Gold Cup one-two clash but one trainer is keen on his outsider

Courage Mon Ami bids to join a select and illustrious group of stayers in Yeats, Stradivarius and Kyprios to have followed up Gold Cup success in the Goodwood Cup since the turn of the millennium.

The John and Thady Gosden-trained four-year-old boasts a 4-4 record, posting a big career best when beating five of these reopposing rivals, including runner-up Coltrane, in the Royal Ascot showpiece.

Royal Rebel, Colour Vision, Trip To Paris and Big Orange are the Gold Cup winners to have failed to land this race on their next start since 2000.

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Courage Mon Ami could provide Frankie Dettori with a record sixth victory in the race and the son of Frankel is one of just two course winners in the 11-runner line-up, having won a handicap over a mile and six furlongs at the Sussex track prior to his Gold Cup triumph.

Frankie Dettori: won the Gold Cup in the silks of Wathnan Racing on Courage Mon Ami

He is unproven on easy ground, with his four wins coming on standard to slow on the all-weather and good to firm, but Richard Brown, racing adviser to owners Wathnan Racing, is not overly concerned by the underfoot conditions.

Brown said: "John and Thady are very happy with him and he worked very nicely on Friday. He's in great shape.

"The ease in the ground is an unknown but I don't feel it will be an issue. He's won at the track, when he was still a bit green and gawky, and two miles is probably his optimum trip.

"We were concerned about whether he would stay at Ascot as it's quite extreme to step up to two and a half miles, but hopefully he'll be seen in his best light over this trip in this great, prestigious race."

Coltrane camp excited for rematch

Rain was falling as owner Mick Mariscotti made his way down to Goodwood on Monday lunchtime and any ease in conditions will prove no hindrance to his leading contender Coltrane.

Coltrane has three-quarters of a length to find with Courage Mon Ami from the Gold Cup but boasts form figures of 19121 on ground easier than good.

The Andrew Balding-trained six-year-old finished a fine fourth behind Kyprios, Stradivarius and Trueshan on his first try at the top level in this race last year and has posted his top two Racing Post Ratings this season. He bettered his Sagaro Stakes win by 1lb on RPRs when second in the Gold Cup.

Coltrane: has a good record on softer ground

Mariscotti, who owns Coltrane with his wife Janice, said: "There are some horses who like it softer in the race but Coltrane copes with near enough anything and ease in the ground wouldn't concern us. He doesn't set the world alight at home but Andrew says he's done his work as normal and all has gone well.

"I suspect the crowd is going to be on Frankie's side on his last Goodwood Cup and Oisin said over the weekend that he doesn't want to give Frankie a target, but I think there are horses in the race that come into the equation if the ground softens, such as Emily Dickinson.

"It could be quite a race – as it should be for such a prestigious event. We've appeared in one or two Group 1 contests over the years but Coltrane is our first one to go to a race like this with a real prospect. His performance at Ascot was great and he always gives his best. He's likely to give everyone a run all the way to the line."

O'Brien takes aim with Gold Cup beaten horses

Kyprios ended a 14-year wait between wins in this race for Aidan O'Brien last year and the Ballydoyle trainer takes aim with Emily Dickinson and Broome.

Emily Dickinson finished fourth in the Gold Cup and has failed to score in five starts in top-level company despite running well on each occasion.

Ryan Moore's mount returned to winning ways with a three-length victory in the Curragh Cup ten days ago, recording a career-best Racing Post Rating of 117 that puts her right in the mix.

Emily Dickinson: back to winning ways last time

She has run just once over two miles in 15 starts, winning the Loughbrown Stakes at the Curragh on her final outing last year, while five of her six best RPRs have come with ease in the ground. It was good to firm when she was third in the Lillie Langtry at this meeting last year.

Broome has 34 runs under his belt but has only tried two miles twice, finishing last of 13 in the Long Distance Cup at Ascot in 2020 and winning the Dubai Gold Cup at Meydan in March.

He was well beaten in tenth in the Gold Cup and has his first run at Goodwood with a new jockey in William Buick.

O'Brien said: "Emily Dickinson hasn't done much since the Curragh but she seems in very good form. Every kind of race and every kind of ground, it doesn't seem to matter to her, she bounces out of her races great and she won't mind any rain that arrives.

"The better the ground, the better it will suit Broome. We think he is very happy over two miles."

What they say

Marco Botti, trainer of Giavellotto
He's in good order and we've given him a little time between races and been able to freshen him up. I'm very happy with him and just hope the ground doesn't get much softer. It looks a proper Group 1 race with the best stayers around in there, so he will have to step up again from York. I feel he's come on since that run and he's the type to just do enough in his races, so it's hard to know his limit and hopefully there's more to come.

Jamie McCalmont, racing manager to Marc Chan, joint-owner of Lone Eagle
The rain will do his chances no harm and the drop back to two miles is interesting as he's never run over this trip. It was a big step up in trip in the Gold Cup but we were pleased with the run, although he will have to step up a fair a bit to beat the Gold Cup principals.

Roger Teal, trainer of Ocean Wind
He ran a blinder at Sandown off a long layoff and I was very pleased with him. He's not the most impressive work horse but I've been happy with him since and he deserves a crack at this. It's a really good race but if he can get back to anywhere near the form of his Sagaro second to Stradivarius a couple of years ago it would put him amongst them.

Hughie Morrison, trainer of Quickthorn
He's in good form and I'm happy with him going into this. It's a deep race but we're eager to take our chance and we'll see how he gets on at this track.

Brian Ellison, trainer of Tashkhan
I think he'll run very well. He's overpriced at 20-1 and has a great each-way chance. The more rain, the better for him and he's improved since York. It wasn't ideal having to make the running there but it was an encouraging performance. 

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