Defending champion Scandinavia returns to Goodwood on Tuesday (28 July) aiming to cement his status as Europe’s outstanding staying horse in the G1 Goodwood Cup (3212m), the centrepiece of the opening day of Glorious Goodwood.

Fresh from a G1 Gold Cup (3991m) triumph at Ascot, Scandinavia looks the horse to beat once again. Few horses relish the Goodwood Cup’s 3212m distance, but Scandinavia has won his last six races at distances from 2600m to 4000m.

Trainer Aidan O’Brien, responsible for three of the race’s last four winners, said: “I’m very happy with him. Everything has gone well since Ascot. He never wins by far, he just does enough. He’s always been that way.”

O’Brien added: “He’s a horse who finds it easy to go at a high tempo for a long time.”

While Scandinavia is only four, main market rival Trawlerman is now eight. That didn’t stop him finishing within a head of Scandinavia in this year’s Gold Cup.

Thady Gosden, Trawlerman’s joint trainer, said: “He is getting on a bit but he’s certainly still full of beans. It’s a tough race but he’s in good form and hopefully he’ll go well.”

While attention is focused on Scandinavia and Trawlerman, the improving Rahiebb poses a significant threat. Trainer Roger Varian’s runner won a Group 2 event over 2771m before finishing a long way behind Scandinavia in the Gold Cup.

“Rahiebb has always run as if he would get 3200m and we thought it was worth going for the Ascot Gold Cup,” explained Varian. “We have to believe that he just didn’t stay the distance there. We’ve been really happy with him since. He’s a very well-balanced horse and I think he will act well on the track at Goodwood.”

With Scandinavia’s stablemate Illinois expected to ensure a genuine pace, horses with suspect stamina or those unsuited to Goodwood’s undulating track are likely to struggle.

On the supporting card, the G2 HKJC World Pool Lennox Stakes (1411m) looks a much more open contest. Lake Forest has attracted support, having finished second in the race last year and a close fifth in the G1 Queen Elizabeth II Jubilee Stakes (1200m) at Royal Ascot. The return to seven furlongs should suit.

The G2 Vintage Stakes (1411m) could introduce another top-class juvenile. Al Hudaiba, trained by Charlie Appleby for Godolphin, has won three of his four races and lost the fourth in dramatic circumstances. He looked likely to win when leading in the final stretch but jinked and unseated his rider.

Like the rest of England, Goodwood has seen high temperatures and very little rain for several weeks. Clerk of the course Ed Arkell said: “The ground is definitely drying out. I wouldn’t be surprised if we end up with good to firm, firm in places going.”

The G2 Vintage Stakes (1411m) is carded as S1-2 and will be run at 9.25pm (Hong Kong time) on Tuesday, 28 July; the G2 HKJC World Pool Lennox Stakes (1411m) is carded as S1-3 and will be run at 10pm; the G1 Goodwood Cup (3212m) is carded as S1-4 and will be run at 10.35pm.

Photo: Healy Racing