Clive Cox makes no apology for thinking Jasour is at the top of the pecking order of his juveniles at Beechdown Stables in Lambourn as he bids for a hat-trick in the Markel Richmond Stakes at Goodwood on Thursday.

The Havana Grey colt has progressed in each of his three runs this term and followed up his Nottingham five-furlong maiden win with an authoritative two-length verdict over Lake Forest when upped to six furlongs in the July Stakes at Newmarket.

He tackles nine rivals in similar Group Two company on the Sussex Downs, with his trainer expecting him to back up that good performance.

Cox, who won this race in 2019 with Golden Horde and again the following year with Supremacy, said: “We were thrilled with the Newmarket success. He has come out of the race really well, we’re very happy with the way he’s been since then.

“It was nice to see him settle behind the pace and finish off in a race of that level, and to win as nicely as he did.

“We rate him highly. We had him entered in the Gimcrack before he ran at Newmarket and was our only entry in the race, so that tells you.

“It was not as if it was unexpected, but it is always nice to confirm what you hope and believe. We are hopeful that he’ll go well.”

First-time winners Vandeek, who landed a six-furlong maiden in easy ground at Nottingham for co-trainers Ed and Simon Crisford, and Sketch, who was an eyecatching Newbury scorer for Freddie and Martyn Meade, look worthy opponents.

Confidence is high that Showcasing colt Sketch, who scored by five lengths on debut 12 days ago, can back up that form.

Freddie Meade said: “He seems to have come out of it really well. Obviously it is quite a quick turnaround, but he was a true professional at Newbury. In the winner’s enclosure he seemed to take it all in his stride.

“It looks a tough renewal, but I think he showed he’s entitled to be there and he is a big, strong horse and it is not all about this season.

“He is a really nice horse who we think a lot of and we are hoping to go there with a live chance. Not many can do what he did first time out and the sectional times were good if you compare them to the Hackwood.”

Ed Crisford feels Vandeek will gain some useful experience, suggesting it is not all about his juvenile season.

He said: “He looked a bit inexperienced at Nottingham and just fell out the stalls, but with the ground the way it is – it was soft when he won there – it will help. He seems to have come on for that mentally for the last few weeks, so we thought we’d take a chance.

“If he can take a step forward from his maiden win, we’ll be pleased. He is one for the future and it is not all about this.”

The Group Three John Pearce Racing Gordon Stakes over a mile and a half sees the King’s Royal Ascot winner Desert Hero having his first outing since landing the King George V Stakes.

However, the top two in the market are the Aidan O’Brien-trained Espionage and the Crisfords’ Chesspiece.

The former won a Listed race at Rosscommon on his seasonal bow, having shown some smart form in three runs last autumn, including when beaten a head by Donnacha O’Brien’s Proud And Regal in the Criterium at Saint-Cloud.

O’Brien said of the Galileo colt, who is towards the head of the betting on the St Leger: “He’s only had the one run this year and nearly won a Group One in France last year.

“He’s progressing, he’s coming on. That was his first run at Roscommon this season and we think he’ll progress as the year goes on.”

Chesspiece was placed in the Queen’s Vase at Royal Ascot before dropping back in trip to land a Listed prize at Hamilton over a mile and three furlongs.

Ed Crisford feels he will appreciate the easy ground in what looks a high-quality renewal.

“He won nicely in a Listed race at Hamilton and he’s come out of it very well,” he said.

“We know he likes softer conditions and with all the rain, we thought it was a good option to run him.

“He is doing extremely well and I’m sure he will be very competitive. It looks a strong race for the class and if he can take another step forward, he’ll be right in the mix.”

Magical Sunset finished with some gusto to secure the Whispering Angel Oak Tree Stakes at Goodwood.

Richard Hannon’s filly won three times last season, including a Listed success, but could finish only fifth when favourite to make a winning reappearance in the Fred Darling Stakes at Newbury in April.

She had also troubled to fail the judge in four starts since, but bounced right back to the best in deteriorating conditions on the Sussex Downs.

Matilda Picotte cut out much of the running in the seven-furlong Group Three before being swallowed up by the chasing pack, and in the final furlong 4-1 joint-favourite Breege hit the front.

But Kevin Stott was biding his time in behind aboard 18-1 shot Magical Sunset and she picked up well once in the clear to get up and score by three-quarters of length.

Hannon said: “I think she would have been unlucky if she’d been beaten, she’s much better on this ground – she won the Radley Stakes at Newbury very well on it and that’s helped her today.

