Vandeek looked an exciting prospect in confirming the promise of his successful racecourse debut with a comprehensive victory in the Markel Richmond Stakes at Goodwood.

Simon and Ed Crisford’s grey justified cramped odds on his introduction at Nottingham a fortnight ago and was the 11-8 favourite taking a swift step up to Group Two level, in a race that had seen the withdrawal of likely market leader Jasour.

Ridden with plenty of confidence by Andrea Atzeni, Vandeek was initially settled in behind the pacesetting Toca Madera before being switched to the far side of the track to throw down his challenge.

A smart change of gear propelled him clear of the chasing pack and he only needed to pushed out hands and heels in the closing stages to score by a comfortable length.

Atzeni said: “He looked pretty special when he won first time out at Nottingham.

“Obviously when you step up to this level, you never know how good you are until you try. He’s got a bit of a pedigree, he’s obviously improved since Nottingham and he showed today how good he is.

“He’s a very smart colt and I think he is a very good horse. He’s won at Group Two level now, he’s going to go up one way to Group One level and I can’t see why he wouldn’t be good enough.”

Vandeek looks set for an immediate tilt at Group One company in France later in the month.

“Nothing really took him into the race for as long as we would like today, he was in front too soon and he sorted of idled when he hit the front,” said Simon Crisford.

“I think there’s tons of improvement to come and I think we’ll head for the Prix Morny on August 19. Obviously that is dependent on Sheikh Khalid’s wishes, but he likes to be bold and brave and I’m sure he will want to go for the Group One.

“We don’t know how this form is going to stack up, the Prix Morny is going to be an altogether different kind of a race.

“Stamina-wise, he’s of out an Exceed And Excel mare, there’s tons of speed in his pedigree but he strikes us at home like he will go further. He’s big, scopey, he stands over a lot of daylight – he will stay.”

Ballymount Boy outran odds of 25-1 with an excellent effort to fill the runner-up spot, with Toca Madera five lengths further back in third.

Ballymount Boy’s trainer, Adrian Keatley, said: “He didn’t help himself early on – he was a bit slow away and slow to get into his stride, but he’s a fair horse and we were expecting that kind of run from him.

“We’ll see where we go with him next, but we might contemplate going seven furlongs.

“He’s a proper horse now, he’s a Group horse for sure, so onwards and upwards.”

The redoubtable Paddington has bounced out of his Qatar Sussex Stakes win in his usual remarkable shape.

Aidan O’Brien has been able to give European racing’s new breakout star a clean bill of health following a fourth successive Group One win.

From taking a handicap on his seasonal reappearance in April, his progress has been nothing short of staggering, adding a Listed race before his Irish 2,000 Guineas success.

Victories in the St James’s Palace Stakes and the Eclipse were subsequently secured before he dropped back down to a mile on Wednesday and proved very testing ground at Goodwood could not stop him.

He is likely to go back up in distance for the Juddmonte International at York next, but as ever, no final decision will be made until closer to the time.

“Everything seems fine with him after the race, absolutely fine,” said O’Brien.

“We’re going to decide over the next week to 10 days where next, but York has to be a possibility.

“He just seems to be thriving for his racing.”

If Paddington heads to York, he would again be bidding to emulate O’Brien’s former inmate Giant’s Causeway, who won the St James’s Palace, Eclipse, Sussex and Juddmonte International in 2000 prior to the Irish Champion Stakes.

Nostrum again bids to emulate the brilliant Baaeed in the Bonhams Thoroughbred Stakes at Goodwood.

Sir Michael Stoute’s charge was considered a Classic contender at the start of the year after finishing third in last season’s Dewhurst, but a spring setback ruled him out of the 2000 Guineas, the Irish Guineas and Royal Ascot.

However, the Kingman colt blew his rivals away on his belated reappearance in the Sir Henry Cecil Stakes at Newmarket, a Listed contest won two years ago by Baaeed before he successfully stepped up to Group Three level in the Thoroughbred Stakes.

Like the William Haggas-trained superstar, who retired last term having won 10 of his 11 starts including six Group Ones, Nostrum had the option of stepping up to the highest level in Wednesday’s Sussex Stakes as a three-year-old – but his connections have also elected to take a smaller step.

