a mile on Friday week the other option.
Angus Gold, racing manager to owner Hamdan Al Maktoum, said: "Aljamaaheer is in the Lennox Stakes and he will also be put in the Group Three Thoroughbred Stakes. We will look at both races and then make a decision. The horse is in good shape. I thought he ran a very good competitive race at Royal Ascot in a big field and it was a good step up. He needs to keep going and maintaining that progress.
"It was nice to see him bounce back at Newmarket after his disappointing effort at Newbury earlier in the year. He won that race well, but I was then a little disappointed he wasn't able to win at Ascot, but the winner had Classic form and even though the second has been beaten since, she is a very good filly. He definitely wants fast ground and hopefully he will get that at Goodwood."