“She looked the best turning in at Sandown the other day and it looked to me like she didn’t get home, so we came back to seven furlongs today and I’m delighted. She won very well.

“The owner rang me and was actually pleased – that’s very rare! Group races are very hard to win. My god, there’s a massive bottle of Whispering Angel over there – he’s not getting that! That’s what you call tax…”

He added: “She’s a really sweet filly. She’s always been lovely, but she’s much better on that ground. She cost a few quid, mind you. She was unlucky in the Goffs Million, she’s getting her revenge slightly and getting her slice of luck.

“I think she’s entered in a Group Three in Deauville, so she might go there – she’ll have a penalty, obviously, but she’ll go wherever the soft ground is.”

French trainer Christopher Head is excited to see how the “filly of my life” Blue Rose Cen shapes up against Nashwa in a mouthwatering Qatar Nassau Stakes at Goodwood.

Unbeaten in three starts this season, Blue Rose Cen landed the Poule d’Essai des Pouliches (French 1000 Guineas) and then produced a powerful performance over an extended 10 furlongs, winning a deep Prix de Diane (French Oaks) at Chantilly by four lengths.

Last year she won four of her six starts, culminating in another top-class success in the Prix Marcel Boussac, to be crowned the French champion two-year-old.

Her first crack at the older generation comes on her international debut. And Head is relishing the chance to visit a track where Solow landed the Sussex Stakes for his father, Freddy, in 2015.

“Everything is all right – all lights are green,” said Head.

“She has had a brilliant preparation and we are very happy with her, and we can’t wait to get to Goodwood races.

“She is a wonderful filly, the filly of my life for now, and I’m really happy to have the luck to train her.

“It has been a tremendous season with her and we can’t wait to see what she is capable of doing at the Goodwood track.”

Head is a fifth generation of his family to excel in the thoroughbred business. He is the son of Freddy, the multiple champion-jockey-turned-trainer, and grandson of Alec, something akin to French racing royalty.

While this will be Head’s first runner at the undulating circuit, he is no stranger to British racing and is keen to see how far the daughter of Churchill can climb.

“It has been a very nice run and I think it is a very tactical racetrack and a very interesting one,” he added.

“I can’t wait to get into it, because there is such a good atmosphere at the races in the UK and it is really a unique feeling when you run a horse there.”

The Chantilly-based handler has no qualms that Blue Rose Cen will handle the rain-soaked ground.

“The ground should not be any issue for her,” he said. “She has already encountered various tracks and there is no problem at any of them.”

Though he initially felt she was a 10-furlong filly on pedigree, he is exploring the possibility of seeing her race over further.

“We will need to see her run, but there is a project about seeing what she is capable of doing in a staying capacity, such as the Vermeille, just to see if she is capable of going further,” he added.

“We don’t have the limit of the filly now – she looks like she can do everything! For now, she has the benefit of choice.”

Five fillies stand in her way, including Roger Varian’s Al Husn, who won the Group Three Hoppings Fillies’ Stakes, at Newcastle, and Joseph O’Brien’s Above The Curve, who won the top-level Prix Saint-Alary last season.

Nashwa, though, would appear to be Blue Rose Cen’s biggest danger. The John and Thady Gosden-trained four-year-old won this race last year, having previously given Hollie Doyle her first Classic success in the Prix de Diane.

The daughter of Frankel, who is rated 2lb superior on official ratings, will be conceding 8lb to the French raider due to the weight-for-age structure.

She took her time to find her form this season, and was narrowly beaten by Al Husn at Newcastle, but was subsequently an eyecatching winner of the Group One Falmouth at Newmarket, where she powered to a five-length success back over a mile.

Teddy Grimthorpe, racing manager for Imad Al Sagar, who owns Nashwa, feels she is up to the task now she has found her form.

He said: “She’s in good form, actually. She came out of the Falmouth really well. I think it was so encouraging the way she did it at Newmarket.

“Everybody’s faith has been repaid, as it were. She looked good and had done well over the winter and, if anything, might have done a bit too well.

““She is a big, scopey filly and sometimes they just take a little while to come to themselves. It was never that she worked badly, she was always going nicely, but I think after Newcastle, it looked like she suddenly began to take hold of the bridle.

“She settled really well at Newmarket and showed a really good turn of foot, galloped out well and wasn’t stopping.”