“We’re all looking forward to it, he’s in good shape and Sir Michael is happy with him,” said Barry Mahon, European racing manager to owners Juddmonte.

“Of course we gave it (Sussex Stakes) consideration, but Michael rightly pointed out and the owners agreed, why go from second gear to fifth? Let’s go through the gears, we’re looking at longevity and we don’t want to kill the horse off with one run.

“We’ll bring him along gradually and there’s plenty of Group Ones later in the season.

“We’re all thinking about stallions and commerciality, but it didn’t do him (Baaeed) any harm. He got to where he needed to get and if we can get there, we’ll be happy.”

Nostrum will be a warm order in the hands of Ryan Moore, but Mahon is taking nothing for granted.

He added: “It’s a good, solid Group Three, hopefully it’s another stepping-stone and it will be nice to see him back on the track.

“Ground-wise I don’t think we’re too concerned – a bit of cut in the ground will be fine for him.”

Chief among Nostrum’s rivals is Docklands, who completed his hat-trick in the Britannia Stakes at Royal Ascot and is now given his Pattern-race debut by trainer Harry Eustace.

The three-year-old carries the colours of Australian-based syndicate OTI Racing and will be making a trip to the southern hemisphere before the year is out.

“He won the biggest handicap for the owners this year and this will teach us a lot about him from their point of view and his targets down in Australia, whenever they may be,” said the Newmarket handler.

“He won on soft ground at Ascot in May and good to firm at the Royal meeting. It’s a big positive that, I don’t have to worry about it frankly.”

John and Thady Gosden bring the high-class Epictetus back in trip, while Jessica Harrington sends Bold Discovery across the Irish Sea following a recent Listed triumph at the Curragh.

Simon and Ed Crisford saddle an interesting contender in Knight, who has been gelded since being withdrawn by the starter prior to the French 2000 Guineas.

He had previously disappointed when well fancied for the Greenham Stakes at Newbury in April off the back of an unbeaten juvenile campaign.

Ed Crisford said: “He is gelded now after France. He has had some time off and has been doing really well since then.

“We have done a lot of stalls work with him and we hope that on Friday he can take everything in his stride and run a decent race.

“It is a bit of a comeback mission. We need to see him run before making a proper judgement on what we do next with him. It is going to be a case of seeing how he reacts.

“We have done a lot of work with him at home. Hopefully that will pay off and hopefully he can run a decent race. There are plenty of targets throughout the summer and into the autumn.”

Galeron (Charlie Hills) and Montesilvano (Joseph O’Brien) complete the field.

The other Group Three on Friday’s card is the L’Ormarins King’s Plate Glorious Stakes, in which Haggas saddles both the hot favourite Hamish and Candleford.

Having sidestepped a red-hot renewal of the King George at Ascot on Saturday on account of unsuitable ground, Hamish bids for a sixth win at Group Three level, while stablemate Candleford finished third in Goodwood’s Tapster Stakes on his only previous outing this year.

The Gosden-trained Mimikyu is fitted with cheekpieces for the first time after placed efforts at York and Haydock, while Norwegian raider Hard One To Please adds international interest.

Little Big Bear has been supplemented for Sunday’s Prix Maurice de Gheest at Deauville.

Last year’s champion juvenile has not quite had things go his own way this season, coming home lame when last in the 2000 Guineas on his return to action.

Trainer Aidan O’Brien once again demonstrated his skill by getting him back on track at Haydock to win the Sandy Lane subsequently.

That set him up for a trip to Royal Ascot and the Commonwealth Cup and everything appeared to be going to plan until the remarkable Shaquille, who had been left at the stalls, flashed by him late on.

More recently his participation in the July Cup had been in some doubt due to a minor setback and while he did make the race, he was eased home in last place after being short of room two furlongs out.

Now he will travel to France for a race in which there are 13 still in contention, including the likes of Khaadem, Art Power, Rohaan and Cold Case.

O’Brien said: “We’ve supplemented him and he seems in good form.

