Friday Night Fever’s still sweeping Goodwood

The second in this year’s Three Friday Nights series attrracted a sell-out crowd for a sunny evening of racing followed by a DJ set by Naughty Boy and a surprise appearance from Emeli Sande.

And tonight’s third and final event has already sold out as race-goers and music fans snap up the chance to see another good-quality six-race card and a set by Radio One’s Zane Lowe.

Our tips for tonight’s (June 20) card: 6.15 Golden Journey, 6.45 Pettochside, 7.20 Almashooqa, 7.50 Great Fighter, 8.25 Saucy Minx, 8.55 Why Not Now.

Goodwood MD Adam Waterworth said: “Last Friday was another great night. The weather was fantastic and it couldn’t have gone better.

“We’d had a few issues with the transport links for the first Friday night but they were sorted and everything ran smoothly.

“We had some good racing topped off by fantastic music that the crowd loved.”

The racing left a familiar look to the top of the track’s trainer and jockey success charts for 2014, for there two wins for the Richard Hannon stable and one for their main man in the saddle Richard Hughes.

It may be Hannon junior at the helm now but he already looks favourite to take the Dick Hern Trophy – for being top trainer on the Downs over the course of the season – that Richard senior won in five of his last six seasons before retiring at the end of last year.

And it would take a brave punter to bet against Hughes being crowned top Goodwood jockey again.

The Hannon-Hughes double act is almost certain to do well at Glorious and beyond, but that won’t stop their rivals pushing them all the way.

Hannon’s double came courtesy of Pat Dobbs on 2/1 favourite Step To The Shears in the Three Friday Nights Maiden Auction Stakes and Hughes on 11/4 contender Dursey Island in the Frankie’s 27th Anniversary Maiden Stakes.

The race was named after Frankie Dettori, who had his first UK race win at Goodwood in June 1987 on a horse called Lizzyt Hare.

Ever-consistent Dobbs is turning into one of Hughes’ rivals in the bid to be Goodwood’s top rider this year – his one-and-a-quarter length win being his fourth of the season here.

The same can be said of Adam Kirby, now also on four Goodwood successes for the season. He enjoyed the biggest winning margin of the night – a shade under three lengths – when guiding 5/2 favourite Mount Logan first home in the Mazda Jinba Ittai Stakes handicap.

Racing began with the Naughty Boy Apprentice Stakes, which went to Bravo Echo (11/2), ridden by Louis Steward for Michael Attwater.

The 7/2 starter Oasis Fantasy claimed the Crimbourne Stud Stakes for Ed Dunlop, with Oisin Murphy on board, while the Golf At Goodwood Stakes went to 7/4 favourite Souville, ridden by George Baker and trained by Chris Wall.

Tonight sees the third in the Friday night series, with the card beginning at 6.15pm with the Zane Lowe Apprentice Stakes and ends at 8.55pm with the Goodwood Farm Shop Stakes.

The highlight looks like being the Mazda Jinba Ittai Stakes – a class-three handicap – at 7.50.

STEVE BONE