Nashwa justified favouritism, beating Aristia by a length and three-quarters in the race 12 months ago, but Grimthorpe knows she faces a tough task against Blue Rose Cen.

He added: “We know she acts at Goodwood, anyway. It is a very interesting race and the French filly looks exceptional. It is going to be a good race.

“We are always hopeful, but the good thing is she is going into the race how we’d want her to.”

Bluestocking will be given a couple of options at the upcoming Sky Bet Ebor Festival at York following her narrow defeat in the Irish Oaks.

Placed behind Warm Heart in both a Listed race at Newbury and the Ribblesdale Stakes at Royal Ascot, the Camelot filly comprehensively reversed that form in the Curragh Classic and looked the likely winner after travelling powerfully to the lead.

In the end she was outstayed by Epsom Oaks runner-up Savethelastdance, but lost little in defeat in being beaten half a length and is now bound for the Knavesmire.

Barry Mahon, European racing manager for owners Juddmonte, said: “Whilst we thought the world of her, her form before the Irish Oaks wouldn’t have suggested she was going to put in a run like that, but we sort of always felt she had that in her.

“It was a huge run and I thought she had it won for most of the straight, but unfortunately we didn’t.

“We’ll look towards York for her. It will more than likely be the Yorkshire Oaks, but because she hasn’t won yet this year she has the option of the race we won with Haskoy last year (Galtres Stakes).

“You’d imagine she’ll probably go for the Yorkshire Oaks, but she’ll be in both anyway.”

Two other horses who have made a big impression for the Juddmonte team in the last week are Waltham and Task Force.

Trained by Ger Lyons, the three-year-old Waltham supplemented an impressive debut win at Leopardstown with a runaway six-length success in a conditions event at the same track. He now looks set for a step up to Pattern class, but Mahon feels talk of a tilt at Classic glory in the St Leger is premature.

“He’s a nice horse and he’s a horse that went into training late – he only went into training in May this year,” he said.

“He’s done nothing wrong in his two wins, he’s progressing nicely and stays well and something like the Irish St Leger Trial at the Curragh (August 20) would be next on the cards.

“He is a nice horse, but you have to remember he’s won a pretty uncompetitive maiden and he’s won a nice conditions race – it’s a long way off Group One standard.”

Task Force, trained by Ralph Beckett, is bred to be a bit special as a son of Frankel out 1000 Guineas heroine Special Duty and made a big impression on his racecourse introduction at Salisbury.

While plans are fluid, Mahon hopes he can go on to bigger and better things.

He said: “It’s not too many times you have a two-year-old that’s by a Guineas winner and out of a Guineas winner and he’s a nice horse.

“He’s a very late foal (born in May) and he’s been a little bit immature, but he’s shown up well at home, Ralph decided to bring him down the road for his first start and he won well.

“Again the quality of the race might not have been the strongest, but he did it in impressive fashion over what I’d imagine is his bare minimum trip of six furlongs.

“Without discussing it with Ralph, he would remind me of a horse who probably won’t have a huge amount of racing this year. If he had another two starts that would probably be the height of it as he’s a horse to look forward to for next year.

“I’d say he’ll step up to seven furlongs next time.”

When asked whether the Acomb Stakes at York could be a target, he added: “At the moment I think the plan is for Starlore to go to the Acomb, but if Task Force was in good form and Ralph wanted a go it’s not impossible we could run two of them.”

Coeur D’or swooped late to claim a head verdict in the featured Colm Quinn BMW Mile Handicap on day two of the Galway Festival.

Trained by Dermot Weld and ridden by Chris Hayes, Coeur D’or was a winner on his penultimate run at Leopardstown, but he was allowed to go off a 14-1 shot in the handicap highlight.

The 18-runner contest proved typically competitive and it looked as though Dunum was going to take the win two furlongs out, only for No More Porter to battle his way to the front inside the distance.

However, Hayes had launched Coeur D’or down the outside and he grabbed the lead in the shadow of the post to take the prize in a photo, with Dunum a further three-quarters of a length back in third.

Weld said: “He is a very consistent horse, this was the plan and he delivered. He had been running very consistently all year and is a brave horse.

“I was worried about the ground as he is very effective on a slightly quicker surface. A mile is his trip but he was a very immature horse in his early days and took a long time to come to hand but patience paid dividends.

“He has two great owners in Stephen O’Connor and Mark Phelan and I’m delighted for them.”

