Shock in Sussex as Here Comes When floors Ribchester

Trainer Andrew Balding was one of the few people smiling after Here Comes When devoured the atrocious conditions to cause a major upset in the Qatar Sussex Stakes.

For many the Group One contest is the highlight of the entire week at Glorious Goodwood, with the brilliant dual winner Frankel joined on the roll of honour in recent years by the likes of Giant’s Causeway, Rock Of Gibraltar and Kingman.

The 2017 renewal promised to be another treat, with Lockinge and Queen Anne Stakes hero Ribchester set to be taken on by Aidan O’Brien’s dual 2000 Guineas winner Churchill.

However, copious amounts of rain through the morning and afternoon led to Churchill’s withdrawal less than an hour before the race and while 8-13 favourite Ribchester battled bravely in the mud, there is little doubt his brilliance was blunted.

Here Comes When, on the other hand, is a proven soft ground performer and was supplemented in the hope the forecast rain would arrive.

Arrive it did, in bucketloads, and the 20-1 shot knuckled down to see off a rallying Ribchester by a neck under champion jockey Jim Crowley.

Balding said: “He’s here for a reason. We were praying that we got the rain and it’s come in time. Jim gave him a great ride.

“On this ground, he’s stones better than he is on quicker ground.”

A philosophical Richard Fahey said of Ribchester: “It’s extreme conditions out there, I was very worried – it’s not for a flat horse to be racing on, it’s National Hunt horses.

“But he’s run a mighty race and he showed good heart to nearly get back up. “We live to fight another day.” The Karl Burke-trained Havana Grey made every yard of the running in the Bombay Sapphire Molecomb Stakes.

The Group Three contest lost some of its lustre following the withdrawal of American challenger Happy Like A Fool, but 7-2 chance Havana Grey showed a willing attitude against the rail to claim his fourth victory from just six starts in the hands of PJ McDonald.

Havana Grey looks likely to join stablemate Unfortunately, winner of the Prix Robert Papin, in the Prix Morny at Deauville.

Burke said: “The owners are very keen to try the Prix Morny and that’s where we’ll go next, along with Unfortunately.

“Unfortunately we have to run the pair together, so to speak, but both horses deserve to go for a Group One and that seems the obvious choice for him.”

Burke’s fellow North Yorkshire-based trainer Mark Johnston, no stranger to success at Goodwood, enjoyed a double on the afternoon.

Londinium was a 9-1 winner of the Better Odds With Matchbook Betting Exchange Handicap in the hands of Joe Fanning, before stablemate Threading (12-1) made a most impressive debut in the Markel Insurance Maiden Fillies’ Stakes, with William Buick doing the steering.

Johnston said: “Threading is a very well-bred filly and on pedigree you’d suggest she’ll be better on better ground, but we’re not getting carried away.

“She’s tall and sizeable and very strong. She’ll be back out before too long, I would say.

“It was a big decision to bring Londinium to Goodwood as he doesn’t like being away from his home box. He is in again on Friday so he might be getting used to Goodwood.”

Josephine Gordon guided the Ian Williams-trained Cool Sky (25-1) to victory in the two-and-ahalf-mile Matchbook Betting Exchange Goodwood Handicap.

Billesdon Bess (7-1) came home in front in the EBF Breeders’ Series Fillies’ Handicap for Richard Hannon and apprentice Hollie Doyle, who said: “To have a winner here means the world to me.

“Mr Hannon has been excellent, giving me the opportunities that he has. It all makes it worth it for days like today.”