Doyle: Scandinavia can emulate Kyprios with Goodwood Cup win

Our ambassador is previewing all five days of the Goodwood, beginning with an enthralling opening day on Tuesday, featuring the Goodwood Cup.

Scandinavia poised to retain cup crown

The eagerly anticipated re-match between SCANDINAVIA and Trawlerman in the Al Shaqab Goodwood Cup (3.35) on the opening day of the Qatar Goodwood Festival is one race I'm particularly excited about in what promises to be an amazing week on the Sussex Downs.

Aidan O'Brien's reigning champion got the better of a protracted duel with Godolphin's admirable veteran in the Gold Cup at Royal Ascot and can confirm his superiority in the Group 1 showpiece which once again looks like being a two-horse battle.

Four years younger and arguably even better this year, he can emulate Aidan's Kyprios by winning the race twice and giving the master of Ballydoyle his fourth Goodwood Cup in five years.

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Roger Varian's Yorkshire Cup winner Rahiebb makes more appeal than the rest but is up against it. He simply didn't stay the marathon trip in the Gold Cup but I can't see him laying a glove on the market leaders, even though he's dropping back half a mile.

Rejuvenated Qirat may be hard to peg back

If QIRAT gets out on the lead in the HKJC World Pool Lennox Stakes (3.00) at Goodwood I really don't see any of his rivals drawing him back.

Ralph Beckett's five-year-old, who sprung that massive surprise in last year's Sussex Stakes, impressed me from the front in the Group 3 Criterion Stakes at York last time when he wore a tongue tie for the first time.

He could be open to more improvement in a race that might not take a lot of winning this year and gets my vote ahead of Andrew Balding's Marvelman.

He ran a smashing race in the Chipchase at Newcastle last month on his return from a lengthy break and should be sharper this time. A Group 2 winner already, he needs to take a step forward but looks a serious danger while Witness Stand, who won this race for me last year, is better than he was able to show at Chester and can hopefully make another bold bid.

Amo colt can break his maiden in vintage

I nominated PIKACHU as a horse to follow after his big run at Newmarket so I'm not forsaking him on his re-appearance in the Coral Vintage Stakes (2.25) at Goodwood.

Charlie Johnston's Amo Racing colt galloped through the line strongly in the Superlative Stakes after hitting a flat spot and can break his maiden at the fourth time of asking over this seven furlong trip.

The likely favourite Al Hudaiba is highly talented as he showed when beating Pikachu in that Group 2 but is complicated, too, and it's interesting that Charlie Appleby reaches for the blinkers in an attempt to concentrate his mind.

A more reliable proposition may be Aidan O'Brien's Haffner, a promising son of Justify who built on his Curragh debut with a maiden win at Newmarket earlier this month. This is much tougher but he represents Team Ballydoyle for a good reason.

More to come from Burke's course winner

LIBERTY LANE, a Listed winner at Goodwood, has dropped to a tempting mark which makes him a danger to all in the opening Coral Chesterfield Cup Handicap (1.50) at Goodwood.

Karl Burke's 2024 Cambridgeshire winner hasn't raced off this mark in nearly two years and is well drawn under Clifford Lee in stall four. He hinted at a return to form at Sandown last time in first-time cheekpieces, which are retained for this assignment.

My husband Tom's (Marquand) mount Yabher is also capable of a bold show after bolting up over this course and distance in May but was disappointing at York last time so has something to prove in such a competitive handicap.

Lexington can Blitz them in sprint Handicap

The Coral Rewards Shaker Handicap (4.10) at Goodwood will be fast and furious and can go to the rapid LEXINGTON BLITZ, who ran a huge race in the Epsom Dash last month.

A course and distance winner, Robert Cowell's four-year-old looks well enough treated to win this off just a 1lb higher mark but don't under-estimate Richard Spencer's pair Run Boy Run and Twilight Calls.

Richard has a knack of winning big sprint handicaps and has enlisted the services of Ryan Moore's son Toby who claims an invaluable 7lb off Run Boy Run. He's well drawn in stall 17 for a race like this while Newmarket winner Twilight Calls remains well handicapped of a mark of 90 with the in-form Saffie Osborne in the saddle.

I'll be back with my thoughts on Wednesday's action at Goodwood, featuring the Group 1 Visit Qatar Sussex Stakes and the big juvenile sprint, the Group 3 Molecomb Stakes.

Hollie Doyle was speaking to Sky Sports Racing's Simon Mapletoft.