The Group One Goodwood Cup was overshadowed by tragedy as Trueshan, one of the most celebrated stayers in recent years, suffered a fatal injury during the race. The nine-year-old gelding, a multiple Group-level winner, fractured his left-hind pastern while galloping uphill on the far side of the track and had to be euthanised on course.
Trueshan was making his 35th start and was a 22-1 chance to repeat his 2021 victory in the same race. The injury occurred mid-race in a straight line, a situation described as an unfortunate accident by race officials. Despite prompt medical intervention, it was determined that the injury was not recoverable. The gelding’s trainer and veterinary staff made the difficult decision to put him down humanely.
The loss hit jockey Hollie Doyle especially hard. Trueshan played a pivotal role in Doyle’s career, providing her with a string of high-profile victories including the Goodwood Cup, multiple Long Distance Cup wins at Ascot, the Doncaster Cup, and two Prix du Cadran triumphs. He also delivered a memorable performance in the 2022 Northumberland Plate, carrying 10st 8lb to victory in one of the most remarkable handicap wins of recent times.
While the racing world mourned the loss, the Goodwood Cup continued with Scandinavia taking the honours. The three-year-old, trained by Aidan O’Brien and ridden by Wayne Lordan, became the first horse of that age to win the race since Stradivarius in 2017. He held off stablemate Illinois in a gripping finish and is now likely to head to the St Leger as the leading contender.
Attention now turns to the Sussex Stakes, where Field Of Gold is set to star. The three-year-old has mirrored the career of his sire, Kingman, with a second in the 2,000 Guineas and a dominant win in the St James’s Palace Stakes at Royal Ascot. He faces stiff competition from the likes of Rosallion and Henri Matisse, but remains a strong favourite to continue the Classic generation’s recent success in the race.
Other promising entries on the card include Sing Us A Song, Tabiti, Ameeq, and Bintjeddah all of whom bring strong recent form and potential for standout performances at Glorious Goodwood.
