One of the highlights of the the racing calendar gets under way on August 1 as the the Qatar Goodwood Festival is under starter’s orders on the South Downs.

Better known as Glorious Goodwood it is one of the must-see flat racing meetings, with many of the standout performers from June’s Royal Ascot bidding for more success on the famous, beautiful course near the south coast.

Here’s all you need to know about this year’s renewal, with information on the five horses to watch for the week here.

How many days is it on for?

Glorious Goodwood starts on Tuesday, 1 August and runs through to Saturday, 6 August.

How do I watch it in the UK?

The meeting is broadcast live on free-to-air television every day on ITV1.

Goodwood race timetable

Day One — Tuesday, August 1

13:40: Coral Handicap (Class 2) (4YO plus) 5f 
14:15: British EBF 40th Anniversary Maiden Stakes (Class 2) (2YO only) 6f 
14:50: Coral Chesterfield Cup Handicap (Class 2) (4YO plus) 1m 2f 
15:25: Nicholson Gin Vintage Stakes (Group 2) (Class 1) (2YO only) 7f 
16:00: World Pool Lennox Stakes (Group 2) (Class 1) (3YO plus) 7f 
16:35: Al Shaqab Goodwood Cup Stakes (Group 1) (British Champions Series) (Class 1) (3YO plus) 2m 
17:05: Coral Fillies’ Handicap (Class 3) (3YO plus) 1m 17:35: World Pool British EBF Fillies’ Handicap (Class 3) (3YO plus) 6f

Day Two — Wednesday, August 2

13:50: Coral Handicap (Class 2) (3YO only) 1m 4f 
14:25: Whispering Angel Oak Tree Stakes (Fillies’ & Mares’ Group 3) (Class 1) (3YO plus) 7f 
15:00: Jaeger-Lecoultre Molecomb Stakes (Group 3) (Class 1) (2YO only) 5f 
15:35: Qatar Sussex Stakes (Group 1) (British Champions Series) (Class 1) (3YO plus) 1m 
16:10: British EBF 40th Anniversary Alice Keppel Fillies’ Conditions Stakes (GBB Race) (Class 2) (2YO only) 5f 
16:45: British European Breeders Fund EBF Fillies’ Handicap (Class 2) (3YO plus) 1m 2f 
17:20: World Pool Handicap (Class 3) (3YO plus) 7f

Day Three — Thursday, August 3

13:50: Coral Kincsem Handicap (Class 2) (3YO only) 1m 2f 
14:25: Markel Richmond Stakes (Group 2) (Class 1) (2YO only) 6f 
15:00: John Pearce Racing Gordon Stakes (Group 3) (Class 1) (3YO only) 1m 4f 
15:35: Qatar Nassau Stakes (Fillies’ And Mares’ Group 1) (British Champions Series) (Class 1) (3YO plus) 1m 2f 
16:10: Jaeger-Lecoultre Nursery (Class 2) (2YO only) 7f 
16:45: Buccellati Handicap (Class 3) (3YO only) 1m 
17:20: Tatler British EBF Maiden Fillies’ Stakes (GBB Race) (Class 2) (2YO only) 7f 
17:55: World Pool Handicap (Class 3) (3YO only) 5f

Day Four — Friday, August 4

13:50: Coral Goodwood Handicap (Class 2) (3YO plus) 2m 4½f 
14:25: Bonhams Thoroughbred Stakes (Group 3) (Class 1) (3YO only) 1m 
15:00: Coral Golden Mile (Heritage Handicap) (Class 2) (3YO plus) 1m 
15:35: King George Qatar Stakes (Group 2) (Class 1) (3YO plus) 5f 
16:10: L’Ormarins King’s Plate Glorious Stakes (Group 3) (Class 1) (4YO plus) 1m 4f 
16:45: Ire-Incentive It Pays To Buy Irish Nursery (Class 2) (2YO only) 6f 
17:20: Coral Handicap (Class 3) (3YO only) 1m 3f

Day Five — Saturday, August 5

13:50: Coral Stewards’ Sprint Handicap (Class 2) (3YO plus) 6f 
14:25: Coral Summer Handicap (Class 2) (3YO plus) 1m 6f 
15:00: Qatar Lillie Langtry Stakes (Fillies’ & Mares’ Group 2) (Class 1) (3YO plus) 1m 6f 
15:35: Coral Stewards’ Cup (Heritage Handicap) (Class 2) (3YO plus) 6f 
16:10: Racing Welfare Handicap (Class 2) (3YO only) 7f 
16:45: British EBF 40th Anniversary Maiden Stakes (Class 2) (2YO only) 7f 
17:20: Coral Handicap (Class 3) (3YO plus) 1m 1f

Five horses to watch:

Long Eagle (Al Shaqab Goodwood Cup, Tuesday)

On the face of it Ralph Beckett’s five-year-old is up against it on Tuesday with four opponents (Courage Mon Ami, Coltrane, Emily Dickinson and Eldar Eldarov) that finished in front of him in the Ascot Gold Cup, but that does not tell the full story. At two miles he was cantering over everything and, still in front two out, it looked for all the world that he did not get the extreme distance.

Ralph Beckett’s horses are in great form with Westover running a career best in Saturday’s King George. This one will cope with the ground and can follow stablemate Kinross (World Pool Lennox Stakes) into the winner’s enclosure at a very good price.

Paddington (Qatar Sussex Stakes, Wednesday)

The outstanding miler of the season so far looked a bit stretched at a mile and a quarter in the Eclipse – even though he won it. A return to a mile, at which he looked very special in the St James’s Palace Stakes, should mean it is Aidan O’Brien’s colt’s race to lose. The only thing against him is that he has not missed too many dances since winning a handicap in March but even a sub-par effort should be enough.

Inspiral got a bit tired in the closing stages of the Queen Anne but will need to be on her A game to give Frankie Dettori a final Sussex.

La Isla Mujeres (EBF Fillies Handicap, Wednesday)

Another from Ralph Beckett’s yard. She appears to be improving very quickly and even allowing for the fact that you get wider winning margins on soft ground her seven length win at Salisbury last time suggests she might not be hanging around in handicaps for much longer. By Lope de Vega, she will handle any amount of rain. Hector Crouch, a former Gary Moore pupil, is a jockey going places too.

Blue Rose Cen (Qatar Nassau Stakes, Thursday)

It seems a while since the French have brought their best on cross-channel raids – that maybe something to do with the better prize money at home, the lack of really good horses in France over the past half-dozen years and, in August, the fact the French tend to give their best horses and themselves a rest on the beach at Deauville.

But Blue Rose Cen, trained by Christopher head, the fifth generation of the famous French racing family, looks top drawer. She is on a winning sequence of five, won the French Oaks by four lengths and goes on the ground. Even last year’s winner Nashwa will be pushed to beat her.

Nostrum (Bonhams Thoroughbred Stakes, Friday)

Well fancied for the Guineas but missed it with an issue before being brought back with typical patience by Sir Michael Stoute at Newmarket’s July meeting where he was very impressive in a Listed race.

Many armchair trainers thought he should be pitched in against Paddington in the Sussex Stakes but that is not his trainer’s style and he is taking him up through the grades. It has the added advantage that Ryan Moore can ride him. Might not want it too soft but might well be capable of putting it up to Paddington at a later date.

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