Bow Echo, Gstaad Meet Again in Sussex Stakes

The big clash between Bow Echo (IRE), Gstaad (GB), and Opera Ballo (IRE) is on after the three horses featured among a declared field of 12 for the July 29 Sussex Stakes (G1) over a mile during the Glorious Goodwood meet at Goodwood Racecourse. Bow Echo and Gstaad have met twice already this season, with the former winning both meetings in the Irish Two Thousand Guineas (G1) and St James's Palace Stakes (G1), although Aidan O'Brien's Gstaad narrowed the gap between the pair to just a short head at Ascot Racecourse last time. The Ryan Moore-ridden Gstaad will be joined by stablemates Puerto Rico (IRE) and Dorset (IRE) in the £1.5 million contest. Puerto Rico will be reunited with Christophe Soumillon, whose ban for riding to benefit Gstaad in the St James's Palace Stakes was reduced on appeal earlier this month, while Wayne Lordan picks up the ride on Dorset. Charlie Appleby and William Buick are represented by Opera Ballo, who won the Jebel Hatta (G1T) in Dubai earlier this year before making all in the Sandown Mile Stakes (G2) at Sandown Park in April. He was last seen finishing a three-quarter-length third in the Queen Anne Stakes (G1) during the Royal Ascot meet behind 50-1 shot Ten Bob Tony (IRE), who also features in the Sussex lineup. Qirat (GB), an incredible 150-1 winner of last year's Sussex Stakes, has been declared to defend his crown for trainer Ralph Beckett after finishing fourth, 1 1/4 lengths back, in the Lennox Stakes (G2) July 28. "He's run well and I'm pleased with him. We could've done with a stronger gallop, but he has done well, and he'll run again in the Sussex providing he's all well. There's no reason not to; they do it all week in Galway," Beckett said. Speaking of the Lennox, Lake Forest (GB) bounced back from a fifth-place finish in the Queen Elizabeth II Jubilee Stakes (G1) to hold off a hard-charging Rogue Diplomat (IRE) to win the race by a neck. When asked if her husband, trainer William Haggas, will also come right back Wednesday with Lake Forest in the Sussex, Maureen Haggas said, "Why not? He's a 5-year-old gelding, and he's not got to travel anywhere. We don't know about a mile, but he stays the 7 furlongs well. Anything can happen overnight, but that's the plan anyway." Elsewhere, Never So Brave (IRE) and Docklands (GB) bring group 1-winning form to the table courtesy of their wins in last year's City of York Stakes (G1) and Queen Anne, respectively, while Seagulls Eleven (IRE), winner of the Thoroughbred Stakes (G3) over the Sussex course and distance last year, represents Hugo Palmer and Oisin Murphy. The field is rounded off by Zavateri (IRE), who had Gstaad directly behind when winning at the top level in last season's National Stakes (G1) at the Curragh. Owned by Mick and Janice Mariscotti, Zavateri returned to action this season with a promising second in the Greenham Stakes (G3) in April at Newbury, but he was then forced to miss the English Two Thousand Guineas Stakes (G1) and Irish Two Thousand Guineas after suffering what trainer Eve Johnson Houghton described as a "minor setback." He had the option of running in the Lennox, but after impressing in his latest piece of work at Woodway Stables in Oxfordshire, the son of Without Parole (GB) will return to action at the highest level. "He'd worked the week before and really needed it, and the entry in the Lennox was just in case I didn't think he was quite ready to go for the Sussex, but he worked really well on Thursday and I couldn't be happier with him," Johnson Houghton said. "He's ready, in great form and we're all guns blazing for the Sussex." Bow Echo is the warm favorite for Wednesday's group 1 at 6-5 with Paddy Power. The same firm go 11-4 Gstaad and 7-2 Opera Ballo. Zavateri is a 20-1 chance, although Johnson Houghton is unfazed by those odds. "May the best horse win," the trainer said. "It's a horse race and we're all there to have a go. That's the whole point of racing and we have every right to be there. I'm not saying we're going to win, but we'll be in the thick of the action and that's what it's all about." Johnson Houghton added: "Zavateri looks a million dollars and I honestly couldn't be happier with him and I can't wait. I'll feel sick on the morning of the race, but at the moment I can't wait." Ed Walker is hoping to field shock Queen Anne Stakes winner Ten Bob Tony in the same race, but admitted that the prospect of running on quick ground on an undulating track is making him "slightly nervous." "Unless we look at the track on Tuesday and think it's a definite no, he'll go to Goodwood on Wednesday, and we'll have a look at the course on the day," Walker said. "Ed Arkell does a great job with the ground at Goodwood and the horse's owner, Simon Sadler, is very keen to run. If it's safe for him we'll have a go at the Sussex, but I'm slightly nervous about it." As part of the Breeders' Cup Challenge Series: Win and You're In, the winner of the Sussex will earn an automatic, fees-paid berth to the Breeders' Cup Mile (G1T) Oct. 31 at Keeneland.