“We’ll decide finally a little bit closer to the weekend, but the plan at the moment is to run.

“The ground is testing over there at the moment, but it can dry up.

“He’d had the problem before Newmarket but since then he has been fine, no problems.”

John Quinn is confident ground conditions will not be a problem for his triple Group One-winning mare Highfield Princess when she bids to get back to winning ways in the King George Qatar Stakes at Goodwood on Friday.

Expertly handled by the North Yorkshire-based Quinn, she has had a fairytale career, rising through the grades from a 57-rated handicapper to win three top-class sprints last summer. She was also narrowly beaten at the Breeders’ Cup in Keeneland.

A half-length runner-up on her York reappearance, she was then turned out twice in four days at Royal Ascot, narrowly beaten in the King’s Stand and placed again in the Queen Elizabeth II Jubilee Stakes.

She drops back a furlong now, with Quinn optimistic she can make the most of what appears a gilt-edged opportunity.

“We’re happy with her,” said the Malton-based trainer. “Who knows what the ground will be like on Friday, but the ground will be fine – she has won on soft ground before.

“She is in good form and we’re very hopeful. I’m not worried about the draw – it is other horses I worry about!

“You wouldn’t know where they’ll be racing come Friday, but straight line, she’ll be fine.”

Karl Burke saddles both Silky Wilkie, who was runner-up to the reopposing Nymphadora in York’s City Walls, and White Lavender, a short-neck runner-up in the Prix de l’Abbaye at ParisLongchamp in October.

Burke said: “It is a bit of a punt with Silky Wilkie. He has done nothing but surprise us and impress us all the way through his career, really.

“We never expected him to get to these heights, but he deserves his chance now in these black type races.

“It is certainly a big step up for him, but he won’t mind the ground, he’ll like the track and with the ground being so soft, it might not suit some of the others. The draw in stall seven is good.”

White Lavender returned to France to take a Group Three in May, but was a little too keen on her last run in the Sapphire Stakes at the Curragh.

Burke added: “White Lavender is obviously a high-class sprinter and she’s proven herself in the Abbaye.

“She disappointed herself in Ireland, but she ended up making the running, which wasn’t the plan with her – she has to have a bit of cover and come late.

“Maybe I sent her to Ireland a bit too fresh and she took off with Chris Hayes, and she never finishes her races when she runs like that.

“You can put a line through that run. She seems in good form and she’ll love the ground.”

Charlie Hills has won this race five times in the last six seasons, four times with Battaash (2017-2020) and last season with Khaadem.

He saddles both the hat-trick-seeking Equality, who landed the Coral Charge at Sandown when last seen, and Equilateral, who was a decent fifth to Bradsell in the Group One King’s Stand at Royal Ascot on his last run.

Makarova was a length and a half behind Equality at Sandown and Ed Walker, whose string is in fine form, feels the four-year-old Acclamation filly has plenty to offer now that she is becoming accustomed to running over the minimum trip.

He said: “I’m actually super-excited about this race – she is bouncing. Since dropping back to five (furlongs) she has improved. She is really learning to be a five-furlong sprinter now.

“Last time she really jumped and travelled, where in her previous couple of runs over five, she had slightly been outpaced.

“Prior to Sandown, I would have been a bit worried that this race might have had a bit too much early speed for her, but I think she showed at Sandown she’s got bags of boot.

“She won’t mind the ground at all, but drawn in four isn’t great. That won’t help. It is not ideal.”

Dane O’Neill is making progress from injuries sustained in a fall at Wolverhampton earlier this month, but looks set to miss the rest of the domestic season.

The veteran rider was unshipped from the Charlie Hills-trained Eagle Eyed Tom in the extended nine-furlong Sky Sports Racing Sky 415 Handicap on July 11, just after the stalls had opened.

The race was abruptly halted and voided, while O’Neill was attended to by paramedics on the track before being stretchered off and taken to Birmingham’s Queen Elizabeth Hospital.

Shadwell’s number two rider suffered a fractured thoracic vertebra and broken ribs, and is “frustrated” according to Angus Gold, racing manager for Sheikha Hissa’s powerful racing and breeding operation.

