Colour Vision renews rivalry with Saddler’s Rock in Goodwood’s Thursday highlight

Saddler’s Rock, seen here winning last year’s Stobart Doncaster Cup, could pose the biggest threat to Gold Cup winner, Colour Vision, in Thursday’s Artemis Goodwood Cup. Image courtesy of racingfotos.com.

A very closely fought, high class Artemis Goodwood Cup is in prospect with the Gold Cup winner, Colour Vision, renewing rivalry with the horse that finished third, Saddler’s Rock.

With dual Royal Ascot winner, Simenon, and promising stayers like Nehaam, Times up and Lost In The Moment also in the line-up, it promises to shed considerable light on the Long Distance pecking order in the QIPCO British Champions Series.

Colour Vision, trained by Saeed bin Suroor and ridden by Frankie Dettori, is unquestionably a top class stayer and he won at the Royal Meeting despite the rain softened ground which would not have been in his favour.

The ground would also not have suited Saddler’s Rock, the easy winner of last season’s Stobart Doncaster Cup, however, so with Colour Vision having to shoulder a four pound penalty for his three-quarter length defeat of Saddler’s Rock, the Irish challenger comes out top on the ratings for Thursday’s big race.

Saddler’s Rock, trained by John Oxx, seemed at his best in the final two furlongs of the two mile two furlong Doncaster Cup, however, and was staying on in the two and half mile Gold Cup, so perhaps the two mile trip on Thursday will be more to Colour Vision’s liking.

In last year’s Artemis Goodwood Cup, nothing finished better than Lost In The Moment and he almost snatched the race from Frankie Dettori on Opinion Poll. He has to have a decent chance once again.

Nehaam, trained by man-of-the-moment John Gosden, almost certainly found the final half mile in the Gold Cup a step too far and he should have everything in his favour on Thursday.

Times Up is also a stayer with potential and could pose a threat, whilst the second Irish raider, Simenon, has to be considered even if he has a lot to do on the ratings.

He easily won both the Ascot Stakes and Queen Alexandra Stakes at Royal Ascot. Whilst those races are nowhere near the level of the Gold Cup, he is clearly a horse with considerable potential.

Can Frankie win the race for the third time in four years? Make sure you tune in to watch at 3.15pm on Channel 4 or Racing UK.

For the full race details and field, CLICK HERE.