Snow Lantern declared for Sussex Stakes showdown with Poetic Flare

Qipco 2,000 Guineas and St James's Palace Stakes winner Poetic Flare faces nine rivals, including Snow Lantern and Alcohol Free, as he bids for a third top-level victory in the Qatar Sussex Stakes (3.35) at Glorious Goodwood on Wednesday.

Snow Lantern had the option of the Nassau Stakes on Thursday but Richard Hannon has opted for this contest with Jamie Spencer replacing the suspended Sean Levey.

She gained a first Group 1 victory in the Tattersalls Falmouth Stakes at Newmarket last time, when she reversed the Coronation Stakes form with Alcohol Free, who also lines up in this event.

Hannon said: "She's staying at a mile for now. It looks like it's going to be soft ground, which she proved she can go on at Royal Ascot, and the owners want to go there.

"It looks like being a very good race and so it should be, we'll go there, try our best and see how we get on. It's a good race with a lot of horses that could win it and I think we're one of those. She hasn't done much since her last run but we were obviously very happy with her at Newmarket.

"Sean's banned so we don't really have a choice. Jamie has ridden in every big race around the world so he's experienced enough for the ride."

Jamie Spencer: replaces the suspended Sean Levey on Snow Lantern in the Sussex StakesCredit: Edward Whitaker

Trainer Jim Bolger has landed the Nassau Stakes with Park Express (1986) and Alexander Goldrun (2005) at this meeting and bids for a first Sussex Stakes with leading three-year-old Poetic Flare.

Kevin Manning maintains the partnership with Poetic Flare, who finished sixth in the French 2,000 Guineas and second in the Irish 2,000 Guineas following his Newmarket Classic triumph.

Poetic Flare was an easy winner at Royal Ascot and sets a clear standard on official ratings in this £1 million event.

Aidan O'Brien has landed the Sussex Stakes five times, most recently with The Gurkha in 2016, and saddles last year's Breeders' Cup Mile winner Order Of Australia and Queen Anne Stakes runner-up Lope Y Fernandez. Last year's Vintage Stakes scorer Battleground had been declared but is a non-runner, with Ryan Moore riding Order Of Australia and Frankie Dettori aboard Lope Y Fernandez.

3.35 Goodwood Wednesday: Qatar Sussex Stakes racecard and betting

The Charlie Hills-trained Tilsit was successful in the Bonhams Thoroughbred Stakes at this meeting last year and is an interesting contender. He beat the reopposing Century Dream, last year's Celebration Mile winner, in the Betfred Summer Mile Stakes last time.

Jim Crowley partners the Andre Fabre-trained Duhail, owned by Al Shaqab Racing, for the first time. Duhail was a Group 2 winner at Saint-Cloud in May and runs in Britain for the first time.

Snow Lantern's stablemate and Greenham winner Chindit and 2019 Jersey Stakes scorer Space Traveller complete the 11-runner field.

Sussex Stakes runners and riders

Century DreamJames Doyle
Duhail Jim Crowley
Lope Y Fernandez Frankie Dettori
Order Of Australia Ryan Moore
Space Traveller Danny Tudhope
Tilsit Kieran Shoemark
Chindit Pat Dobbs
Poetic Flare Kevin Manning
Alcohol Free Oisin Murphy
Snow Lantern Jamie Spencer

Sussex Stakes prediction

Poetic Flare is going to be difficult to beat if he can reproduce the form of his runaway Royal Ascot victory, but he hadn't looked a superstar before that race so might be worth taking on.

It was good to firm at Royal Ascot and it will be softer going here, so perhaps that will bring in the fillies Alcohol Free and Snow Lantern. They finished first and second in the Coronation Stakes at Royal Ascot on heavy ground and get the valuable sex allowance, too.

Preference is for Alcohol Free, who beat Snow Lantern by a length and a half in the Coronation and may have found the going quicker than ideal when third behind that rival in the Falmouth at Newmarket last time.
Graeme Rodway, assistant betting editor

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