Solow continues dream season with Sussex Stakes triumph

Solow continued his stellar season with an authoritative display in the Qatar Sussex Stakes at Goodwood.

With the defection of Aidan O’Brien’s leading three-year-old Gleneagles taking some of the gloss off the Group One feature, Freddy Head’s French challenger was the 2-5 favourite to add to his previous top-level triumphs this year in the Dubai Turf, Prix d’Ispahan and Queen Anne Stakes.

The market leader was quickly away in the hands of Maxime Guyon and was in the perfect position to strike in the straight, tracking the pacesetting Arod.

Arod refused to go down without a fight, but Solow had too many guns and was good value for his half-length success.

Rank outsider Gabrial ran an excellent race to finish third, with Lockinge hero Night Of Thunder slightly disappointing.

Guyon said: “He is unbelievable. He’s won four Group Ones this year, it’s crazy.

“He is easy to ride. He doesn’t pull. After he uses his turn of foot, he stops a little bit, which is why he doesn’t win easy, but he’s really good.

“We didn’t go very fast, but he is very relaxed and he has a very good turn of foot.

“For a jockey, he is the best. I think he is the best horse in my career.”

Despite not contesting the Sussex Stakes, O’Brien did enjoy success on the day as Highland Reel eventually ran out a determined winner of the Neptune Investment Management Gordon Stakes.

After finishing fifth in the Irish Derby the 7-4 favourite tracked the pacesetters into the home straight.

Early leader Space Age began to falter inside the last half-mile, but Scottish moved powerfully towards the lead and Highland Reel was briefly short of room after being held in by Disegno.

However, once the gap game, Highland Reel knuckled down to his task under Joseph O’Brien and wore down Scottish to score by a length and a half. Disegno was five lengths back in third.

The winning jockey said: “I was out early enough and I had plenty of horse. When you have the horse, the gaps come. He tried his heart out and had a nice position.

“I was a bit worried early doors as we went slow, but in fairness to him he tries and he handles this track well.”

Asked whether Highland Reel could be a St Leger candidate, O’Brien said: “He definitely could be. I never thought he’d need a mile and six (furlongs). He did well to win off a slow pace today.”