Sharjah returned to the scene of one of his finest hours to make a seamless transition to fences in the Latin Quarter Beginners Chase.

Winner of the Galway Hurdle in 2018, he has gone on to become a multiple Grade One scorer, triumphing in the Matheson Hurdle at Leopardstown’s Christmas meeting on four occasions.

He has also been second in two Champion Hurdles so had a clear class edge over his rivals, but he was making his debut over fences at the age of 10.

Always handy under Paul Townend, reunited with him for the first time since the 2021 Champion Hurdle, Sharjah jumped soundly throughout and came clear under no pressure to win by 11 lengths as the 1-4 favourite.

Mullins said: “He was very smooth and jumped like he did at home. Every time I schooled him, he always looked very capable and confident over fences and showed that today. If he wasn’t good, we wouldn’t have gone chasing with him, but he was so natural at home and did today what he has done at home.

“In today’s race he was meeting a lot less competition compared to what he had been meeting over hurdles for the past four or five years – none of those horses had ever run in a Grade One hurdle – and he enjoyed it.

“I imagine he’ll stay to winners’ races now and he would get nice ground for the Drinmore.”

Jim Crowley has been banned for 20 days and fined £10,000 for his winning ride aboard Hukum in Saturday’s King George VI And Queen Elizabeth Stakes at Ascot.

Both Crowley and Rob Hornby, who finished second aboard Westover, were referred to the British Horseracing Authority’s Whip Review Committee following a duel to the line in the midsummer highlight, with Hukum prevailing by a head.

Flat riders are allowed to use their whip six times in a race, with a four-day ban for going one over the limit and seven days for going two over. Crowley used his whip nine times, which incurs a 10-day ban and is doubled for a class one race.

Had Crowley used his whip four times over the limit then Hukum would have been disqualified.

The rider will be banned August 15-21 and August 23 – September 4, meaning he misses the Ebor meeting at York, where he was due to ride runaway Prince of Wales’s Stakes winner Mostahdaf in the Juddmonte International. He also received the substantial fine due to the class and value of the race.

On Monday the whip rules were tweaked once more by the BHA following a six-month review period and while the changes would not have affected Crowley’s punishment due to the severity of his offence, Hornby has benefitted from the revisions.

He used his whip once above the permitted level, but given he has had more than 200 rides in Britain since his last whip offence, his initial ban was cut to two days. However, that is then doubled due to the calibre of race, meaning he will be out of action for four days (August 15-18 inclusive).

Had the rules not been changed 24 hours previously, Hornby would have had an eight-day suspension imposed.

Tom Marquand executed a perfect front-running ride aboard Quickthorn to win the Al Shaqab Goodwood Cup.

Trained by Hughie Morrison, Marquand had adopted very similar tactics last season in the Lonsdale Cup at York when beating the reopposing Coltrane by 14 lengths.

Quickthorn had failed to quite match that level of performance since, but did return to winning ways last time out back at York in a Listed race and the form was subsequently franked when the second, Israr, won a Group Two next time out.

Marquand stole a few lengths early and then once again on the brow of the hill, when the field might expect to start making ground, but the jockey ensured there was no let up in the pace.

At one stage he was around 20 lengths clear but Oisin Murphy on Coltrane, who was leading the pack, seemed content in where he was with half a mile to go.

The riders of Eldar Eldarov, Giavellotto, Emily Dickinson and Gold Cup winner Courage Mon Ami all suddenly realised Quickthorn was not stopping, but the victor had a decisive lead.

Quickthorn won by six lengths from Emily Dickinson, who prevailed in a photo for second with Coltrane, with Eldar Eldarov a further short head back in fourth.

Frankie Dettori opened his account at this year’s Qatar Goodwood Festival as Kinross gained a second success in the World Pool Lennox Stakes.

It was a case of experience prevailing over youth as the six-year-old Kinross pulled clear with the three-year-old Isaac Shelby.

Having won the race in 2021 and finished second 12 months ago, seven furlongs with cut in the ground are the ideal conditions for Ralph Beckett’s Kinross.

When the split came up the inside, Dettori took advantage as Audience weakened but Isaac Shelby still looked a danger.

Despite a 6lb pull at the weights, Isaac Shelby, runner-up in the French Guineas, could not quite do enough and the 10-11 favourite began to pull away at the line to win by a neck.

Dettori said: “He tries, he loves the ground and loves the track. I think seven (furlongs) is his best but he can do six and a mile. He’s my ATM machine!

