Connections of Solow on course for Sussex showdown

Connections of Solow would relish the opportunity of seeing their excellent colt go toe to toe with Gleneagles in the Qatar Sussex Stakes at Glorious Goodwood.

Freddy Head’s French ace, three times a Group One scorer, produced one of the best performances at Royal Ascot when he dismantled a strong field in the Queen Anne Stakes.

Next up is the £1million Sussex Stakes, in which he could face a formidable foe in dual Guineas winner Gleneagles, who added to his Classic gains with an easy success in the St James’s Palace Stakes at the Royal meeting.

Pierre-Yves Bureau, racing manager for Solow’s owners, the Wertheimer brothers, said: “We will stick to the plan and go for the Sussex.

“Freddy says the horse is back to normal after Royal Ascot and is working very well.

“It was a big, big pleasure to win the Queen Anne Stakes and we will now look at the Sussex to try to keep things going.

“You can do anything with our horse – you can have him at the front, at the back, go wide or be in the middle. He is very versatile and I think that might help at a racecourse like Goodwood.

“Gleneagles is a very impressive horse, but we cannot complain with Solow and it should be a great battle.”

Gleneagles and Solow are the headline names from 21 remaining entries in the Group One Sussex on July 29.

Cougar Mountain, Due Diligence, Father Frost and War Envoy are also in the shake-up for Aidan O’Brien, with compatriot Lucida one of two females still involved – the other being the Sir Michael Stoute-trained Integral.

The Richard Hannon-trained pair of Night Of Thunder and Toormore, first and second respectively in the Lockinge, remain in contention – as do stablemates Estidhkaar, Ivawood and Moheet.