Goodwood

The Gold Cup at Royal Ascot 40 days ago produced a race for the ages as SCANDINAVIA went head to head with the 2025 winner Trawlerman and edged in front in the last five strides at the end of 2m4f. It's possible that that race will have brought Trawlerman back to his peak, as it was his reappearance, but he wasn't far off it anyway and Scandinavia is 6-6 in cheekpieces, with this race last year among those victories. It's not an easy call and a fantastic race is on its way if they return in the same form as at Ascot. The two of them have graphically demonstrated the value of headgear, which might heighten interest in Lazy Griff who was placed in two Derbys last season and arrives here relatively unexposed as a stayer, wearing cheekpieces for the first time. Rahiebb's failure in the Gold Cup leaves him unproven beyond an extended 1m6f. [Richard Austen]