Style, speed and special views - why Glorious Goodwood is unique

Goodwood does racing differently. The first meeting took place over 200 years ago and the charm of the Sussex Downs has enchanted us ever since. Here are six things which set the meeting labelled 'Glorious Goodwood' aside from everywhere else.

Magnolia Cup

The Magnolia Cup is one of the most unique spectacles on any racecourse, as every year twelve female amateur riders take to the Downs in bespoke silks in order to raise money for a particular charity.

Now in its seventh year the Magnolia Cup will this year be run in aid of Place2Be, a children’s mental health charity.

The race has helped raise over £1million for various charities and often produces its fair share of drama.

Landscape and configuration

No other racecourse in the world asks horse and jockey the same questions as Goodwood does. Its undulations and tight, right-handed loop mean horses have to be versatile, well-balanced and brave.

The picturesque track is famous for providing hard luck stories and thrilling finishes, as overcoming traffic often becomes problematic. But such is the testing nature of the course rarely does the wrong horse win.

Duel on the Downs

The miling division is often considered the creme de la creme of the sport, with its heroes possessing the perfect blend of speed and stamina, and the Sussex Stakes is arguably the premier race over the distance. The race has played host to some memorable clashes over the years – who can forget a three year old Frankel emphatically proving his worth against Canford Cliffs?

Panama hats

As far as Goodwood is concerned, Ascot and Epsom can keep their top hats and tails. Edward VII famously described the meeting as “a garden party with racing tacked on’’, and the old adage still rings true today.

The King shocked racegoers in 1906 by dressing in a Panama hat and linen suit, but the idea caught on and it is now the unofficial uniform for gentlemen at the festival.

The panama hat exemplifies the casual elegance and carefree nature of the racetrack, and if it features the red and yellow colours synonymous with the brand then all the better.

Goodwood Stakes

The point of any race is to get past the winning post first. But one thing unusual about Goodwood is the 2m5f Goodwood Stakes, in which the runners race up the straight the wrong way.

One of the few races on the Flat started by tape, the marathon event requires a special type of horse as tensions often reach boiling point when contenders jockey for position in front of the stands.

The field then go around the loop at the top of the track before coming back down to pass the winning post for a second and final time.

One of the fastest sprint courses in the country

Uphill for the first furlong and downhill for the remainder, Goodwood’s six-furlong course lends itself to fast times and exciting racing, particularly in the Stewards’ Cup, the fiercely competitive cavalry charge which invariably throws up Group 1 performers.

Take Cover: has mastered the demands of the sprint course at GoodwoodCredit: Louise Pollard

Racing over five furlongs is similarly exhilarating – as David Griffiths’ ten-year-old Take Cover would probably tell you if he could. His record at the track reads 2121, with both wins coming in the King George Stakes. He is just one example of a horse made for Goodwood and he bids for a third win this year.