“From the Prix de la Foret he might go to somewhere else, maybe Doncaster and I think Marc (Chan, owner) is keen to run him in Hong Kong. I promised I’ll go.”

Beckett said: “We’ve never had one like him. He’s spent most of the last 48 hours with his left fore in a bucket because he trod on a stone, he’s got very thin soles and he feels every pin prick. He should have won it last year really, he got trapped in and got there too late.

“What a horse to train, he’s a joy to train.

“We’ll take the same route again with him and try to dance every dance. Santa Anita again and in between he might go to York for the City Of York and Doncaster for the Park Stakes. I hope he’ll go to Longchamp for the Foret and the sprint at Ascot.

“We’ll dance every dance again – he’s a gelding, he’s got to dance every dance.”

Of a possible Hong Kong challenge, Beckett added: “There is an idea that might happen, we might have to duck one of the races here to ensure he gets there – it’s a good problem to have.

“He needs no work, he’s very clean winded and you really don’t have to gallop him at all. He is very easy to train but he wasn’t initially, he didn’t get his act together until he won the Hyde Stakes but once he’s in a groove, he stays in that groove and you don’t have to do anything to keep him that way.”

Should Kinross line up in the Foret at ParisLongchamp in the autumn, he could well clash again with Isaac Shelby.

His trainer Brian Meehan said: “I am disappointed he got beat but pleased he got that close to showing himself to be a genuine Group One horse, which I’m sure he is.

“I’m where I want to be with him and he will only get better.

“I shall talk to the owners and see what they want to do and they will ask the same about me.

“But the ground has never been a factor. Sean was very happy and I guess the cutaway helped Kinross somewhat.

“The Foret is the obvious race for him, but let’s see.”

Jim Crowley is set to miss the ride on Mostahdaf at York after picking up what is believed to be a significant suspension for his winning ride on Hukum in Saturday’s King George VI And Queen Elizabeth Stakes at Ascot.

Crowley and Westover’s jockey Rob Hornby, who finished second, were both referred to the British Horseracing Authority’s Whip Review Committee in the wake of what was unforgettable finish to the midsummer showpiece.

Flat riders are allowed to use their whip six times in a race, with a four-day ban for going one over the limit and seven days for going two over. Crowley reportedly used his whip nine times, which incurs a 10-day ban and is doubled for a class one race.

Had Crowley used his whip four times over the limit then Hukum would have been disqualified.

The punishment is doubled-edged for Crowley as he was due to ride runaway Prince of Wales’s Stakes winner Mostahdaf in the Juddmonte International at the Ebor meeting.

On Monday the whip rules were tweaked once more by the BHA following a six-month review period, but the changes would not have affected Crowley’s punishment due to the severity of his offence.

Speaking to ITV Racing before any official publication of the committee’s findings, Crowley said: “It’s a huge punishment. I spoke to Rob and neither of us knew we had gone over.

“I had absolutely no idea. When we go out we are aware of the whip rules and aware of the severity of them.

“In the finish we are both thinking, ‘don’t go over’, as one thing and secondly you are trying to keep the momentum of your horse, you can’t cause any interference as a slight bump and you could get chucked out. You are trying to stay in rhythm with the horse and you are really in the zone.

“That is not to say you are not thinking about the whip because you are, but it is very difficult to be counting the strokes when you are in that scenario. It’s not a win-at-all costs ride, but it is so difficult, until you are in that situation yourself – it is hard to explain.

“Neither of us were aware we’d gone over, that’s the worrying thing. We got back to the weighing room and got a tap on the shoulder and straight away a feeling of dread comes over you.

“Imagine a tennis player in the Wimbledon final, you are not counting numbers in your head – it’s very difficult.

“The rules are the rules. Does the punishment fit the crime? I don’t think so, but I would say that. It’s going to be a tough pill to swallow.

“Some jockeys were consulted about the rules, there’s a bit of a stigma about that, but I can guarantee you know there isn’t a jockey in that weighing room who agrees with the rules.

“Neither jockey went out there to win at all costs. It was a mistake, it’s very unfortunate. He’s my favourite horse, it’s a shame it’s worked out this way.”

Ralph Beckett, the trainer of Westover, said: “I think once you put a finite number on it, you run into more problems than you solve and that is where we are now, we’ve created more problems than we’ve solved.

“Westover is fine, he bounced out of it and if I showed you a video you’d say he was ready to go again.”