Supreme Soviet set for Goodwood

Soviet Song will this weekend start the build-up to her defence of the Cantor Spreadfair Sussex Stakes at Glorious Goodwood.

The five-year-old mare, trained by James Fanshawe, will have her first serious piece of work since winning back-to-back runnings of the Falmouth Stakes last week.

Soviet Song, owned by the 13,500-strong Elite Racing Club, gave one of her career-best performances to beat Alexander Goldrun by two and a half lengths at Newmarket’s July meeting and land her fifth Group One triumph.

“We were all absolutely thrilled with her performance in the Falmouth. James had said that she had improved for her first run of the season at Royal Ascot at York,” said Elite’s racing manager Matthew Budden today.

“We hoped she would put in a performance like that, but we couldn’t be totally confident and Alexander Goldrun has been there and done it.

“She has been given a little time to catch her breath, but will start working again in earnest at the weekend in preparation for the Sussex Stakes.

“She won that race and the Falmouth last year and we thought we’d go for both again as there’s a nice interval between the two races.

“Plans can change, but after the Sussex the intention is to give her a little break before coming back fresh for an autumn campaign taking in the QEII at Newmarket and the Breeders’ Cup Mile at Belmont Park.

“We were always going to give her a lighter campaign this year.

“Some people are assuming that this will be her last season, but nothing has been decided yet. The main aim of the club is to race the horses, although we do have a breeding programme.”

Elite are organising a trip to the Breeders’ Cup trip in New York in October and demand is already high.

“One hundred people have booked their places on our four-night stay in New York whatever,” added Budden.