No Solow clash for Gleneagles as ground forces Sussex withdrawal

Glorious Goodwood has been robbed of one of its highlights as Gleneagles bypasses tomorrow’s Qatar Sussex Stakes due to unsuitable ground.

Aidan O’Brien’s dual 2000 Guineas winner and St James’s Palace Stakes hero was supposed to test his mettle against the older generation for the first time, with Freddie Head’s Solow, a winner at both the Dubai Carnival and Royal Ascot, his main adversary.

However, the course was hit by 18 millimetres of rain on Sunday leaving the ground on the round course good to soft. Coolmore spokesman Kevin Buckley said: “Gleneagles is 100%, but he hasn’t been declared due to the present going at Goodwood.”

As a result, Solow is now an odds-on favourite. Richard Hannon’s Night Of Thunder, last year’s 2000 Guineas winner, is in opposition, but was some way behind Solow at Ascot.

The ground will suit Roger Varian’s Belardo, winner of last season’s Dewhurst but lightly raced this campaign.

O’Brien is represented by Cougar Mountain while Bossy Guest runs for Mick Channon. Peter Chapple-Hyam’s Arod, Andrew Balding’s Here Comes When, and Richard Fahey’s Gabrial complete the eight-runner field.