O’Neill’s misfortune has been exacerbated by Shadwell’s number one rider Jim Crowley incurring a 20-day ban for overuse of the whip aboard Hukum, when winning a thrilling King George VI And Queen Elizabeth Stakes at Ascot on Saturday.

Crowley will be ruled out of the Juddmonte International at York in a fortnight’s time and with O’Neill sidelined, the plum ride on the John and Thady Gosden-trained Mostahdaf is now up for grabs.

Gold said: “Mostahdaf, as far as I know, is well, although I haven’t spoken to John yet. We’ll get Goodwood out of the way first.”

Asked if either Frankie Dettori or William Buick may be considered for the ride, Gold added: “I’m not being perverse, but I’ve not even mentioned the subject. Obviously those are two possibilities, but we have literally not had a chat about it.”

O’Neill is on the mend, but he is not likely to return to the saddle in the immediate future.

Gold added: “Dane is mending. I spoke to him on Tuesday. It is frustrating, it’s a long process. Seven ribs (broken), he’s obviously very uncomfortable, poor man.

“Obviously, A – there’s the physical side and then, B – it is fantastically frustrating for him, when the whole point of being second jockey, when the first jockey is hurt or suspended, you want to make the most of the opportunity.

“But the poor fellow is not going to be able to be in a position to capitalise on it. It is very frustrating.

“I doubt he will be riding again this season. I haven’t asked him the question.

“It is the beginning of August and it is going to be another month mending them. I don’t know. He might be able to ride in early October, but that’s when he heads off to Dubai normally. I doubt he will be back here (this season).”

England erased an eight-point deficit to claim their first Netball World Cup win over Australia at the 14th attempt and secure top spot in Group A in Cape Town.

Jess Thirlby’s side stormed back towards the end of the third quarter and Fran Williams’ crucial interception in the dying seconds earned an historic 56-55 win.

Both teams had already secured progression from the group stage into the last four but their win means England will potentially avoid a more daunting path to the final.

Thirlby told BBC Sport: “It’s a massively important moment for this group because it adds to our confidence bank, but we know it means nothing if we can’t follow it up.

“I think it’s the fact we were eight down and then to be pushed in the last 15 minutes and still come out on top, I don’t think you can under-estimate mentally what that tells you about where this group is at.”

England were set to find out the identity of their semi-final opponents later on Thursday, with holders New Zealand facing potential elimination in their last group match against favourites Jamaica.

Ash Tree Meadow put up a brilliant performance from the front to lift the Tote Galway Plate.

Fourth in the Ballybrit feature 12 months ago, Gordon Elliott’s seven-year-old was given a superb ride by Danny Gilligan, who had the company of the loose Andy Dufresne to deal with at times after he departed at the very first fence.

Willie Mullins’ Authorized Art looked a big threat under Danny Mullins after jumping the last, but Gilligan kept his cool and his mount was quickly on top again before being kept up to his work on the way to recording a two-and-a-half-length success at 13-2.

Another Elliott runner, Hollow Games, took third, with Joseph O’Brien’s A Wave Of The Sea in fourth. Last year’s winner Hewick showed up well for a long way before his big weight began to tell approaching the business end of the contest.

Andrew Balding’s The Goat routed the opposition in the curtain-raising Coral Handicap to spark a double on day two of Goodwood for the Kingsclere handler.

Despite being placed in three of his four previous races, the Cracksman colt was a 25-1 chance stepping up to a mile and a half in the hands of Jason Watson and clearly relished the testing conditions.

Amleto, the 5-2 favourite, did his best to bridge the gap inside the final furlong but The Goat was away and gone and passed the post with 12 lengths in hand.

Balding said: “The Goat stands for the ‘greatest of all time’ – the greatest in this race, anyway!

“He loved the ground and he’s a horse who’s just had a tough spring and took a couple of runs to hit his form at home.

“He was very good – I thought he might be in a bit of trouble, but I’m very happy with the way he pulled clear. He’ll love the autumn ground and there might be something for him.”

