July 23, 1999. Copyright, 1999, Graphic News. All rights reserved

GLORIOUS GOODWOOD
By Midge Todhunter

LONDON, July 23, Graphic News:  THE DERBY is a monster picnic; Royal Ascot a full-dress parade, while Glorious Goodwood resembles a huge high-summer garden party set amid the picturesque Sussex Downs overlooking the sparkling waters of Chichester Harbour.
A five-day festival of racing on one of the worldÕs most scenic racecourses.
Racing was first introduced to Goodwood by the third Duke of Richmond in 1801 Ð on a course designed by his friend Lord George Bentinck Ð and the first Goodwood Cup was run in 1812.
A year later the meeting was moved from May to its present fixture in late July to coincide with the end of the London season and proved an immediate success.
The outstanding Jockey Club member of that era, Lord Bentinck implemented many reforms at Goodwood which subsequently became common practice on other courses. As well as railing off a number of enclosures, including one for cigar smokers, he equipped the starter with a flag instead of simply having him shout ÒgoÓ; fined the Clerk of the Course if a race started late and insisted every horse carry a number corresponding to the racecard and number board.
He ordered that the runners be paraded in front of the stands, set aside an area for saddling and another for the winnerÕs enclosure.
In consequence, the Goodwood meeting was conducted far more efficiently than had ever been the case on any other course and many of the most popular features of Lord BentinckÕs July meeting have become entrenched in racingÕs rules.
/ENDS


GLORIOUS GOODWOOD TOPS £1.5 MILLION
By Midge Todhunter

LONDON, July 23, Graphic News:  A  MAJOR addition in sponsorsÕ money for the five-day festival at Glorious Goodwood, which runs from Tuesday July 27 to Saturday July 31, takes the total prize money on offer to a record £1.5 million with 12 races worth £50,000 or more.
GoodwoodÕs most valuable race of the year, the Sussex Stakes Ð EuropeÕs top all-age One Mile race Ð has been boosted by 44 percent to £250,000. Plus, for the first time, travel grants are on offer to attract overseas runners.
The Arab-rich Godolphin team account for no less than 28 entries in the race, including this yearÕs 2,000 Guineas winner, Island Sands, in a bid to win the prestigious Group 1 contest for the first time.
The European Pattern Committee have also granted Group 1 distinction to GoodwoodÕs Nassau Stakes, to be run on Saturday. The ten-furlong event is now one of EuropeÕs premier filliesÕ and maresÕ races and will be worth £125,000.
The new Group 1 event has attracted an entry worthy of its new status, including the winners of five European filliesÕ Classics, plus last yearÕs winner Alborada, two Royal Ascot winners and Zahrat Dubai Ð third in this yearÕs Oaks. Two French-trained recent Group 1 winners are also likely contenders.
The Group 3 Vintage Stakes over seven furlongs is now worth £45,000 and is always one of the most informative two-year-old races of the season. Eight of the last 20 winners have gone on to Classic fame as three-year-olds.
Such is the popularity of the StewardsÕ Cup on the final day that a 48-hour declaration stage has been introduced and a new £20,000-added consolation race, called the StewardsÕ Sprint, will be run on Friday.
/ENDS

Source: Goodwood Racecourse