Qirat could be set for busy time of things at his beloved Goodwood

Qirat could be tasked with serving up another shock in the Visit Qatar Sussex Stakes, after connections raised the possibility of a busy week for Ralph Beckett’s course specialist at the Goodwood Qatar Festival.

A three-time winner on the Sussex Downs, he was undertaking pacemaking duties for fellow Juddmonte-owned runner Field Of Gold in the mile feature last year before slipping the field and holding off Rosallion for a remarkable 150-1 triumph.

The five-year-old is also engaged in the opening day’s HKJC World Pool Lennox Stakes after returning to winning ways in York’s Criterion Stakes last time, but is still among 12 remaining for the highlight of day two and a race where Bow Echo and Gstaad will do battle once again.

“Qirat will be our flagbearer for the week and loves it round Goodwood,” said Barry Mahon, European racing manager for Juddmonte.

“I wouldn’t actually rule him out running in both the Lennox and the Sussex Stakes next week. I wouldn’t be surprised if we double up with him and he’s an older horse now who takes his racing well.

“He probably wasn’t fully fit for his first run of the year and then the ground was horrible at Epsom next time.

“But with a couple of runs under his belt and back to a nice surface at York last time he was back to his peak. You could see even in the way he won the last day he does take life easy on himself nowadays, so hopefully Goodwood can spark him back into real life.”

Classic winners George Boughey’s Bow Echo and Aidan O’Brien’s Gstaad will be taking on older horses for the first time after their battles at Newmarket in the 2000 Guineas and in the St James’s Palace at Royal Ascot.

O’Brien will also be represented by Puerto Rico and Dorset who are others from the three-year-old generation remaining in contention along with Eve Johnson Houghton’s Zavateri, one of last year’s crack juveniles who has been limited to just one appearance this term.

Ed Walker’s Ten Bob Tony had Charlie Appleby’s Opera Ballo (third), Andrew Balding’s Never So Brave (fifth) and Harry Eustace’s Docklands (sixth) all behind when landing the Queen Anne Stakes at Royal Ascot.

Others in the mix include Hugo Palmer’s course winner Seagulls Eleven and William Haggas’ Lake Forest, who like Qirat and Never So Brave has possibilities in the previous day’s Lennox.

The supporting action on day two is provided by the Veuve Clicquot Molecomb Stakes where Rebecca Menzies’ Adonius and Nigel Tinkler’s Norfolk Stakes runner-up El Floridita add a northern flavour to proceedings.

Phillip Makin’s Hickory Lad, Karl Burke’s duo of Wild Blossom and Ruler’s Pride and Hugo Palmer’s consistent Sale Shark are others looking to make the long trip south for the Group Three juvenile event pay.

In the other Group action on the card, recent York winner Flora Of Bermuda, the unbeaten Secret Of Life and Simon and Ed Crisford’s Zanthos are the standouts in a possible 22 entered for the Rolls-Royce Oak Tree Stakes.