Balding completed his brace when Flora Of Bermuda (5-1) made a mockery of her poor draw to land the British EBF 40th Anniversary Alice Keppel Fillies’ Conditions Stakes under Oisin Murphy in similarly emphatic style.

Having tracked across towards the stands rail early, the Andrew Balding-trained daughter of Dark Angel powered home in the five-furlong contest and had the race won at the furlong pole.

Having been unlucky when runner-up in the Hilary Needler at Beverley and again when first of the far-side group when drawn on the wrong side in the Queen Mary at Royal Ascot, she gained just compensation, surging clear of Juniper Berries to score by four lengths, with a further three lengths back to Indispensable.

Balding said: “We think a lot of this filly, and it was a bit of a bump on the ground, but we felt we’d learn something if it didn’t work, but she took to it and she’s pretty tough.

“In a way, the draw was a plus because we didn’t get involved in any barging to hold our position. She has a lot of talent, enjoyed the ground and would have no problems getting six (furlongs). He couldn’t pull her up, by the looks of it.

“As long as she stays in one piece, black type won’t be a problem for her. She’s in the Lowther and that was always the plan.”

Proven mudlark There’s The Door (6-1), dropping back in trip, outstayed her rivals in the 10-furlong British European Breeders Fund EBF Fillies’ Handicap.

In a race where David Egan was unshipped by Decoration coming out of the stalls, the David Evans-trained three-year-old tracked Chips And Rice and took it up from the dogged La Isla Mujeres inside the final furlong, having enough to hold the staying-on Persist by half a length.

Winning rider Richard Kingscote said: “She loves this ground so we were delighted when the rain came for her.

“I felt last time at Ascot just stretched her a little bit, but a mile and a quarter on heavy ground is spot on for her.

“She has a good attitude and we had a lovely smooth run.”

Murphy completed his own double when Rhoscolyn (2-1 favourite) defeated Wobwobwob by a lengths as the pair drew clear of the remainder in the concluding seven-furlong World Pool Handicap.

The David O’Meara-trained five-year-old had been steadily dropping down the weights and the heavy ground played to his strengths, with Murphy’s mount grinding down the gutsy Wobwobwob to gain a fifth career victory.

In driving rain on the South Downs, the casual television viewer could have been forgiven for thinking the footage had been taken from a November National Hunt meeting and not the linen suit and Panama convention that is usually the Qatar Goodwood Festival.

Though the weather denied racegoers the summer garden party they may have hoped for, the quality of the racing and the promise of seeing a true superstar in action was compensation enough for the sodden shoes and obliterated umbrellas.

The horse in question was Aidan O’Brien’s Paddington, a three-year-old son of Siyouni whose swiftly accelerating run of form brought him to the Qatar Sussex Stakes less than a month after his superb Coral-Eclipse victory.

Only four horses opted to take him on and even the relentless rain and deteriorating ground could not dissuade punters from sending him off as the 4-9 favourite under Ryan Moore.

Those that did back him experienced just the briefest moment of worry when an outsider, Jerome Reynier’s Facteur Cheval, loomed up in the final furlong, splashing happily through the rain-soaked terrain.

Paddington was not for passing, however, and his class snatched him away from any danger as he pulled clear to cross the line a comfortable length and a half ahead of his French rival.

The heaviest rain of the day fell when he returned to the paddock, but the weather did not prevent a warm reception as the horse strode back in looking as damp and imposing as a winning hurdler on a wet day at Cheltenham.

In his coat colour he bears little resemblance to Giant’s Causeway. But his Goodwood victory saw Paddington match his extraordinary treble of the St James’s Palace, Coral-Eclipse and Sussex Stakes.

His next step he is likely to mirror the ‘Iron Horse’, too, as the Juddmonte International at York beckons, a race Giant’s Causeway won by a head in 2000.

O’Brien – who was all smiles when posing for pictures with the ‘real’ Paddington Bear after the race – said: “We love these big days and I’m delighted that the lads are happy to run on them. York is a massive festival as well. We’ll definitely look at it and consider it very seriously.

“We’ll have to see how he comes out (of the race). But he’s very special, we think. We weren’t expecting the ground to be as tough as it was today, but knowing the horse he could take it with a smile on his face.”

Australia for the Cox Plate has also been mentioned, alongside the Breeders’ Cup, the latter meeting being the scene of an unforgettably agonising defeat for Giant’s Causeway in the final run of his career, going down by a neck to Tiznow in the Classic at Churchill Downs.

The Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe is even a tantalising possibility, which would mean stepping up to a mile and a half for a race that can be run in gruelling autumn conditions, as it was last year when Alpinista prevailed on very deep ground.

“The Breeders’ Cup is an option and Tom (Magnier, of Coolmore) mentioned something about Australia,” said O’Brien.

“We made an Arc entry because there doesn’t seem to be any end to his stamina. He could go anywhere or do anything. He’s had a busy season. You run in any one top-level race and you know it, but he’s doing them one after another.

“I thought he wanted good ground or better because he’s quick, but he has handled the soft ground and he’s won on heavy before – but when a horse can quicken like that you’d think he’d want good ground.”

Moore, who is not often overly effusive in his praise, hinted that Paddington could be one of the most talented horses he has partnered in a career that has seen him ride many champions.

“It’s a hard thing to say, but he gives you the feel that he might be as good a horse as I’ve ridden,” he said.

“He’s exceptional. And he’s handled everything that we’ve put in front of him, whether it’s a mile, 10 (furlongs), good ground, soft.

“He’s a straightforward horse who thrives on his racing. Someone asked me yesterday if he’d go on this ground and I said he’d go on snow.”

Jerome Reynier will target Qipco British Champions Day with Facteur Cheval after finishing best of the rest behind Paddington in the Qatar Sussex Stakes at Goodwood.

The French raider had been kept fresh since finishing a close-up third behind the Owen Burrows-trained Anmaat in the Prix d’Ispahan at the end of May.

Given a patient ride by Maxime Guyon, the 11-1 chance moved into contention with a couple of furlongs to run and briefly looked like giving red-hot favourite Paddington a real run for his money.

In the end Aidan O’Brien’s superstar colt found more to extend his unbeaten record this season to six, but Reynier was understandably thrilled with his four-year-old’s performance in defeat.

He said: “It’s like a victory today. We really thought he was going to beat Paddington, but he had the stands rail and we were in the middle of the track and he was stuck in the middle of traffic.

“He ran a great race, he was third in a Group One the other day and second today in a very nice Group One and I hope the next time we will be able to win at that level.

“With five runners it was best to wait at the back for a late challenge. We were the fourth favourite out of five runners, so we thought if he can just beat one or two home, we would be happy, but we never thought he was going to be able to run that way.

“He keeps improving mentally and physically, so probably the best is yet to come.”

Reynier has gone close on Champions Day before, with Skalleti filling the runner-up spot behind Addeybb in the Champion Stakes three years ago.

Facteur Cheval is also be Ascot bound, with the Queen Elizabeth II Stakes a logical target.

“Fingers crossed he will be coming back in good shape and we can aim for the Queen Elizabeth at the end of the year with him,” the trainer added.

Roger Varian was pleased with the performance of third home Charyn, who was placed again behind Paddington having run well behind him in both the Irish 2,000 Guineas and the St James’s Palace Stakes.

“He ran well and he prefers better ground. He travelled into it well,” said the Newmarket handler.

“He ran very well at Royal Ascot to be third in the St James’s Palace, nearly second, and he ran very well in the Irish Guineas (finished fourth), so he’s knocking on the door at this top level.

“He doesn’t like this ground really, he wants better ground.”

The disappointment of the race was John and Thady Gosden’s three-time Group One winner Inspiral.

Frankie Dettori made an early move in the straight in an effort to beat Paddington to the stands rail, but his mount soon came under pressure and weakened to finish last of five.

Dettori said: “We tried, but it was very obvious that she doesn’t cope with this kind of ground.

“If the ground dries up and she comes out of this race, we can back her up in the race she won in France last year (Prix Jacques le Marois).

“It was obvious what was going to happen – Paddington got a lead and everything his own way, so I grabbed the fence as I had to make a race of it.”